Possible Solutions to Climate Change
Solutions to climate change (5)
1) reduce greenhouse gas emissions 2) remove carbon from atmosphere 3) air pollution 4) governmental policies 5) global treaties
Governmental Policy (5 ideas)
1) regulate greenhouse gases as pollutants and put limit on production 2) tax people based on the amount of carbon they make 3) tax incentives/rebates for technologies that do not release greenhouse gases 4)increase subsidies to non-emitting energy industries and decrease high emission industries 5) Cap-and-Trade-Regulations
Why did we not ratify Kyoto? (3)
1st senate didn't allow it 2nd lack of responsibilty for developing nations 3rd new resolution soon
The Clean Air Act
EPA developed clean air standards- claiming the max amount a person/industry can produce (DOESNT include greenhouse gases)
Global Treaty on Climate Change
Nations have met annually to create goals for reducing climate change pollution and impacts
Fluidized Bed Combustion
bed of bubbling ash and smoke is mixed with hot air which makes it act like a liquid and then things can be burned at a lower temp
Cap and Trade Regulations
each company gets a certian amount of credit to make carbon, if they produce more then allotted they pay high penalty- OVER TIME CREDIT DECREASES
positives and negatives of carbon sequestration technology
gets it out of the air expensive, tech=not understood
Remove Carbon From Atmosphere (2 ways)
plants carbon sequestration tech.
positives and negative using plants to remove carbon
plants remove CO2 from air (neg) temporary (plant will die=CO2)
carbon sequestration technology
pump CO2 as a gas or liquid into a saltwater tavern/aquifer OR un-minable coal bed depleted oil/gas reservoirs
why are un-minable coals beds a good option for carbon sequestration?
separates methane from coal which could be used for energy ( YET it continues the problem)
Reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions
use less energy/electricity buy less/use less stop habitat loss slow pop growth limit fertilizers
acid shock
when acidic snow melts and goes into water decreasing its pH
Kyoto Protocol/Treaty
where developed nations agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a target percentage below 1990 levels by 2012
Air pollution (pros and cons)
+ Pollutants help increase cloud formation and reflect light away from Earth- LESS RADIATION on surface - expensive, more acid rain, light reflectivity increase