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