A few months ago, I was doing my usual worrying over everything; worrying in particular about the hole in the ozone. I had this stupid idea about somehow covering the area with something that would reflect the light back out. Even if it was a temporary solution, maybe it’d buy some time for a better, more solid solution.
Dumb, I thought.
The other day I was reading an article on the BBC, “Artificial Trees to Cut Carbon”, by Judith Burns. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8223528.stm
In it, the article discusses The Institute for Mechanical Engineers (IMECHE) report regarding climate change. According to the BBC article, ‘The report includes a 100-year roadmap to “decarbonise” the global economy.’
There’s mention of reflecting the sunlight, though it’s also noted that this would “just mask the problem.” I was relieved to hear that they had considered an idea that had crossed my mind as well. It wasn’t dumb to consider. It isn’t stupid to stretch our minds and reach for functional answers wherever possible.
The fact that the IMECHE (http://www.imeche.org/) has drafted the best minds to find creative solutions is more viable to me (and a relief) than to constantly hear the theoretical debate from other scientists and pundits about whether climate change is really happening or not. Up until reading this article I had assumed that we were all still in a state of chattering class debate. We may still be, but I vote to hear less from those who have no solutions to offer, regardless of how dumb they may appear, and relegate them to getting out of the way. Do any of those who disbelief human culpability in affecting, or accelerating climate change, exercise any personal efforts in maintaining a small footprint?
My worry is always there: Like that line in Sex, Lies and Videotape, where Andy McDowell’s character says she’s worried about the garbage. What will we do with all of the garbage? That’s me. But when I finally had that thought about reflecting the sun and then read that others had considered it too (regardless of how impractical) I knew that I’d finally moved beyond the debate. We need to all be educating ourselves, doing and thinking more about practical answers than to just simply talk and worry.
Filed under: Observation
