A must read: “Lackner and Jospe, Climate Change is a Waste Management Problem, Issues in Science and Technology, June 2017.” Times have changed. Delay has created a new climate that requires new strategies. The following is a summary of this must read article.
Summary of “Climate Change is a Waste Management Problem”:
— Carbon dioxide is a waste product; dumping it into the open air is a form of pollution.
— Current climate pollution reform culture says we must stop polluting.
— For the last 30 years, it seemed possible that limiting and then stopping climate pollution would work.
— Now we realize that delay has created a climate where complete elimination of climate pollution emissions allows continued warming.
— When we realized that human sewage pollution was killing millions, we did not limit sewage emissions, we treated the pollution.
— Today we are fortunate because we can both limit climate pollution and treat it like human sewage.
— The technologies exist and they are little different in costs or expense from treating human sewage.
— Storage opportunities are widespread and abundantly adequate to meet the need.
— The earliest of these technologies was first used to keep our sailors safe from carbon dioxide poisoning in submarines in WW II.
— Emissions reductions are still important but the critical path today, because of the great delay in action, says we must reduce and treat at the same time.
On the Photo: Our apologies to the creator of this fantastic flying toilet photo. We looked, but could not find an attribution. Thanks!