Ironing out carbon - One mans solution to carbon sequestration

“Ironing” out Carbon Dioxide

Carbon Dioxide plays a key role in the atmosphere. This gas has properties that allow it to sustain and hold in heat, which in turn warms the planet (EIA, 2004). Carbon, the primary component of carbon dioxide; is also the essential molecule for life and is the most basic building block found in all organic compounds. Human activities been blamed for the disruption of the earth’s natural carbon cycles and according to some studies, carbon is being added to the atmosphere faster than the natural processes that sequestrate it. The massive carbon sinks that naturally regulated and fixated excess carbon dioxide have been destroyed as humans have deforested ancient forests for the sake of building their cities and supplying lands for agriculture. Research shows that there has been a consistent balance of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for the past 10,000 years (Hamburg, Harris et al 1999); this balance has shifted rapidly in the last 150 years.

The Problem

Carbon dioxide, produced through combustion and oxidation has become a growing concern in today’s society. In industrialized countries greenhouse gases and the effects on our environment are becoming an issue that no longer can be ignored. Changes such as increasing temperatures, the melting of the Arctic ice cap, rising sea levels, and more violent weather activities (hurricanes, droughts, and hotter/longer summers) are becoming more and more evident with each decade. The rapid increase of carbon dioxide appears to be a key component of the in the development of these occurrences, however global warming has sparked much debate because the data that has been collected over the past century has conflicting trends (planktos.com, 2004). It is difficult to predict the behavior of the earth’s climate because it is ever changing and erratic, much to the chagrin of scientific modelers; the earth’s climate refuses to adhere to computer models.

Historically temperatures have fluctuated on the surface of the planet; however, with new technology and satellite data collection, conflicts in data have caused scientists to rethink their conclusions on the causes of these temperature fluctuations. What can be proven is that humans are affecting the planet in adverse ways. Mass deforestation, burning of f...

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Sources cited:

“American Society of Limnology and Oceanography”. The Scientific and Policy Uncertainties Surrounding the Use of Ocean Fertilization to Transfer Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide to the Oceans. American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. http://www.aslo.org/meetings/carbon2001/chisholm/transcript2.html

Caroline Dopyera, “The Iron Hypothesis” Earth, October 1996

Hamburg, Steven, Harris, Neil, et al. 1999: “How do we know that the Atmospheric Build-up of Greenhouse Gases is Due to Human Activity?” 20 October 2001 http://www.gcrio.org/ipcc/qa/05.htm Lawrence, Mark G. “Side effects of Oceanic Iron Fertilization”

Science 20 September 2002

National Energy Information Center (NEIC),Energy Information Administration, “Greenhouse gases, climate change and energy” Publication EI-30 http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggccebro/chapter1.html PALMER, ALASDAIR. “FOCUS PLANKTON TO THE RESCUE: the man who says he can save the planet” The Sunday Telegraph [Sydney] 23 August 2003

United States, Department of Energy. Capturing and Sequestering Carbon Dioxide DOE Document PI -0001. November 2003

http://climatetechnology.gov/library/2003/currentactivities/sequester.htm