And it was expected… The idea of dimming the sun has practically become a reality. A small environmental initiative called Make Sunsets has begun sending sulfur dioxide particles into the stratosphere to cool the planet, a controversial and unproven method to combat the growing climate crisis, Futurism reports.
THEY SENT BALLOONS FILLED WITH SULFUR DIOXIDE
Last year, 1.8-metre helium balloons filled with sulfur dioxide were released into the sky in the Mexican state of Baja California, The Washington Post reports. According to MIT Technology Review, the company was probably the first to attempt to implement this long-debated method.
The aim is to release sulfur dioxide particles at high altitudes with balloons and to allow the Sun’s rays to be reflected back into space. This process is often referred to as “solar geoengineering”.
Make Sunsets is moving forward despite a lot of criticism. One of them, as critics have pointed out, is not even knowing if the idea will work or if it will lead to unintended consequences.
The overwhelming majority of scientists agree that more research needs to be done before we start sending large amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere to reflect back the Sun’s rays.
There are many reasons to be skeptical about this. For example, the fact that solar geoengineering studies can affect all regions of the world and thus completely ignore geopolitical boundaries.
Supporters of the idea argue that the world is heading towards a climate catastrophe and we cannot afford to sit idly by.
“I think it is morally wrong not to do this”
“I think it’s morally wrong for us not to do this,” Luke Iseman, the company’s CEO and founder, told MIT Tech, adding that it’s important to do it as quickly and safely as they can.
Meanwhile, Iseman reveals he hasn’t given up on the idea, saying he plans to release more balloons from Mexico this month. Iseman plans to spend the next 20 years releasing balloons “as much as he can safely”, he told a newspaper.
And it is said that Iseman, oddly enough, technically didn’t break any rules either.