Though I don't know much about the engineering aspect of trying to prevent emissions that harm our earth, I've always thought that if we could capture them somehow, all our environmental issues could be solves. I turns out that there is a process that can actually do just that. It's called CCS or Carbon Capture and Storage. By releasing a chemical agent that attaches to CO2 before it leaves the smoke stack of a power plant, it is possible to redirect the carbon emitted towards a pipeline. The pipeline than transports the carbon to a well that goes deep into the ground. Once the process is complete, the carbon is locked away safely under layers of impermeable and the chemical is reused.
So why aren't all power plants using this technique? As with all ideas, CCS has it's negatives. Not only is it extremely expensive, it may also reduce the amount of energy released from power plants by up to 20%. Additionally, there is the question of whether or not storing carbon in the ground is even safe. Still, already 2 power plants are using CCS and it is certainly a good idea if we can find a way to address and solve the negatives.
Multiple countries are studying this new idea, yet whether or not CCS will be a success is still question to answer right now. However, I am hopeful that the technique and other ones like it will soon become a part of our everyday lives. I believe that if we could combine all of the different ways of limiting harmful emissions (ie. hybrid cars, solar panels, CCS, wind energy, etc...), we might be able to prevent the worst effects of global warming. Right now, it's just a matter of using what we have and taking action.
Also: Check out the "World" page for an interesting question to think about. Comment your answer.
Source (includes an interesting video): http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/22/science/corralling-carbon-before-it-belches-from-stack.html?emc=eta1
Next week: The Little Things You Can Do
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