Possible solutions to global warming?

This would stop about 40% of all carbon fuel usage, and therefore about 40% of all industrial carbon dioxide emissions. In the long run, if we can switch to electric cars, we can get rid of the other 60% of industrial CO2 emissions. But electric cars are a waste of time until we convert our electrical generation to nuclear.

2. Deforestation of the Rain Forest

Contrary to popular belief, rain forests, and any other UNMANAGED forests, do NOT consume carbon dioxide. Yes, the plants consume CO2, or at least the living ones do. But when a tree dies, it ROTS, and all the carbon stored in its tissue escapes into the atmospher to combine with oxygen to form CO2. If, instead of allowing trees to die and rot, we HARVESTED those trees, and converted them to lumber, that carbon would be locked away (or "sequestered") almost indefinitely. Meanwhile, we could re-plant that area to fast-growing, actively-managed pine forests, and harvest them on a regular cycle, sequestering another 100 tons of carbon per acre per year.

3. Insect Eradication

Insects produce 48 billions metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. This is nearly twice as much as all human industry. It is no coincidence that the heyday of DDT coincides exactly with the only prolonged period of global COOLING since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Bugs generate CO2. Therefore, killing bugs decreases CO2. And DDT kills bugs, so more DDT = less carbon dioxide.

4. Do nothing

This is my favorite option. You see, chances are that it's just a cycle, that CO2 has very little to do with global temperatures. But even if global warming continues unabated, even the IPCC admits that there are potential POSITIVE effects as well as negative effects, and they REFUSE to predict which will be greater in magnitude. So, it's just as likely to be a good thing as to be a bad thing.

5. (not really an option) Kyoto

By the admission of its own proponents, Kyoto will not reverse global warming, and will not even stop it, but will only SLOW it by a minute amount. Why should we destroy the world's economy by implementing this?

First answer by Btrevoryoung. Last edit by Btrevoryoung. Contributor trust: 342 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 9 [recommend question]