Ecological Overshoot

It’s Time to Engineer the Sky
Global warming is so rampant that some scientists say we should begin altering the stratosphere to block incoming sunlight, even if it jeopardizes rain and crops

"On the crisp afternoon of February 12, 2023, two men parked a Winnebago by a field outside Reno, Nev. They lit a portable grill and barbecued a fist-sized mound of yellow powdered sulfur, creating a steady stream of colorless sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas. Rotten-egg fumes permeated the air as they used a shop vac to pump the gas into a balloon about the diameter of a beach umbrella. Then they added enough helium to the balloon to take it aloft, attached a camera and GPS sensor, and released it into the sky. They tracked the balloon for the next several hours as it rose into the stratosphere and drifted far to the southwest, crossing over the Sierra Nevada Mountains before popping and releasing its gaseous contents. The contraption plummeted into a cow pasture near Stockton, Calif.

"The balloon released only a few grams of SO2, but the act was a brazen demonstration of something long considered taboo—injecting gases into the stratosphere to try to slow global warming. Once released, SO2 reacts with water vapor to form droplets that become suspended in the air—a type of aerosol—and act as tiny mirrors, reflecting incoming sunlight back to space. Luke Iseman and Andrew Song, founders of solar geoengineering company Make Sunsets, had sold “cooling credits” to companies and individuals; a $10 purchase would fund the release of a gram of SO2, which they said would offset the warming effects of a metric ton of atmospheric carbon dioxide for a year. They had planned a launch in Mexico but switched to the U.S. after the Mexican government forbade them.

"Many people recoil at the notion of solar geoengineering, or solar radiation management (SRM), as it's often called. The idea that humans should try to fix the atmosphere they've messed up by messing with it some more seems fraught with peril—an act of Faustian arrogance certain to backfire. But as it becomes clear that humans are unlikely to reduce emissions quickly enough to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius, some scientists say SRM might be less scary than allowing warming to continue unabated. Proposals for cooling the planet are becoming more concrete even as the debate over them grows increasingly rancorous.

"SRM replicates a natural phenomenon created by large volcanic eruptions. When Mount Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines in 1991...

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Ricter said:
It’s Time to Engineer the Sky
Global warming is so rampant that some scientists say we should begin altering the stratosphere to block incoming sunlight, even if it jeopardizes rain and crops

"On the crisp afternoon of February 12, 2023, two men parked a Winnebago by a field outside Reno, Nev. They lit a portable grill and barbecued a fist-sized mound of yellow powdered sulfur, creating a steady stream of colorless sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas. Rotten-egg fumes permeated the air as they used a shop vac to pump the gas into a balloon about the diameter of a beach umbrella. Then they added enough helium to the balloon to take it aloft, attached a camera and GPS sensor, and released it into the sky. They tracked the balloon for the next several hours as it rose into the stratosphere and drifted far to the southwest, crossing over the Sierra Nevada Mountains before popping and releasing its gaseous contents. The contraption plummeted into a cow pasture near Stockton, Calif.

"The balloon released only a few grams of SO2, but the act was a brazen demonstration of something long considered taboo—injecting gases into the stratosphere to try to slow global warming. Once released, SO2 reacts with water vapor to form droplets that become suspended in the air—a type of aerosol—and act as tiny mirrors, reflecting incoming sunlight back to space. Luke Iseman and Andrew Song, founders of solar geoengineering company Make Sunsets, had sold “cooling credits” to companies and individuals; a $10 purchase would fund the release of a gram of SO2, which they said would offset the warming effects of a metric ton of atmospheric carbon dioxide for a year. They had planned a launch in Mexico but switched to the U.S. after the Mexican government forbade them.

"Many people recoil at the notion of solar geoengineering, or solar radiation management (SRM), as it's often called. The idea that humans should try to fix the atmosphere they've messed up by messing with it some more seems fraught with peril—an act of Faustian arrogance certain to backfire. But as it becomes clear that humans are unlikely to reduce emissions quickly enough to keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius, some scientists say SRM might be less scary than allowing warming to continue unabated. Proposals for cooling the planet are becoming more concrete even as the debate over them grows increasingly rancorous.

"SRM replicates a natural phenomenon created by large volcanic eruptions. When Mount Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines in 1991...

More...
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Honestly the decarbonization effort is so insurmountable we probably are better off just causing nuclear winters :D
 
Ricter said:
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"The balloon released only a few grams of SO2, but the act was a brazen demonstration of something long considered taboo—injecting gases into the stratosphere to try to slow global warming. Once released, SO2 reacts with water vapor to form droplets that become suspended in the air—a type of aerosol—and act as tiny mirrors, reflecting incoming sunlight back to space. Luke Iseman and Andrew Song, founders of solar geoengineering company Make Sunsets, had sold “cooling credits” to companies and individuals; a $10 purchase would fund the release of a gram of SO2, which they said would offset the warming effects of a metric ton of atmospheric carbon dioxide for a year...
More...

Until the sulfur dioxide that mixes with the water vapor eventually forms sulfuric acid droplets and rains down into the ocean, slowly increasing it's acidity to the point all the krill die. We'll be cool, thank God, but too bad about the collapsed food chain and we all starve to death.
 
Overnight said:
Until the sulfur dioxide that mixes with the water vapor eventually forms sulfuric acid droplets and rains down into the ocean, slowly increasing it's acidity to the point all the krill die. We'll be cool, thank God, but too bad about the collapsed food chain and we all starve to death.
More...
Good point.
 
Japanese scientists find microplastics are present in clouds
Japanese scientists have found between 6.7 and 13.9 pieces of microplastic in each litre of cloud water tested.

28 Sep 2023

Researchers in Japan have confirmed that microplastics are present in clouds, where they are likely affecting the climate in ways that are not yet fully understood.

In a study published in the journal Environmental Chemistry Letters, Japanese scientists climbed Mount Fuji and Mount Oyama in order to collect water from the mists that shroud the peaks, then applied advanced imaging techniques to the samples to determine their physical and chemical properties.

The team identified nine different types of polymers and one type of rubber in the airborne microplastics, which ranged in size from 7.1 to 94.6 micrometres.

Each litre (0.26 gallon) of cloud water tested contained between 6.7 to 13.9 pieces of the plastics.

“If the issue of ‘plastic air pollution’ is not addressed proactively, climate change and ecological risks may become a reality, causing irreversible and serious environmental damage in the future,” lead author of the research, Hiroshi Okochi of Waseda University, warned in a statement on Wednesday.

When microplastics reach the upper atmosphere and are exposed to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight, they degrade, contributing to greenhouse gasses, Okochi said.

In a new study led by Hiroshi Okochi, Professor at Waseda University, a group of Japanese researchers has explored the path of airborne microplastics (AMPs) as they circulate in the biosphere.　#waseda #research #microplasticshttps://t.co/DWEbWctFZu
— 早稲田大学 Waseda University (@waseda_univ) September 28, 2023

Microplastics – which are defined as plastic particles under 5 millimetres that come from industrial effluent, textiles, synthetic car tires, personal care products and other sources – have already been discovered inside fish, peppering Arctic sea ice, and in the snows on the Pyrenees mountains between France and Spain.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023...ists-find-microplastics-are-present-in-clouds
 
Eco-car-powerplant.jpg
 
More downward pressure on yields, so we'll have to poison ourselves and other life. Two for one boundary crossing!


Reducing pesticides in food: Major food manufacturers earn an F grade

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN
8 minute read
Published 2:00 PM EST, Wed November 8, 2023


Seventeen major food manufacturers earned an average grade of F for their lack of progress in reducing pesticides in the products they sell, according to a new analysis by As You Sow, a nonprofit specializing in shareholder advocacy.







Common contaminants linked to accelerated weight gain in children

“Many companies set pesticide reduction goals of 2025 and 2030 that appeal to shareholders,” said Cailin Dendas, lead author for the report, “Pesticides in the Pantry: Transparency & Risk in Food Supply Chains,” published Wednesday.

“Now, we’re looking at the progress companies are making to achieve those goals, and finding little significant movement,” said Dendas, environmental health program coordinator for the nonprofit.


“It’s disheartening to see so many bad grades across the board for these major food production companies,” said Jane Houlihan, research director for Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, an alliance of nonprofits, scientists and donors with a mission of reducing babies’ exposures to neurotoxic chemicals.

“Studies find the highest amounts of pesticides in some of the most popular foods children eat — berries and apples, for example,” said Houlihan, who was not involved in the report. “Pesticides are also found in breast milk and umbilical cord blood, meaning that exposures start before birth and continue through infancy and beyond.”

Impact of pesticides on people
Long-term exposure to pesticides has been linked to cancer, asthma, anxiety, Parkinson’s disease, depression, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, according to the report.

“Pesticides may enter the body through the skin, eyes, lungs, and/or mouth, causing acute or chronic health problems, and can be carried home on clothing,” the report stated.

Children are especially susceptible to contaminants such as pesticides, even while in the womb.







Blueberries have joined green beans in this year’s Dirty Dozen list

“Pesticide exposure during pregnancy may lead to an increased risk of birth defects, low birth weight, and fetal death,” the American Academy of Pediatrics stated. “Exposure in childhood has been linked to attention and learning problems, as well as cancer.”

Yet pesticide exposure is widespread, even for chemicals that were banned years ago by federal agencies. In the 2023 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce — a list of nonorganic produce with the most pesticides — researchers found 210 different pesticides on the 12 foods.

Kale, collard and mustard greens contained the largest number of pesticides — 103 types — while nearly 90% of blueberry and green bean samples had concerning findings, according to the analysis released in March by the Environmental Working Group, a research and advocacy nonprofit that focuses on consumer health, toxic chemicals and pollutants.

Green bean samples contained extremely high levels of acephate, an insecticide banned for use in the vegetable in 2011 by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

“One sample of non-organic green beans had acephate at a level 500 times greater than the limit set by the Environmental Protection Agency,” Alexis Temkin, toxicologist at the EWG with expertise in toxic chemicals and pesticides, told CNN in a prior interview.

Blueberry samples contained acephate, phosmet and malathion — organophosphates which interfere with the normal function of the nervous system, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The climate crisis and pesticides
More than 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the United States alone, while farmers worldwide spend nearly $60 billion annually on pesticides, according to the report.







FDA proposes ban on potentially harmful ingredient found in some sodas

Pesticide use is expected to rise as the climate crisis worsens and the planet continues to warm. Rising soil temperatures spur the degradation of pesticides, decreasing their effectiveness and requiring greater amounts of chemicals to be used to maintain crop yields, the report said.

“Superstormsfrom climate change are flooding fields, washing away the nutrient dense topsoil farmers are relying on to maintain consistent crop yields each year,” Dendas said. “More rainfall in some regions is also carrying toxic pesticides into waterways, polluting our drinking water and generating dead zones in our oceans.”

Hotter weather also increases pests’ metabolisms, “leading them to increase their consumption of crops,” Dendas said. At the same time, heat reduces pest resilience in crops, again spurring additional use of pesticides.

Compounding the problem, the use of pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids, are “one of the top three causes of pollinator population decline globally,”

More...
 
Ricter said:
More downward pressure on yields, so we'll have to poison ourselves and other life. Two for one boundary crossing!


Reducing pesticides in food: Major food manufacturers earn an F grade

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN
8 minute read
Published 2:00 PM EST, Wed November 8, 2023


Seventeen major food manufacturers earned an average grade of F for their lack of progress in reducing pesticides in the products they sell, according to a new analysis by As You Sow, a nonprofit specializing in shareholder advocacy.







Common contaminants linked to accelerated weight gain in children

“Many companies set pesticide reduction goals of 2025 and 2030 that appeal to shareholders,” said Cailin Dendas, lead author for the report, “Pesticides in the Pantry: Transparency & Risk in Food Supply Chains,” published Wednesday.

“Now, we’re looking at the progress companies are making to achieve those goals, and finding little significant movement,” said Dendas, environmental health program coordinator for the nonprofit.


“It’s disheartening to see so many bad grades across the board for these major food production companies,” said Jane Houlihan, research director for Healthy Babies, Bright Futures, an alliance of nonprofits, scientists and donors with a mission of reducing babies’ exposures to neurotoxic chemicals.

“Studies find the highest amounts of pesticides in some of the most popular foods children eat — berries and apples, for example,” said Houlihan, who was not involved in the report. “Pesticides are also found in breast milk and umbilical cord blood, meaning that exposures start before birth and continue through infancy and beyond.”

Impact of pesticides on people
Long-term exposure to pesticides has been linked to cancer, asthma, anxiety, Parkinson’s disease, depression, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, according to the report.

“Pesticides may enter the body through the skin, eyes, lungs, and/or mouth, causing acute or chronic health problems, and can be carried home on clothing,” the report stated.

Children are especially susceptible to contaminants such as pesticides, even while in the womb.







Blueberries have joined green beans in this year’s Dirty Dozen list

“Pesticide exposure during pregnancy may lead to an increased risk of birth defects, low birth weight, and fetal death,” the American Academy of Pediatrics stated. “Exposure in childhood has been linked to attention and learning problems, as well as cancer.”

Yet pesticide exposure is widespread, even for chemicals that were banned years ago by federal agencies. In the 2023 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce — a list of nonorganic produce with the most pesticides — researchers found 210 different pesticides on the 12 foods.

Kale, collard and mustard greens contained the largest number of pesticides — 103 types — while nearly 90% of blueberry and green bean samples had concerning findings, according to the analysis released in March by the Environmental Working Group, a research and advocacy nonprofit that focuses on consumer health, toxic chemicals and pollutants.

Green bean samples contained extremely high levels of acephate, an insecticide banned for use in the vegetable in 2011 by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

“One sample of non-organic green beans had acephate at a level 500 times greater than the limit set by the Environmental Protection Agency,” Alexis Temkin, toxicologist at the EWG with expertise in toxic chemicals and pesticides, told CNN in a prior interview.

Blueberry samples contained acephate, phosmet and malathion — organophosphates which interfere with the normal function of the nervous system, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The climate crisis and pesticides
More than 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the United States alone, while farmers worldwide spend nearly $60 billion annually on pesticides, according to the report.







FDA proposes ban on potentially harmful ingredient found in some sodas

Pesticide use is expected to rise as the climate crisis worsens and the planet continues to warm. Rising soil temperatures spur the degradation of pesticides, decreasing their effectiveness and requiring greater amounts of chemicals to be used to maintain crop yields, the report said.

“Superstormsfrom climate change are flooding fields, washing away the nutrient dense topsoil farmers are relying on to maintain consistent crop yields each year,” Dendas said. “More rainfall in some regions is also carrying toxic pesticides into waterways, polluting our drinking water and generating dead zones in our oceans.”

Hotter weather also increases pests’ metabolisms, “leading them to increase their consumption of crops,” Dendas said. At the same time, heat reduces pest resilience in crops, again spurring additional use of pesticides.

Compounding the problem, the use of pesticides, particularly neonicotinoids, are “one of the top three causes of pollinator population decline globally,”

More...
More...
There's a stock for that. I forget, but I'll look. It was a 3M spin-off a few years back.

edit: Neogen
 
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