Trump EPA targets two-man geoengineering startup for ‘polluting the air’

Humans have found it difficult to quit fossil fuels, and for this reason some argue that we will soon need to start geological engineering – that is, the air modification to prevent the catastrophic warming of the planet.

The practice is controversial. Some argue that this is the only solution given that we have been waiting for a long time to reduce carbon emissions. Others say we should not manage two experiences that are not subject to control over the Earth’s climate (the first is to burn global fossil fuels).

This did not prevent people from trying. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency caught the attention of Make Sunsets.

The emerging is mainly two young Silicon Valley, which releases weather balloons filled with hydrogen gas and sulfur dioxide. When the balloon floats in a place beyond 66,000 feet at height, it explodes and releases sulfur dioxide, which extends and reflects the sunlight, and cools the earth slightly.

The company sells “refrigeration credits” based on the amount of the estimated warming of each balloon release. Make Sunsets collected $ 750,000, according to Pitchbook, and startup says its investors include Boost VC, Daper Associas and Pioneer Fund.

None of the founders is a scientist, but the science behind sulfur dioxide and solar reflection is sound. Humans accidentally proved the importance of sulfur dioxide in the global Albido – the average reflection of the surface of the earth – when they cut the sulfur content of marine shipping fuel in 2020; One of the prominent climate scientists has argued in favor of this practice.

However, given the complexity of the global climate, it is not clear what other effects that practice might have. The seeds of rain storms may be in one area with the deprivation of other areas of rain. Many scholars urge caution.

In addition, if sulfur dioxide particles are drifted to the ground, they can exacerbate asthma for people and cause other respiratory problems. Here, the Environmental Protection Agency is facing a problem with Make SinSets “The Geological Engineering approach. Sulfur dioxide is organized as an air pollutor. The director of the Environmental Protection Agency Lee Zeldin said this week that the agency is investigating the company.

Make Sunsets argues their actions as legal. In the common questions on its website, the company says, “Yes, our way to Cool Earth is located under the 1976 weather amendment law and submit a report annually to NOAA on our postpartments as required.”

The law is mysterious here. When written, the weather amendment law may have aimed to cover the practice of cloud sowing, as molecules such as Yoid Silver are fired in clouds to urge rain or snow. Most of the weather is made today by entities such as ski resorts and irrigation areas in the West. It is not clear how the law applies to climate amendment.

However, although the Environmental Protection Agency may be justified in achieving it, it is not fully agreed with Zilden’s approach to pollution.

The agency’s efforts to enhance coal are likely to generate sulfur dioxide pollution much more than sunset making with balloons. The Make Sunsets Balloon was released on November 15, 2024, released 1715 grams of sulfur dioxide. In 2023, US power plants released 650,000 tons in the atmosphere, most of which came from coal. This is approximately 343,900,000 startups.