Now, I’m all for finding a solution to global warming, and something that works quickly would definitely be good. But I’m not sure that launching sulphur particles into the stratosphere to reflect a greater amount of sunlight away from the planet is a method that makes a lot of sense – the words ‘unforeseen additional consequences’ leap to mind right away.
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If we are entertaining solutions like this one, putting a finely distributed amount of foil reflectors is also on the table. If global heating becomes big enough, either caused by a warming sun cycle (and/or) industrial spin-off (and/or) other runaway effects … then we will have to act, no matter what. This planet cannot have a few billion people conveniently die away in the next few decades as a result off (or a solution to) planetary shrivelling. The consequences of such a die-off will take down civilization as we know it… and we sure as hell don’t want that.
Now, the idea of creating a ring of foil particles to reflect a small percentage of the sun’s outfit before it hits and warms earth is bound to make all those farm-raises yokels who now run commentaries on Fox. Imagine the price to the taxpayer!
I guess it will take those people a few decades to come to grips with the alternatives. I guess the wingnuts won’t like a few hundred million eco-refugees flooding the states by 2050, *even* if that will be a lot of cheap labour.