Humans find it difficult to quit fossil fuels. That’s why some people argue that they need to start geoengineering right away. That is, it modifies the atmosphere to prevent catastrophic warming of the planet.
This practice is controversial. Some argue that it is the only solution given it was too long to reduce carbon emissions. Others say they shouldn’t perform two uncontrolled experiments on the Earth’s climate (first is the global combustion of fossil fuels).
It hasn’t stopped people from trying. And one approach defended by Make Sunsets has attracted the attention of the US Environmental Protection Agency.
The startup is basically two men from Silicon Valley who release balloons filled with hydrogen gas and sulfur dioxide particles. When the balloon floats somewhere past 66,000 feet altitude, it bursts and releases sulfur dioxide, scatters and reflects sunlight, cooling the earth a little.
The company sells “cooling credits” based on the extent to which each balloon’s release is denied. According to Pitchbook, Make Sunsets has raised $750,000, and the startup says investors include Boost VC, Draper Associates and Pioneer Fund.
Neither founder is a scientist, but the science behind sulfur dioxide and solar reflectance is healthy. When humans reduced the sulfur content in marine transport fuels in 2020, they misprove the importance of world albedo sulfur, the average reflectivity of the Earth’s surface. One prominent climate scientist agrees with this practice.
Still, given the complexity of global climate, it is not clear what other impacts the practice will have. They may sow storms in one area, stealing other rain. Several scientists are calling attention.
Furthermore, sulfur dioxide particles approach the ground can worsen asthma in people and cause other respiratory problems. Here, the EPA has problems with Make Sunsets’ approach to geoengineering. Sulfur dioxide is regulated as an air pollutant. EPA administrator Lee Zeldin said this week that the agency is investigating the company.
Sunsets argues that the actions are legal. In its website’s FAQ, the company states, “Yes, the method of cooling the Earth is classified as the 1976 Meteorological Amendment Act and will report its deployment to NOAA every year when necessary.”
However, the law is vague here. When it was written, the weather correction method may have been intended to cover the practice of cloud sowing where cloud-like particles are shot by the cloud and induce rain and snowfall. Most weather changes today are made by entities such as ski resorts and irrigation areas in the western region. It is not clear how the law applies to climate amendments.
Still, the EPA may be justified in its investigation, but it does not exactly match Zeldin’s approach to contamination.
The agency’s efforts to boost coal could produce far more sulfur dioxide contamination than the sunset is released with its balloons. Released on November 15th, 2024, Sunsets Balloon released 1,715 grams of sulfur dioxide. In 2023, US power plants released 650,000 tonnes into the atmosphere, most of which came from coal. This is roughly the same as 343,900,000 for startup balloons.
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