In the event of a volcano, the result of the eruption is an atmospheric cooling effect, due to the products of the eruption which block sunlight. British scientists from Bristol, Reading, Cambridge, and Oxford universities have been working on a project which aims to recreate this albedo effect using a very long hose pipe attached to a balloon floating high in the atmosphere by pumping water particles through the pipe into the upper atmosphere. The goal of this experiment is to see how the method will work on a small scale, in order to later implement it on a larger scale to lower global temperatures. Many have decried this attempt, including the chair of the ETC group in Canada who called the experiment "a huge waste of time and money." Though, others have recognized its future practicality as a alternate means to help combat the effects of climate change. Among these are Sir Martin Rees, the former president of Royal Society, who stated that "Nothing should divert us from the main priority of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. Bus if such reductions achieve too little, too late, there will surely be pressure to consider a 'plan B."
While this seems a far-fetched, odd idea for some of the most brilliant minds in the world to be pondering, essentially shooting water really high into the air, the potential for the method to in any way mitigate the damage of anthropogenic climate change makes it an appealing idea. We need all the help we can get. Also, such a presumably harmless and relatively inexpensive solution seems to be a feesable option for our planet as we gear up to face the brunt of the mess we have caused. In examination of "cloud whitening" in comparison to other methods of countering climate change, (see Ocean Nourishment, Space Mirrors, Artificial Trees, Carbon Capture and Storage) it ceases to appear so outlandish. Perhaps these giant hoses will come to serve as an icon for the salvation of our planet as we fight our self-inflicted destruction.
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