Idea for climate help has been irking me, any thoughts?

[jnl4324]

Hello everyone. You may be able to tell by the lack of understanding surrounding my following message that I am no scientist, and I realize that this is a speculative, vauge idea, if not a bit of a pipe dream. However, it is something I feel should be expressed, so please bear with me...

 

The idea is based on the fact that blue green algea, or cyanobacteria, is the most efficient photosynthesizer on earth (or so I remember reading somewhere). Here's a related factoid, from Wikipedia:

 

Algae and other monocellular organisms

From a 2010 study by the University of Maryland, photosynthesizing Cyanobacteria have been shown to be a significant species in the global carbon cycle, accounting for 20–30% of Earth's photosynthetic productivity and convert solar energy into biomass-stored chemical energy at the rate of ~450 TW.^[7]

 

...So, if this is such a powerful consumer of CO2, why not use that to our advantage?

 

Could it be that the 'trick' would be getting enough algea, in an environment where it could flourish, high enough into the atmosphere that it could eat away at the excess carbon? Is it at all possible to create a synthetic, gas permiable membrane suitable to house this environment? Even if this membrane exists, how could we lift such heavy devices into the upper layer of the troposphere, in the amounts necessary to make a dent in the damage? Admitidly gaining in farcicality, could it be possible to "anchor" these balloon/homemade cells to the weighlessness of the upper atmosphere, or space, for that matter? I've tried brainstorming other ideas that could do this, such as kiting, helicoptering, ect.. This all derived from a thought I had, for blimps, that were basically huge floating chia pets (ha ha).

 

I look forward to reading some responses, but like I said, I just wanted to get that out there. Thanks for listening.

 

 

[swansont]

What would you do after you'd grown enough algae to fill up your available volume that's you'd set aside for doing this?

[jnl4324]

Well, as I see it, there would have to, of course, be a way to pull them back to earth; I could see a tether system working, but there is room to imagine here. In an ideal situation, the "bulbs" would be reusable, after the "pseudoplasm" (not bad, huh?) is replaced.

 

What would need to be done with the algea would be of some concern because it can do damage to ecosystems when it grows out of control. For the same reason, I think the bulbs would need to be permiable only by gas; i could just imagine the bacteria seeping out to the moisture in the air, forming algea clouds! However, after collecting the bacteria-laden liquid from the atmospere, the algea could then be used for fertalizer.

[swansont]

My point is the algae only absorbs CO2 as long as it's growing. That stops when you hit steady state, and if it dies and decomposes, the CO2 goes back into the atmosphere. You need to sequester the CO2 somehow as well.

[Unity+]

My point is the algae only absorbs CO2 as long as it's growing. That stops when you hit steady state, and if it dies and decomposes, the CO2 goes back into the atmosphere. You need to sequester the CO2 somehow as well.

One way to do so would be to split the carbon atoms and oxygen atoms. In some ways, what could happen is the fuel for the proposed algae could become the carbon while its waste is the oxygen that is released.

[jnl4324]

One way to do so would be to split the carbon atoms and oxygen atoms. In some ways, what could happen is the fuel for the proposed algae could become the carbon while its waste is the oxygen that is released.

 

This is what I pictured. Since the membrane would be gas permiable, oxygen could escape, kind of acting like a lung. Rather than absorb the CO2, it breathes it in and breaks it down into oxygen, sugars, and other biproducts using photosynthesis.

[Tim the plumber]

I think the vast armada of kites would have an impact on climate and the shadows would cool the surface quite a lot.

 

Building and maintaining all these kites would use a lot of energy.....