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How to Cool the Planet: Geoengineering and the Audacious Quest to Fix Earth's Climate |  | Author: Jeff Goodell
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Category: Book
List Price: $26.00
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Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 127362
Media: Hardcover
Edition: First Edition
Pages: 272
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 9 x 6.2 x 1
ISBN: 0618990615
Dewey Decimal Number: 551.6
EAN: 9780618990610
ASIN: 0618990615
Publication Date: April 15, 2010
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Product Description
When Jeff Goodell first encountered the term "geoengineering," he had a vague sense that it involved outlandish schemes to counteract global warming. As a journalist, he was deeply skeptical. But he was also intrigued. The planet was in trouble. Could geoengineers help? Climate change may well be the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced. Temperatures in some regions of the world could increase by as much as fifteen degrees by the end of the century, causing rising sea levels and severe droughts. But change could also happen much more suddenly. What if we had a real climate emergency, the ecological equivalent of the subprime mortgage meltdown--how could we cool the planet in a hurry? As Goodell shows in this bracing book, even if we could muster the political will for it, cutting greenhouse gas emissions alone may not be enough to reduce the risk of climate catastrophe. This has led some scientists to pursue extreme solutions: huge contraptions that would suck CO2 from the air, machines that would brighten clouds and deflect sunlight away from the earth, even artificial volcanoes that would spray heat-reflecting particles into the atmosphere. In How to Cool the Planet, Goodell explores the scientific, political, financial, and moral aspects of geoengineering. How are we to change the temperature of whole regions if we can't even predict next week's weather? What if a wealthy entrepreneur shots particles into the stratosphere on his own? What about wars waged with climate control as the primary weapon? What happens to our relationship with nature when, as Goodell puts it, we all find ourselves living in a giant terrarium? And our options are dwindling. Maybe, Goodell suggests, we need to start taking geoengineering seriously. Maybe it's Plan B for the planet. And if it is, we need to know enough to get it right. Thoroughly reported and convincingly argued, How to Cool the Planet is a compelling tale of scientific hubris and technical daring. But it is also a thoughtful, even-handed look at a deeply complex and controversial issue. It's a book that will surely jump-start the next big debate about the future of life on earth.
A Q&A with Jeff Goodell, Author of How to Cool the Planet
 Q: What is geoengineering? A: It's the idea of manipulating the earth's climate as a way to reduce the risks from global warming. If that sounds dangerous and scary and downright crazy, it is. But I argue in my book that we're likely to end up doing it anyway--in part because the effort to reduce emissions has been such a failure, in part because we love quick fixes, and in part because the survival of civilization may eventually depend on it. The real question is, how soon will we begin, and will we do it well or do it badly? Q: What inspired you to write this book? A: Two things, really. After I completed my previous book, Big Coal, which was about the costs and consequences of burning coal for energy, it became clear to me that we are not going to reduce our emissions anywhere near fast enough to avoid the risks of a climate catastrophe. What will we do if someday we have the climatic equivalent of the subprime mortgage meltdown? Shortly after I began thinking about this, I met a few highly respected scientists who were quietly exploring ideas for how we might cool the planet in an emergency. I was intrigued. I grew up in Silicon Valley, after all--I'm a big believer in exploring new technology to help solve human problems. In addition, the idea of deliberately taking charge of the earth's climate brings up a lot of interesting questions about our relationship with nature. But I think I was most interested in the human side of the story. I wanted to know: Were the scientists who were exploring these ideas crazy or not? Q: So, are these geoengineering scientists mad? A: Well, some of them clearly are nuts. But not all of them. In fact, the narrative of the book is really about getting to know these scientists as human beings. I mean, we are talking about messing around with the climate system of the entire planet here! You've got to have a big ego and a healthy dose of hubris even to consider it. Besides trying to understand the technological, political, economic, and moral complexities of all this, I also wanted to know, on a basic human level, whether we could trust these people. And as it turned out, I met some pretty fascinating characters. Q: Who are some of the leading scientists in the field? A: One of them, David Keith, is a Canadian physicist who has started a company to design and build machines that capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. David is an ardent environmentalist--among other things, he spends a lot of time hiking and skiing in the high Arctic. One of the reasons he's involved in geoengineering is that he believes it may be the only way to save the Arctic from a complete meltdown. Another character I was intrigued by is Stephen Salter, a cranky but brilliant Scottish engineer who seems to have stepped out of a Jules Verne novel. Salter has designed boats that would spray billions of tiny droplets of seawater into the clouds to brighten them, so they will reflect more sunlight away from the earth. Finally, there's Lowell Wood, a protégé of Edward Teller, the father of the hydrogen bomb. On one level, Wood is the embodiment of Big Science gone awry. But he's also a very smart and entertaining guy who challenged many of my easy assumptions about geoengineering. (Photo © Eric Etheridge)
Product Description
Right now, a group of scientists is working on ways to minimize the catastrophic impact of global warming. But theyâre not designing hybrids or fuel cells or wind turbines. Theyâre trying to lower the temperature of the entire planet. And theyâre doing it with huge contraptions that suck CO2 from the air, machines that brighten clouds and deflect sunlight away from the earth, even artificial volcanoes that spray heat-reflecting particles into the atmosphere.
This is the radical and controversial world of geoengineering, which only five years ago was considered to be "fringe." But as Jeff Goodell points out, the economic crisis, combined with global political realities, is making these ideas look sane, even inspired.Â
Goodell himself started out as a skeptic, concerned about tinkering with the planetâs thermostat. We canât even predict next weekâs weather, so how are we going to change the temperature of whole regions? What if a wealthy entrepreneur shoots particles into the stratosphere on his own? Who gets blamed if something goes terribly wrong? And perhaps most disturbing, what about wars waged with climate control as the primary weapon? There are certainly risks, but Goodell believes the alternatives could be worse. In the end, he persuades us that geoengineering may just be our last best hopeâa Plan B for the environment. His compelling tale of scientific hubris and technical daring is sure to jump-start the next big debate about the future of life on earth. Â
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 8
 Can Geoengineering Really Help Solve the Global Warming Crisis? June 11, 2010
Frederick S. Goethel (Central Valley, CA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
According to many scientists that are involved with climate change research, we may already be at or very near the point of no return due to the amount of carbon dioxide already present in the atmosphere. If that is the case, are we already doomed to massive rises in ocean levels, changes in monsoon patterns, increased drought and any other number of possible side effects of global warming? These are the questions that the author of this book attempts to answer by interviewing a number of experts in the field of global climate change.
One of the answers that has been proposed is that we "geoengineer" the planet by trying a number of different techniques to lessen the amount of sun light that is striking the earth. Some of the ideas have been outlandish: dropping millions of styrofoam balls in the ocean, sending giant umbrellas into space to "shade" the earth, and other equally weird proposals. Some of the ideas, however, are much simpler and much more likely to be cost effective and effective in lowering the amount of sun hitting the planet. Included in these ideas are pumping small particulate matter into the upper atmosphere, increasing the reflectivity of clouds and dumping thousand of tons of iron into the ocean to increase the amount of plankton, which would absorb carbon dioxide from the air.
The author explores these ideas and provides a background into the history of geoengineering as well interviewing key players that have been involved in trying to find a solution to climate change. The author also explores the ethical and moral obligations that geoengineering would hold, as well as how the concept would be regulated and by whom.
The book is well written and provides a glimpse into the possible solutions that may be proposed if we are, in fact, past the tipping point. If you don't believe global warming exists, then there will be nothing in this book for you. If, however, you do believe in global warming I would highly recommend this book, as it offers a glimpse into what the future may hold.
 Thoughtful discussion on a huge topic June 27, 2010
J. Davis (San Diego, CA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Jeff Goodell, a writer for Rolling Stone, tackles the complex subject of geoengineering in How to Cool The Planet. Goodell, while concerned about the dangers of geoengineering, presents it as perhaps the only possible solution to the global warming crisis. He interviews a number of brilliant scientists who have plans to cool the Earth in a number of ways-everything from shooting particles of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere to creating more clouds to reflect the sunlight. This is an important book that is also fun to read.
YOU HAVE TO BE A BELIEVER August 19, 2010
John Durkee (Hunt, TX, USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a book for those who are committed to the beliefs that global warming is: (1) a consistent verifiable trend caused by accumulation of carbon dioxide in the stratosphere, or (2) those who don't believe that and want to see what it is that believers have in store for the planet, and for we non-believers.
Author Jeff Goodell is a believer. So much so that he has given up (essentially) on the idea that we earthlings can believe and bond so as to adequately reduce emissions of carbon dioxide in a time of consequence to the planet's health. Goodell believes, instead, that major surgery is / will be needed, absent that unexpected reduction of emissions.
Major surgery, for those who believe as does Goodell, is called geoengineering.
Geoengineering means to manage, or tinker, with the entire planet so that its climate is modified to achieve desired effects.
This book is about how this might be done, who might do it, when it might be done, why it should or should not be done, who would pay for it, what R&D needs to be done to support it, how to control it and whom does that, and just what those effects might be or not be.
Goodell highlights two approaches as the most feasible for geoengineering as seeding clouds with particles to make them more reflective of UV light, and stimulating the oceans to grow more plankton as that organism devours carbon dioxide.
Everyone noted in this book is a believer, super intelligent, accomplished, and committed to something associated with geoengineering. Some of note to those familiar with engineering and science are Lowell Wood (a disciple of Edward Teller), James Lovelock (who formed the "Gaia" hypothesis that the earth and its population are a self-correcting organism), and Steven Salter (who invented "Salter's Duck" which is a device for recovering electrical energy from wave motion). Interesting people with interesting opinions; all believers.
The uniformity and apparently unquestioning agreement of believers about global warming, is the weakness of both the phalanx of believers, and this book. The PR explosion in the spring of 2010 about the certainty of global warming science must have happened to late for recognition, or was ignored. Goodell's approach is that geoengineering will be done, the planet saved, all despite the views and rights of un-believers. Goodell believes, apparently, in my words, that all who aren't believers are right wing nuts whose views are ignored or silenced.
To author Goodell's credit, he notes that among believers and non-believers no one has a clue about what's normal for our planet's climate and what recent measurements and experiences mean for the future of us.
In summary, this 200-odd page book is an easy and good read about the future as defined by one point of view. For believers, 5 stars; for non-believers, 4 stars for ignoring us.
Serious popular science May 25, 2010
M. Bailey (New Jersey, USA)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
Despite the unfortunate subtitle, this is a serious look at the history and current research being done into using technology to alter the climate to counteract the effects of global warming. The focus of the book is limited to "serious ideas that may be workable in the near term" (i.e., 50 years or so). This eliminates some extremely long-term and expensive ideas which nevertheless have promise, such as placing giant mirrors into orbit. Some ideas have potentially massive effects, others would be at most modestly successful but also less costly.
Technologies discussed at length would work towards either
-- increasing the earth's albedo (reflectivity): for example, injecting clouds or the atmosphere with various substances to increase brightness, or painting roofs and roads white;
or
-- removing CO2 from the atmosphere (including ideas to increase plankton in ocean deserts by dumping in massive loads of iron)
Aside from the ethical, moral and religious reasons for favoring or opposing various techniques, there is the worry that one or more methods could be used for military, political, or even terrorist purposes, not to mention greed as a motivation for non-regulated climate forcing. Without international agreement and oversight, geoengineering would probably be dangerous, and there is the fear that encouraging such techniques would lull us into a business-as-usual attitude regarding CO2 pollution. Goodell also points out that geoengineering would be messing with a system we don't really understand. He concludes that the best approach would be to do small experiments to decide what the effects and benefits of any particular technology might be, develop an international body to oversee research and its uses, and increase vigilance about and reduction of CO2 .
I've read quite a bit about climate change, and this book gave me a welcome added dimension into the options we have. Goodell's audience is the well-informed general reader who is already convinced of the seriousness of our climate situation. (NOTE: the edition I read was an advance reading copy provided electronically via [...).
Facts We Need ... but lacks faith May 10, 2010
Patrick Moore LMT BA (tucson)
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
All humans should be required to know several things from this book:
There are three approaches to cooling the planet.
1. Stop doing all the things we did to warm the planet (especially burning coal, cars, and all forms of combustion).
2. Ask forgiveness of Mother Earth (the Gaia hypothesis) or intervention from a higher power (prayer)
3. Geoengineering; ways to remove carbon from the air or block sunlight from the earth.
What I didn't value about the book: The author makes fun of 1 and 2, which sort of hurts my feelings. I am a spiritual person who values science so I don't need a book on science to tell me that prayer is no better than burying your head in the sand, or that people who think Gaia is really aware are kooks. He says Mother Nature is a b___h and would wipe out humanity without a tear... The author has no faith that humanity can change to consume and pollute less. I got over being offended about these things because the scientific content of the book is very important.
What is very valuable about the book: The author interviews experts on global warming and gives unbiased reporting of their ranges of views. The author gives what appears to be a realistic forecast of the future of Earth, given our social and political climate. He's right; politicians are not likely to write laws that prevent burning coal, cars, and combustion because nobody would vote for them if they did. People are currently consuming far more energy and making far more pollution than can be sustained. Given these two trends that are likely to continue, the only means left to maintaining life on the planet seem to be the "Audacious" and cheap dirty fixes. Here are several that the author outlines:
1. shooting aluminum dust into the stratosphere to reflect more sunlight away from the earth. (doesn't aluminum cause alzheimer's? Is nano-dust hard for people with respiratory conditions?)
2. making whiter clouds that reflect more sunlight away from the earth.
3. machines that remove carbon from the air (where it can be buried)
4. seeding oceans with iron fertilizer so that planktons make more shells, which fall to the ocean bottom, sequestering carbon from the air and storing it at the bottom of the ocean.
Of these, shooting dust into the stratosphere is the cheapest and most likely to work, quickly cooling the planet. Because it is cheap and works quickly, politicians are likely to promote it to the public because its effects could promote their careers.
These are ugly facts! The author acknowledges that these ideas are terrible alternatives, and should only be used in an emergency. But we may be already in an emergency. If the arctic melts, the tundra under the ice will compost and add far more greenhouse gasses to the air, multiplying the speed at which the earth warms. The author and all the experts interviewed acknowledge these are all temporary fixes
If you can get through some long meandering chapters with diversions that have nothing to do with the facts, I highly recommend you read it. Should be required reading for all high school seniors in "Contemporary World Problems," liberal arts students for combining social and hard sciences and humanities. The book either lacks understanding of ethics, or thinks that ethics does not play a part in our world's forecast.
My personal belief is that cooling the planet will require all three: 1 changing our behavior to consume and pollute less, 2. asking forgiveness from, and committing to respect Nature, Earth, and requesting the intervention of Intelligences higher than human (even if you don't think they exist, it couldn't hurt to ask humbly), and 3. scientific temporary fixes through geoengineering.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 8
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