[extropy-chat] Global warming news

[spike]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org [mailto:extropy-chat-
> bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Martin Striz
...
> 
> The US and Europe are responsible for 40% of the
> CO2 output (China accounts for another 15% -
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide_emissions)...



> Martin

These calculations are based on carbon burning, but it looks like it does
not account for a really large source of carbon going into the atmosphere:
the clearing of forest lands for agriculture.  If the calcs did account for
deforestation, Brazil should show up much more on the list of CO2
contributors.

A forest draws down a lot of carbon.  Do the calcs yourself: go to the
nearest forest, measure the distance between a number of adjacent trees,
estimate or measure their height and diameter at the base, assume them to be
roughly conic, calculate their volume (~1/12*pi*d^2*h) and assume about 800
kg per m^3 is carbon.  Whenever I do this, I find we can draw down as much
carbon as we want, and get some really cool forests in the deal, if we just
supply the continental interiors with fresh water.

spike