Why Have Acid Rain When You Can Rain Acid?

I went pale and cold when I read the "good news" of how global warming could be combated. A Reuters story reports that in the journal Science new molecules in the atmosphere have been discovered that might be able to help battle global warming. The molecules are called Criegee biradicals and can help promote the creation of clouds. This is done by the biradicals oxidizing and converting sulfur dioxide into sulfuric acid.

Carl Percival, one of the study's authors, says that the biradicals occur naturally; they are released by plants. He also states they work best in polluted areas. And finally, the biradicals are not a candidate for geo-engineering.

I think my head is going to explode.

First, the government is not above geo-engineering. It has already started with CO₂.

Second, the data flow I see in this train wreck called environmentalism is astounding.

• Criegee biradicals can potentially promote global cooling
• Criegee biradicals work on sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide : pollutants
• Plants create Criegee biradicals
• Plants need CO₂ for food
• Governments ( some ) have forced the reduction of pollution
• Governments ( some ) are forcing the reduction of CO₂ emissions

Who would have thought that nature was so complex that there would be interdependency in it?

For the sake of argument though, let us imagine that the government decides Criegee biradicals are a good thing and artificial production is achieved. Then imagine they decide to pump it into the air for a cooling effect. That is not far fetched since they are determined to trap and store CO₂, plant food, even though they are concerned about the rain forests and old growth forests; last I checked, forests were made of plants.

Let us now compare the actors involved.

Acid Rain

• Made of rain mixed with carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
  
• Changes pH of soil which can damage some plants, but not food crops due to adding necessary fertilizers
• No direct effect on humans, but components that make it can lead to heart problems, asthma, and bronchitis
• Can deteriorate stone, which means buildings can be vulnerable

Detrimental effects require many applications and the passage of time.

Sulfur Dioxide

• If inhaled, associated with increased respiratory symptoms and disease, difficulty in breathing, and premature death
• deemed safe for human consumption
• used as a preservative
• used in wine making

Sulfuric Acid

• Reactive with many metals
• Oxidizes nonmetal materials
• Decomposes flesh with a chemical burn and causes secondary thermal burns

If for some reason the government is ever stupid enough to design a Criegee biradical project, hopefully the resulting sulfuric acid product is an extremely diluted product. I imagine since acid rain itself is quite a diluted product that this acid in water would be too.

So when I read this "good news" you can see why I went pale and cold. Thank goodness though that I am just a blogger talking out of his butt.

1
2
3