Another thought that I had along with the Irrigate idea from yesterday was about removing CO2 from the atmosphere. The oceans cover 70% of the Earth’s surface but make up 97% of the planet’s inhabitable space due to its great depths. The oceans are already responsible for absorbing 40% of the CO2 from the atmosphere, so what if we helped it absorb more by using the power of the waves and tides to pump the atmosphere down into the ocean to absorb more CO2. I think a float that moves up and down with the waves could be coupled to a compressor pump that sucks in air and gives it enough pressure to be forced down a tube to an aerator like that used in an aquarium. The very small air bubbles would float up from the depths and on the way some or all of the CO2 would be absorbed. The acidified ocean water would be less hospitable to marine life but we have a choice between that and the climate changing to make life worse for the habitable 3% of the land on the planet.
What are the consequences of putting more CO2 into the oceans? There are and have been the same consequences due to the 40% of the CO2 that’s already being put there. There should be more of the same. It’s not good, but if it will combat climate change then the good will have to be weighed against the bad.
On page 146 of A Life On Our Planet, Sir David Attenborough mentions “pumping CO2 down to the bottom of the sea.” So this has already been considered by others.
