From: Adrian Tymes (wingcat@pacbell.net)
Date: Sun Dec 22 2002 - 15:56:19 MST
Lee Corbin wrote:
> The giant sheets could indeed be used to warm polar regions
> and cool tropical regions, but of course we are too afraid
> to CHANGE anything because no matter now many people would
> ultimately benefit, some people would be inconvenienced.
> (Not to mention many animals.)
Neg. That may be one reason some people give, but the real reason is
that the effects of such climate change are simply not well known. As
in, there is a significant chance that you could wind up turning
inhabited areas into deserts or another Hurricane Alley, when you were
intending to just adjust said areas, or ones anywhere within a few
thousand miles, towards the human norm. That is why the inhabitants of
those areas object.
> Perhaps, however, the intense harm occasionally done by
> heat waves in some areas might provide enough incentive
> to try diverting small amounts of solar energy to more
> northerly (or southerly) latitudes.
<nods> If 'tis to be done, 'twould best be started off in very small
increments, such that the maximum magnitude of disaster is also
minimized. (To be clear: I'm not saying the worst will happen; I'm
saying peoples' fear of the worst is the obstacle. So, minimize the
fear if you want to make sure there aren't lynch mobs, or their police
representatives, roughing you up for what might happen.)
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