Engineering a Clean Earth

Over the past few years, I have watched my home country, the Philippines, become a poster child for the climate crisis. Typhoons are now a monthly occurrence, flooding is a given, and temperatures reach 30°C daily. I see the effects of climate change right in front of my eyes, making me eager to find a solution. Luckily, engineering provides exactly that.

Though it may not be the first thing that comes up when brainstorming ideas to address climate change, the very definition of engineering is the application of math and science to solve real-world problems. Because climate change is arguably one of the biggest problems the world faces currently, engineering might just be the perfect solution. Today, engineers around the world are developing and implementing ways to fight against climate change.

Created in the 1950s as a pre-treatment for cryogenic air separation and first explored as a tool for the climate crisis by Klaus Lauckner in the 90s, direct air capture (DAC) is one of the most interesting engineering solutions to climate change, specifically by lowering the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It utilises chemical reactions to react with and remove carbon dioxide from the air, while still allowing other particles to move through freely. Companies currently commercialising DAC include Carbon Engineering in Canada and Climeworks in Zurich. However, the cost of DAC, a few hundred dollars per ton, will need to go down before it becomes a universal way to combat climate change.

Solar geoengineering, or solar radiation management, is a branch of engineering which focuses on decreasing the amount of sunlight reaching Earth’s surface to help cool the planet. The process involves methods to reflect sunlight such as using large mirrors or injecting reflective aerosol into the atmosphere. Though the sound of injecting aerosols into the atmosphere raises a few eyebrows, it is based on the natural results of volcanic eruptions. When volcanoes erupt, they release sulfur dioxide, which later turns into reflective sulfate aerosols. This causes temperatures to lower, not only in the country of the explosion but in the whole world. Though the use of aerosols is based on a natural process, we do not know what effects it may cause to the climate, other than cooling the planet. Because of this, it is not an alternative to reducing global emissions, however, it may allow us to buy time and reduce the brief impacts. Other controversies, such as the question of who will get the authority to decide on the Earth’s temperature, also stop the progression of solar geoengineering as a global climate change solution.

Not all engineering solutions to climate change are as large-scale as solar geoengineering and direct air capture though. For example, English designer and engineer Julian Melchiorri created a living chandelier out of custom glass leaves, covered in algae, which absorb carbon dioxide and provide oxygen.

Engineers around the world are also fighting the climate crisis in ways unrelated to engineering. Kenyan engineer Dr. Rose M. Mutiso previously worked at the US Department of Energy, developing environmental laws. She now works with experts around the world to find ways to bring clean electricity to Africa.

Because engineering is one of the most all-encompassing branches of science out there, engineers can contribute to any real-world problem and climate change is not an exception. All over the globe, engineering has made its impact on the fight for a clean world and I sincerely hope that this does not stop. More than ever, engineering needs to live out its definition and contribute to solving the problem that may someday cause irreversible damage to our beloved Earth.

Bibliography

Dagon, K. (2016, October 28). Engineering the Earth to fight climate change. Harvard University. Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2016/engineering-earth-fight-climate-change/

Keith, D. W., Holmes, G., Angelo, D. S., & Heidel, K. (2018, June 7). A process for capturing CO2 from the atmosphere. Science Direct. Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542435118302253#:~:text=In%20the%201990s%2C%20Klaus%20Lackner,direct%20air%20capture%20(DAC)

Mok, K. (2020, January 30). This algae-filled living chandelier cleans your air. Treehugger. Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://www.treehugger.com/living-chandelier-filled-algae-julian-melchiorri-4856341

Olick, D. (2021, July 29). These companies are sucking carbon out of the atmosphere - and investors are piling in. CNBC. Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/23/these-companies-are-sucking-carbon-from-the-atmosphere.html

What is engineering? (Definition and Types). TWI. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/faqs/what-is-engineering#:~:text=Engineering%20is%20the%20application%20of,discoveries%20to%20the%20real%20world.&text=Yet%2C%20today's%20engineers%20operate%20in,as%20well%20as%20building%20structures

Women scientists in the fight against climate change. OpenMind. (2021, February 10). Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/science/environment/women-scientists-fight-climate-change/