Could Sprinkling Sand Save the Arctic’s Shrinking Sea Ice? – The Guardian
Sea ice near Utqiaġvik, on the north coast of Alaska. Scientists forecast that Arctic sea ice could completely vanish in summertime by the 2040s. Photograph: Oliver Milman for the Guardian
Article Synopsis – Scientists are attempting to replace the reflectivity lost from receding Arctic sea ice by using tiny balls of silica that could reflect 90% of the sun’s heat. While there is potential to slow down the melting of the sea ice, some scientists argue that the silica could be dangerous for the Arctic ecosystem. “These and other similar projects have faced criticism over potential unintended pollution, as well as the even more hazardous prospect of handing countries a reason to slow down their emissions cuts in favor of a geo-engineering panacea that may never arrive”. To read the actual article click here.