Word: carbonization
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...only way to slow it down, almost every scientist agrees, is to restructure the way we produce energy. Such stopgap measures as insulation, carpooling and energy-efficient light bulbs are all useful ways to begin curbing the burning of carbon-rich fossil fuels. But in the long run, as the world's population continues to increase and living standards rise, these measures will not be enough...
Cars like the NECAR4, housed in a lab near Stuttgart, could help make that happen. This experimental vehicle, being jointly developed by Ford, DaimlerChrysler and Canada's Ballard Power Systems, gets its energy from hydrogen--the most abundant fuel in the entire universe. Hydrogen, unlike fossil fuels, contains no carbon atoms and thus generates zero carbon dioxide. However, it could produce some pollution, since burning hydrogen taints the atmosphere by rearranging air molecules to form nitrogen oxides and ozone...
...danger in pulling hydrogen from fossil fuels is that it leaves carbon dioxide behind. If the CO2 is simply vented into the atmosphere, global warming will be as big a problem as ever. There is an alternative though: pump it into the ground. In Norway, for example, the energy company Norsk Hydro is building a power plant that will be fueled with hydrogen drawn from natural gas. The CO2 that's left over will be reinjected into an oil field on the continental shelf. Not only will this take the carbon dioxide out of circulation but it will also pressurize...
...Washington and Hong Kong to countless individuals ready to join in via the Internet. The theme is finding solutions to global warming: cars will be banned from some streets in Rome; Mexico City will send 30,000 students out to plant seedlings (new trees soak up heat-trapping carbon dioxide); and the Earth Day Energy Fast campaign, based in Los Angeles, will urge folks to shut off appliances for 24 hours. For a rundown on events, visit www.earthday.net But saving the planet obviously isn't a one-day proposition. Here's a sampling of how grass-roots groups plan...
...most important and immediate things we can do is drive fuel-efficient, high-gas-mileage cars--cars that have fewer toxic emissions and produce less carbon dioxide, the main culprit behind global warming. Hybrid cars, which have both electric motors and gasoline engines, are coming to the market. Using public transportation and carpooling are ways that people can reduce fuel consumption as well...