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China Is Building a Rain-Making System Three Times as Big as Spain

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Re: China Is Building a Rain-Making System Three Times as Big as Spain

#131

Post by jacquesm »

tim333 wrote: post #83
ggm wrote: post #12

Excluding systems which put water into the air, Atmospheric water is a zero sum game AFAIK so if this causes rain to fall where the Chinese want it, somebody else misses out. Freshwater from high mountains in the India/China region is a hot topic. They're running out of glaciers.

It's not fully zero sum - the air that water is taken out of gets humid again when it goes over the sea.

That's the start of a new cycle, so yes, it gets taken out, unless it evaporates again before it reaches the oceans.

Re: China Is Building a Rain-Making System Three Times as Big as Spain

#132

Post by blacksmith_tb »

RobertRoberts wrote: post #126
truculation wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regardless of the merits or demerits of this particular scheme, I admire the spirit. With a fraction of such confidence we could revive the Neanderthals, build an asteroid defence system, clean up the oceans, on and on. Instead we're not trying much. We feel ashamed... because... why?

At what cost? Some cultures do not value the health and life of the every day person. I don't think that is something to be honored or respected.

While clearly true, I think we'd have to rephrase that as "all cultures" - here in the US people are sleeping on the sidewalk outside my office. In the PRC, they're willing to gamble on geoengineering which could poison people (just not people in power). I can't think of any current society that really values every member - but we can keep working towards that goal...

Re: China Is Building a Rain-Making System Three Times as Big as Spain

#133

Post by Raphmedia »

truculation wrote: post #124
AlexC04 wrote: post #90

Under the guidelines of the Clean Water Act by the EPA, silver iodide is considered a hazardous substance, a priority pollutant, and as a toxic pollutant.(10) Some industries have learned this all too well. ... If the toxicity manifests in pollution and illnesses, the effects may not be reversible ... http://www.ranches.org/cloudseedingharmful.htm So.... this doesn't seem like the best idea.

Regardless of the merits or demerits of this particular scheme, I admire the spirit. With a fraction of such confidence we could revive the Neanderthals, build an asteroid defence system, clean up the oceans, on and on. Instead we're not trying much. We feel ashamed... because... why?

Well, it's that spirit in the first place that gave us such polluted oceans.

Re: China Is Building a Rain-Making System Three Times as Big as Spain

#134

Post by merpnderp »

Raphmedia wrote: post #133
truculation wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Regardless of the merits or demerits of this particular scheme, I admire the spirit. With a fraction of such confidence we could revive the Neanderthals, build an asteroid defence system, clean up the oceans, on and on. Instead we're not trying much. We feel ashamed... because... why?

Well, it's that spirit in the first place that gave us such polluted oceans.

The oceans are polluted mostly from landfills in about 12 Asian and African cities blowing plastic debris into them.

Re: China Is Building a Rain-Making System Three Times as Big as Spain

#135

Post by merpnderp »

sametmax wrote: post #99
zingmars wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Merkel said a lot of things, and yet they already dropped their climate goals for 2020 and they can't seem to get rid of their coal dependency. Words mean nothing without the action to back them up.

I spent time in the US, a lot of places in europe, and asia. You can't compare the situation in China/India and the Europe. And you certainly can't compare the US and germany. They have the cleanest, most eco-friendly culture I have seen Europe, or the US. They recycle everything. They have very strict laws on cars. Dropping anything on the floor is regarded as completely uncivil. No matter if they don't succeed perf…

Germany is closing down clean nuclear power plants and replacing them with dirty coal plants. This isn't a commitment to anything but FUD.

Re: China Is Building a Rain-Making System Three Times as Big as Spain

#136

Post by merpnderp »

titzer wrote: post #101
nugi wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thats funny, I have never met anyone from any political system, short of nhilism, who doesen't care about climate change. The argument, whivh you seem to be intentionally reframing, is about the cause of said change. Don't make HN political, particularlly with petty, misleading quips like that.

No, I am not reframing. I'm sorry for your limited experience, but I have met far too many conservatives that all but spell it out. I used to be one and traveled in those circles. Look at people's actions. Conservatives in Congress and the WH cut the EPA, they cut Climate Science budgets, and not only do they offer all-out denial, they often just flat out state that a warmer planet would be or could be a good thing.…

Anecdote doesn't make data, otherwise my personal experience of never having once met a conservative that doesn't care about clean air and water would cancel out your experience.

Straw men and ad hominem don't make up for actual data.

Re: China Is Building a Rain-Making System Three Times as Big as Spain

#137

Post by unsigner »

sametmax wrote: post #95
blondie9x wrote: post #92

This should be regulated internationally by the UN. This solution is like turning on the AC when it's hot out. It won't make it less hot outside and you will need more and more electricity to power the AC as the world heats up from increased CO2 levels. This technology releases significant amounts of CO2 and as the Earth's temperature rises from increased greenhouse gas concentrations, solutions such as these will sh…

What's more, local weather is always existing in a global context. When they'll modify the meteorology at the scale of their country, it may very well impact the climate of the entire planet. Water must come from somewhere. Air current will be impacted. And temperature deltas. It's very concerning.

How dare they think of their own country! Those are trully irresponsible national leaders.

Re: China Is Building a Rain-Making System Three Times as Big as Spain

#138

Post by Raphmedia »

merpnderp wrote: post #134
Raphmedia wrote: post #133

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, it's that spirit in the first place that gave us such polluted oceans.

The oceans are polluted mostly from landfills in about 12 Asian and African cities blowing plastic debris into them.

Wasn't the spirit in question the one where you do reckless things without any thoughts for the future?

Re: China Is Building a Rain-Making System Three Times as Big as Spain

#139

Post by spiderfarmer »

frockington wrote: post #120
spiderfarmer wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The condition of the roads and infrastructure in a large part of the US is very, very bad when compared to countries like the Netherlands. It’s like the US is a superpower with third world infrastructure.

As someone who has traveled to many third world countries in SE Asia and South America I can confidently say that the US does not have third world infrastructure. Most claims of this are frequently done by somebody pushing some kind of narrative

I agree it’s a bit hyperbolic, but as I said, the US definately has very bad infrastructure in a large part while the other parts have good or very good infrastructure. On average experts rate it with a “D”

https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/state-us-infrastructure

Re: China Is Building a Rain-Making System Three Times as Big as Spain

#140

Post by RobertRoberts »

blacksmith_tb wrote: post #132
RobertRoberts wrote: post #126

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At what cost? Some cultures do not value the health and life of the every day person. I don't think that is something to be honored or respected.

While clearly true, I think we'd have to rephrase that as "all cultures" - here in the US people are sleeping on the sidewalk outside my office. In the PRC, they're willing to gamble on geoengineering which could poison people (just not people in power). I can't think of any current society that really values every member - but we can keep working towards that goal...

>I think we'd have to rephrase that as "all cultures"

Absolutely agree, but here we have the freedom to protest the government itself, and do so openly for as long as we need to to make a change. They literally have a dictator for life that just came into power weeks ago.

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