Diamonds. They’ve been symbols of luxury, opulence, and splendour for as long as one can imagine. One of the rarest, hardest, and most prized substances known to man, having a diamond can make just about anyone feel better in so many possible ways. But what if I told you that diamonds can make the planet feel much better too? So much better in fact, that the planet is no longer subjected to demanding and stressful problems like climate change and global warming.
The Pinatubo Effect: A Natural Inspiration for Climate Change Solutions
The year is 1991. The 2nd largest volcanic eruption of the century has just shaken the country of the Philippines, leaving hundreds dead and thousands homeless. But something intriguing catches the eye of scientists and meteorologists. That year, Earth’s temperature, instead of the usual trend of rising, fell by 0.5 degrees Celsius. Why?
The gigantic eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines released huge amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. These sulfur dioxide particles reflected sunlight, reducing the heat reaching us.
Using Diamond Dust Geoengineering to Combat Global Warming
Fast forward some 30 years later, and climate change has become the most pressing issue of our time. Earth’s rising temperature threatens to destroy human life before the end of the century if immediate preventive action isn’t taken.
Climate scientists suddenly remember the eruption in the Philippines and wonder if the temperature-cooling effect on the planet can be recreated- this time intentionally (and possibly without causing a volcanic eruption!).
Several materials are tested to see which one can have the optimal impact required on the planet’s temperature. Diamond dust stands out as the safest, most effective material to use. The reason? Substances like sulfur dioxide, while having a cooling effect, have many other negative spillovers, like acid rain, which are detrimental to the environment.
Diamonds, on the other hand, are chemically inert. This means they don’t react with any other substances and hence won’t cause such negative side effects. So scientists propose injecting diamond dust into the atmosphere, a clean and efficient option to cool the planet by reflecting sunlight without trapping heat.
As a matter of fact, they are so efficient that scientists estimate that if diamond dust is consistently injected into the atmosphere for around 50 years, the Earth’s temperature could reduce by over 1.6 degrees Celsius. This may sound like a meagre result, but we only need to prevent the temperature from rising 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels. This not only achieves that but reverses the impact caused by industrialization already!
Lab-Grown Diamonds: The Sustainable Alternative
The problem? Diamonds, as mentioned earlier, are one of the rarest and most prized substances known to man. We need millions of tonnes of diamonds to create a tangible impact, but it’ll take billions of years for that amount of naturally mined diamonds to form.
This is where lab-grown diamonds come in. These are artificially created in controlled conditions, which means we can produce them fast and without the environmental cost of mining.
If only it were this easy, though. Producing synthetic diamond dust, while not a billion-year process, comes with its own set of challenges and implications. For one, producing the amount we’re talking about for the next 50 years will cost about $200 trillion- a staggeringly high amount.
Also, the actual making of these diamonds consumes a lot of energy and water. So unless renewable sources and solutions are employed, it will cause significant strains on the Earth’s resources.
Thinking Beyond Diamond Dust Geoengineering
I’m sure it all sounds very complicated and technical, and the plausibility of adopting this approach remains to be seen. What’s clear though, is the need to think differently and innovatively to combat problems like climate change and have a productive influence on our planet’s well-being.
Yes, concepts like diamond dust geoengineering may be too complex for us as students to grasp and contribute to, but there’s no harm in trying to understand ways to have an impact within areas of our interest and expertise. If we collectively put our minds to it, who knows- we might just be able to create something phenomenal.
Besides, there are practical, easy-to-implement actions and steps we can take right now. By making small, sustainable choices in our everyday lives, we can provide incomprehensible contributions.
Diamonds may or may not save the Earth, but together, we definitely can.
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