Artificial trees would collect CO2 through their leaves and convert it into a form that could be stored.
A. Giant fly-swat shaped “synthetic trees” line the road into the office, where blooms of algae grow in tubes up the walls and the roof reflects heat back into the sky – all reducing the effects of global warming. All this could be a familiar sight within the next two decades, under proposals devised by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers to alter the world’s climate with new technology.
B. It says that the most promising solution is offered by artificial trees, devices that collect CO2 through their “leaves” and convert it to a form that can easily be collected and stored. Tim Fox, head of environment and climate change at the institution, said that the devices were thousands of times more effective at removing carbon from the atmosphere than real trees.
In the first report on such geo-engineering by practising engineers, the institution calculates that 100,000 artificial trees – which could fit into 600ha (1,500 acres) – would be enough to capture all emissions from Britain’s homes, transport and light industry. It says that five million would do the same for the whole world.
C. Dr. Fox said that prototypes had been shown to work using a technology, developed by Klaus Lackner of Columbia University in New York, that isolated CO2, using low levels of energy. “The technology is no more complex than what is used in cars or air-conditioning units,” he said.
Professor Lackner estimates that in production the units would cost $20,000 (£12,000) each, while the emissions associated with building and running each unit would be less than 5 per cent of the CO2 it captures over its lifetime.
D. The report recommends that algae is grown in plastic tubes down the side of buildings, where it would take in CO2 from the air. The algae could even be used as fuel in photo bioreactors, providing energy to generators while using the CO2 emitted to grow more algae. This technology has yet to be tried as a working system, however.
More elaborate solutions, such as launching giant mirrors into space to reflect the sun’s rays, are ruled out by the report, which says they are too expensive, unpredictable and could have dangerous side-effects on weather systems such as rainfall.
E. However, the institution recommends more limited use of reflective surfaces on buildings. Although this would not reduce global warming overall, it would cool sweltering cities and reduce energy used in air-conditioners by between 10 and 60 per cent, the report says. At its simplest, this could involve simply painting walls and roofs white. But smart materials could reflect infrared light — which makes up about half of solar radiation – without dazzling people.
F. Dr. Fox emphasized that geo-engineering should not be a substitute for cutting emissions. But the institution is lobbying the Government to drop its opposition to supporting research into such technology and contribute between £10 million and £20 million to research.
“We are urging government not to regard geo-engineering as a plan B but as a fully integrated part of efforts against climate change,” Dr Fox said. A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said: “Our primary aim must be to deliver a global deal which cuts global emissions. It’s clear that geo-engineering technologies are undeveloped and untested and at present remain a long way from being practical solutions to an urgent problem.”
28 Từ Vựng Nâng Cao (Chủ đề Khoa học & Môi trường)
- Synthetic (adj) – /sɪnˈθet.ɪk/ – made artificially and not by natural processes – Tổng hợp, nhân tạo.
- Algae (n) – /ˈæl.ɡiː/ – very simple, usually small plants that grow in or near water – Tảo, rong rêu.
- Proposals (n) – /prəˈpəʊ.zəlz/ – a formal suggestion, plan, or idea – Những đề xuất, dự án.
- To devise (v) – /dɪˈvaɪz/ – to invent a plan, system, object, etc., using your intelligence or imagination – Nghĩ ra, phát minh, sáng chế ra.
- To alter (v) – /ˈɔːl.tər/ – to change something, usually slightly – Thay đổi, biến đổi.
- Promising (adj) – /ˈprɒm.ɪ.sɪŋ/ – showing signs of being very good or successful – Đầy hứa hẹn, có triển vọng.
- Geo-engineering (n) – /ˌdʒiː.əʊ.en.dʒɪˈnɪə.rɪŋ/ – the deliberate large-scale manipulation of an environmental process that affects the earth’s climate – Công nghệ địa kỹ thuật (can thiệp vào hệ thống khí hậu Trái Đất).
- To capture (v) – /ˈkæp.tʃər/ – to catch and store something, such as energy or a gas – Thu giữ, bắt giữ (khí, năng lượng).
- Emissions (n) – /iˈmɪʃ.ənz/ – the act of sending out gas, heat, light, etc., or an amount of this – Khí thải, sự phát thải.
- Prototypes (n) – /ˈprəʊ.tə.taɪps/ – the first example of something, from which other forms are developed – Nguyên mẫu, mẫu thử nghiệm đầu tiên.
- To isolate (v) – /ˈaɪ.sə.leɪt/ – to separate something from other things – Tách riêng, cô lập.
- Associated with (phr.) – /əˈsəʊ.si.eɪ.tɪd wɪð/ – connected with something else – Liên quan đến, đi kèm với.
- To recommend (v) – /ˌrek.əˈmend/ – to suggest that a particular action should be done – Khuyến nghị, đề nghị, tiến cử.
- Photo-bioreactors (n) – /ˌfəʊ.təʊ.baɪ.əʊ.riˈæk.təz/ – a bioreactor that utilizes a light source to cultivate phototrophic microorganisms – Lò phản ứng quang sinh học.
- Elaborate (adj) – /iˈlæb.ər.ət/ – containing a lot of careful detail or many detailed parts – Tỉ mỉ, công phu, phức tạp.
- To rule out (phr. v) – /ruːl aʊt/ – to decide that something is not possible or suitable – Loại trừ, bác bỏ.
- Unpredictable (adj) – /ˌʌn.prɪˈdɪk.tə.bəl/ – likely to change suddenly and without reason and therefore not able to be predicted – Khó đoán, không thể lường trước.
- Side-effects (n) – /ˈsaɪd ɪˌfektz/ – an unexpected result of a situation or action that happens as well as the one that is intended – Tác dụng phụ, hệ quả không mong muốn.
- Reflective (adj) – /rɪˈflek.tɪv/ – sending back light or heat – Có tính phản chiếu, phản xạ.
- Sweltering (adj) – /ˈswel.tər.ɪŋ/ – extremely and uncomfortably hot – Oi ả, nóng ngột ngạt.
- Solar radiation (n) – /ˌsəʊ.ləˌreɪ.diˈeɪ.ʃən/ – heat and energy from the sun – Bức xạ mặt trời.
- Dazzling (adj) – /ˈdæz.lɪŋ/ – so bright that it makes you unable to see for a short time – Chói lóa, chói mắt.
- A substitute (n) – /ˈsʌb.stɪ.tʃuːt/ – a person or thing acting or serving in place of another – Sự thay thế, vật thay thế.
- To lobby (v) – /ˈlɒb.i/ – to try to persuade a politician or the government to support your idea – Vận động hành lang.
- Opposition (n) – /ˌɒp.əˈzɪʃ.ən/ – strong disagreement – Sự phản đối, sự chống đối.
- Integrated (adj) – /ˈɪn.tɪ.ɡreɪ.tɪd/ – with various parts linked or coordinated – Tích hợp, hợp nhất.
- Primary (adj) – /ˈpraɪ.mər.i/ – more important than anything else; main – Chính, chủ yếu, hàng đầu.
- Practical (adj) – /ˈpræk.tɪ.kəl/ – relating to actual experience or action rather than theory; suitable for a particular purpose – Thực tế, thiết thực.
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