Spring Break
Princeton professor offers solutions to carbon crisis, maps out Rhode Island's 'footprint'
Betsy Cohen
Issue date: 12/3/08 Section: News
12/03/08 - Humans have an obligation and ethical commitment to reduce current carbon dioxide levels, according to professor Robert Socolow of Princeton University.
Last night, Socolow, a mechanical and aerospace engineering professor, gave the final lecture of the Honors Fall Colloquium Series in Edwards Auditorium. Entitled "The Challenge of Climate Stabilization," his presentation encompassed issues addressing possible solutions to the current global carbon emission problem.
The final colloquium presentation wll be a coastal cabaret entitled, "It's a Shore Thing," written by professor Judith Swift.
Socolow said there are approximately 3,000 billion tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. He compared that amount to the quantity present in Earth's atmosphere during the pre-industrial and glacial periods.
"About half of the carbon we burn stays in the atmosphere for centuries," Socolow said. The ocean surface and the land biosphere are the two storage drains of carbon dioxide that has accumulated on Earth. According to his research, the United States emitted approximately six billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in 1950. Today, we are responsible for the release of 30 billion tons of it.
"If we do nothing, in 50 years the carbon dioxide emissions will be double that of today's emissions," Socolow said. "We'll be lucky if we can keep afloat."
Various studies he has conducted indicate that the average American consumes 20 tons of carbon dioxide per year. The average global per-capita emissions rate is only four tons of carbon dioxide per year.
"It's all too easy to meet your global quota today," he said.
Julie Reiske, a freshman double-majoring in marine biology and conservation biology at the University of Rhode Island, thought Socolow's lecture was an important addition to this year's lecture series.
"He put into perspective how much URI['s] and my carbon footprint really is," Reiske said. "It made me think about how much energy URI uses itself. It's probably ridiculously high, unnecessary and it can be reduced."
Last night, Socolow, a mechanical and aerospace engineering professor, gave the final lecture of the Honors Fall Colloquium Series in Edwards Auditorium. Entitled "The Challenge of Climate Stabilization," his presentation encompassed issues addressing possible solutions to the current global carbon emission problem.
The final colloquium presentation wll be a coastal cabaret entitled, "It's a Shore Thing," written by professor Judith Swift.
Socolow said there are approximately 3,000 billion tons of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. He compared that amount to the quantity present in Earth's atmosphere during the pre-industrial and glacial periods.
"About half of the carbon we burn stays in the atmosphere for centuries," Socolow said. The ocean surface and the land biosphere are the two storage drains of carbon dioxide that has accumulated on Earth. According to his research, the United States emitted approximately six billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in 1950. Today, we are responsible for the release of 30 billion tons of it.
"If we do nothing, in 50 years the carbon dioxide emissions will be double that of today's emissions," Socolow said. "We'll be lucky if we can keep afloat."
Various studies he has conducted indicate that the average American consumes 20 tons of carbon dioxide per year. The average global per-capita emissions rate is only four tons of carbon dioxide per year.
"It's all too easy to meet your global quota today," he said.
Julie Reiske, a freshman double-majoring in marine biology and conservation biology at the University of Rhode Island, thought Socolow's lecture was an important addition to this year's lecture series.
"He put into perspective how much URI['s] and my carbon footprint really is," Reiske said. "It made me think about how much energy URI uses itself. It's probably ridiculously high, unnecessary and it can be reduced."
