The scrubber takes in air and binds the CO2 to sodium hydroxide. The heavier concoction is then sent through a few more chemical intermediaries, eventually resulting in a batch of separated CO2 that can be piped away, while the hydroxide gets fed back into the machine.

According to the university, the scrubbers can capture around a ton of carbon dioxide for less than 100 kwh of electricity, about ten times as much CO2 as was released to keep it running. Unfortunately, that's not quite enough to keep it from being prohibitively expensive. The cheapest way to keep CO2 emissions out of the air is still not generating it in the first place. [Popsci]

We here at Giz think it's a God-given right to have access to gadgets at all times. For the WWF to try and take that liberty from us is unacceptable and downright Un-American. That's why we're asking from 9-10 pm on Saturday night, you pull out every gadget you own, plug it into a socket, and turn it on. Gadget Deprivation is no laughing matter, kids. Please join the fight. [Earth Hour]

Model "Polar City" for possible survivors of global warming in distant future set to be built in Norway in 2012; first international volunteer residents will move in in 2015.

In the event of catastrophic global warming events in the far distant future, humankind might have to find refuge in a group of polar cities lying within the Arctic Circle in such countries as Canada, Norway, Finland, Russia Greenland, Iceland, Sweden and the USA (Alaska). Under such circumstances, the founders of the Polar Cities Research Institute, led by visionary futurist Dan Bloom, 59, have announced that they will build a model polar city in Longyearbyen, Norway, with construction set to begin in 2012 and "volunteer testing occupancy" in 2015.

The Model Polar City Project was set up in January 2008 by various architects, civil engineers, industrial engineers, urban planners and scientists from around the world. The founders have already made initial contact with British, American, Japanese and UAE private investors interested in investing in the project.

The first model Polar City will be built in Longyearbyen, Norway and will be ready for its first volunteer residents in 2015. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2012, according to project engineers.

It may sound a little Dr. Evil, or just plain far-fetched, but as of now, the first occupancy of a model Polar City is a go for 2015. Details surrounding acutal living conditions and necessities are still being ironed out, according to Bloom, who has been promoting polar cities as a possible adaptation strategy for global warming. He
insists that he is not a doomsayer or a gloom-and-doom survivalist, but rather "an eternal optimist who cares about the future of humankind".

Bloom says the model polar city will be a scaled-down version and will test residents' willingness to live in such an environment in the future.

Lest you think Bloom is just a lone wacko day dreamer, he has company. He claims to be backed by an unnamed US firm that firmly believes this would be a step in the right direction. Bloom says he is also in talks with other financiers from Japan, Britain, Norway and the United Arab Emirates.

The 2012 configuration will be suitable to house 100 volunteer residents. Bloom says that the system is designed for modularity and expansion "based on the natural growth of a grapevine."

Bloom's current concept artwork depicts blueprints of what a polar city might look like when completed: http://pcillu101.blogspot.com.

Bloom told Reuters that while he believes there are many people on Earth who will be curious to know more about polar cities, and that the time is good now to test a model polar city in public.

Bloom says residents will also take part in scientific experiments, but without elaborating on this part of the residency.

For more information, contact Bloom at: reporter.bloom@gmail.com

Right now, it's all talk, with no real solid ideas behind it. The politicians have suggested that completely switching to alternative fuel sources and raising highway tolls to fund a national rail system are key — but we'll see if any of it actually happens. Both my lungs and I pray to God that it will. [Scotsman via Wired]

The process — called carbon sinking — could potentially restore plankton, improve the quality of the water and, on a very good day, slow climate change. On the other hand, since it's more or less untested, it could also result in nitrous oxide and methane being shot into the atmosphere, making things worse. So, you know, cross your sustainable fingers. [Hindustan Times via TreeHugger]

Why, use the new GasFindIR-LW from FLIR Systems. As exciting to environmentalists as that Kaya nipple filter was to perverts, the camera is able to see very small amounts of SF6 in the air as well as 20 other noxious gasses. Once it spots them I'm not sure what you're supposed to do about it, but I guess knowing is half the battle. –Adam Frucci

Polution Online [via The Raw Feed]

But never fear. Once you've finished drinking that coffee, or if you just leave it sitting there to cool off, all goes back to normal, and all is right with the world. So let's see, what do we learn from this? Do nothing, and global warming will magically go away? Or when the polar ice melts, if we all get together and drink enough seawater, New York will no longer be submerged? – Charlie White

Product Page [via treehugger]