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Launch
One Cooling Credit offsets one ton of CO2 warming for a year
Join the next balloon launch and cool the planet
By purchasing a Cooling Credit, your funds will be used to release at least one gram of our "clouds" into the stratosphere on your behalf, offsetting the warming effect of one ton of carbon dioxide for one year.
We will share the fulfillment of your Cooling Credit after deployment on your account page.
How our balloons work
We currently use biodegradable latex weather balloons filled with helium and sulfur dioxide (SO2). The amount of helium we put in is based on the size of the balloon, weight of the payload, and when we want the balloon to burst to release the reflective cloud. Once launched from the ground, the balloon expands from the decreasing air pressure as it gets higher until it bursts. Once the balloon bursts, the parachute opens and instrumentation floats down. The general flight time is four to five hours hours. We carry instrumentation to retrieve the balloon and collect data on the deployment.
Why others have joined
We should obviously be doing solar geoengineering. We are on track to radically reduce emissions in the coming years but thermal damage will lag our course correction so most of our climate pain is still ahead of us. Why risk destabilizing the West Antarctic ice sheet or melting the arctic permafrost or wet bulbing a hundred million people to death? Solar geoengineering can incrementally and reversibly buy down the risk during this knife-edge transition to a better future. We owe future generations to take all practical steps to dodge avoidable catastrophic and lasting damage to our planet.
It’s a small way I can help with a seemly very large problem! For what it’s worth, $200 offsetting 20 tons of CO2 is a great win!
At some point, you learn about reflective particles as a potential cooling method. The next question would be: “Is anyone doing this now?” This led to the discovery of Make Sunsets, a team that not only explores solar radiation management techniques but also works to implement them. It's incredibly reassuring to see a group like Make Sunsets pushing the boundaries of scientific research, aiming to create a cooler, more sustainable future for everyone.