Michael Specter dubs American entrepreneur Russ George “the world’s first geo-vigilante”:
This summer, it has just been revealed, George dumped a hundred tons of iron sulfate into the Pacific Ocean about two hundred nautical miles west of the Canadian islands of Haida Gwaii, triggering a ten-thousand-square-kilometre plankton bloom. In theory, the approach is not as nutty as it sounds: blooms like that are capable of sucking large amounts of carbon out of the atmosphere and eventually sequestering it deep in the ocean.
Specter, who isn’t against geoengineering in principle, sees George’s actions as reckless:
George’s unilateral action was deplorable, premature, and violated several international laws and United Nations covenants. (Well, unilateral may be harsh. He apparently convinced the council of an indigenous village to approve the project.) There was no scientific assessment attached to the experiment, which does carry potential risks.
Yes, but that kind of passion and direct action is a part of the equation to save our planet. If you believe that we are irreparably killing off species and climates that can sustain life, then silence = death all over again. Action matters, when it feels as if forces beyond our control are shaping our destiny. Any single act can inspire another. Maybe it’s because I just saw “How To Survive A Plague” again that I truly believe that a small group of people with total non-violent determination can change the world. Russ George is a start. Direct action forces change.
The Dish 