Will Polyurethane Manufacturers Bring About the End of the World?

Chemicals Affecting Global Warming and the Future of Energy…

According to our scientists, the universe was formed 13.5 billion years ago. Our Earth began to form 4.5 billion years ago, following the solar system. It is stated that from now until the sun's death, it could remain in the universe for as long as that. Ice ages occurring every ten to twenty thousand years in between will not completely end life on Earth. Unfortunately, it will be humanity itself that causes all living life to end. And in a far, far shorter period than 4.5 billion years… How? By disrupting Earth's balance, meeting the ever-increasing energy demand with fossil fuel sources (coal, oil, natural gas, etc.), and creating a greenhouse effect, causing great damage to life or at least to civilization… As the polyurethane sector, through the blowing agents we have used for many years, we played a role in the greenhouse effect or, in other words, in the creation of global warming. However, contrary to the striking emphasis at the beginning of my article, compared to other factors, the impact we have created on global warming remains a very small value alongside the others. On the other hand, these negative effects originating from our sector are progressing in a positive direction each day through the efforts of the United Nations Environment Programme UNIDO and our Ministry of Environment. Turning once more to the issue of global warming and the use of alternative energy to address it, in this age when we stand "on the horizon of an irreversible dusk," scientists focus on two fundamental subjects. These are: 1) Projects conceived to eliminate the carbon dioxide that has accumulated so far, 2) Energy sources and systems that could stop warming from this point forward. By now, discussions about the existence of global warming have come to an end. For this reason, physicists today are focusing on methods to eliminate accumulated carbon dioxide. Here are a few of them:

• Launching pollutants into the atmosphere

Thereby reducing the heat that solar rays give to the Earth; can be said to have been shelved due to uncertainty and cost.

• Creating marine algae

Since no one showed interest in the project involving these plants that would absorb CO2, experiments were terminated.

• Carbon capture

It was thought to liquefy and bury carbon from coal-burning power plants. However, due to the possibility of mixing with groundwater and project costs, the project is still awaiting the implementation phase.

• Genetic Engineering

As an example of this project, we can mention genetic research for new tree species that would absorb very large amounts of CO2. However, the risk of displacing existing plant species after pressing the button and disrupting the food chain balance is seriously concerning to scientists. Beyond all this, the two giant countries producing the largest carbon emissions, the United States and the People's Republic of China, have insisted on not approaching such projects sincerely and warmly to this day. This issue has even become one of the most important issues that will influence presidential elections in America. In recent years, serious efforts have been made to find alternatives to producing energy from fossil fuels to counteract global warming. While the electric car is the most popular topic, the electricity used in the car will not contribute to the greenhouse effect as long as it is produced from coal power plants. On the other hand, renewable energy, as it is fashionably called, wind, solar fields and wave energy are not continuous energy sources and will not meet rapidly rising demand. In developing countries like China and India with populations exceeding one billion, the level of prosperity is increasing, and people want to own appliances and devices that consume more energy. In this context, physicists continue research and development work to implement the following energy types by the end of this century.

• Fusion energy

Briefly, it is an energy type based on compressing hydrogen and heating it to very high temperatures to convert it into helium. This energy is actually the energy source of the entire universe. According to Michio Kaku, a 30 ml glass of water contains the energy found in 500,000 barrels of oil. Modern humans have not yet reached the technology to use this energy industrially. However, hopelessness has disappeared. It should also be noted that it is a much safer energy than nuclear energy.

• Magnetism

One of the biggest factors causing energy consumption on Earth is friction. With the obtainment of suitable materials for magnetic environments, the results obtained will lead to significant energy savings. The "maglev trains" seen in some countries today have begun to materialize as the first signals of this energy. • Energy from the sky: A model that envisions hundreds of satellites placed 35,000 km above Earth collecting solar energy and delivering it to Earth through highly engineered solutions. Each day it is viewed as a technology that appears to be a solution to the global warming problem of the future, becoming increasingly economically feasible. For hundreds of thousands of years, humanity living on this Earth and its final stage, we "Homo sapiens," finally realized that we are about to render the Earth uninhabitable and have begun taking measures to seek remedies for this. The research conducted and technology achieved are still far from being a definitive solution to this important problem; however, scientific developments in our age give us reason to look toward tomorrow with hope. In the future, with a small magical cube in their homes, people will heat themselves for years and meet all other energy needs, will travel thousands of kilometers by putting almost minimal fuel in their cars, and to them I send my greetings… Elio Medina Chemical Engineer General Manager / Purtek Poliüretan A.Ş. Source: Physics of the Future, Michio Kaku, METU Publishing. Earth After Ten Thousand Years, Salomon Kroonenberg. Flat, Hot and Crowded, Thomas Friedman.