From Petra's diary
Techna: Haven't you turned in your science homework yet?
Petra: No, we just can't agree on what to write!
Techna: To be fair, you were asked to discuss possible solutions to a problem that went out of hand decades ago. At the moment, CO2 atmospheric concentration increased so much that even completely stopping new emissions would not be sufficient to rapidly reverse the process.
Petra: Yes, that's what we say every time we try reasoning on it! For instance, the other day we were testing the smog extractor Mom assembled, and we thought that it was a shame that it could only retain atmospheric particulate matter, but not CO2. Is it really that difficult to separate CO2 from the rest of the air?
Techna: Earthling scientists have spent a lot of time studying the issue, surely at the library you can find a lot of material regarding the techniques available for capturing and separating gases. It surely remains a complex problem, no matter how tight the mesh, it will never be possible to separate a gaseous species from the air using a simple filter… However, with certain microporous materials that are able to interact specifically with the target molecule on their surface, promising results were obtained at a lab scale.
Petra: If the technology already exist, why no one uses it, then?
Techna: The answer is always the same, it's too expensive. In particular considering the amount of CO2 that we would need to capture and convert.
Petra: Why?
Techna: Well, the yearly CO2 emissions generated by human activities amount to about 48 billion tons. And about half this amount is not absorbed by the land nor the oceans and accumulates in the atmosphere. Even if we hypothesized, absurdly, that we were able to separate it all from the rest of the atmosphere, how would you store or use it?
Petra: Uhm, I hadn't thought about this...
Petra: But then why don't we simply teleport it into space?
Techna: Teleportation requires a lot of energy, and most of the world's energy is still produced from fossil fuels. Without first modernizing the energy supply chains, we would just end up accumulating even more CO2 than before.
Petra: (Thoughtfully) Um, that makes sense… But it's also so frustrating!
It really seems like a dog chasing its tail, every possible idea I can think of to actively remove CO2 from the air requires building large plants, using large amounts of energy, or not both, and doing all the calculations in the end the carbon balance is still positive. I have the feeling that there must be a method, but I just need to be able to visualise it…
With these thoughts still in mind, I said goodbye to Techna and took my bike to reach the library, whatever the solution was we had to at least make a decision regarding the science homework to be handed in next week.
Michael: I stick to my idea, let's write down all these considerations and their pros and cons. Surely the teacher won't be able to say that we didn't think carefully about it!
Petra: I know, but I also think it would be so… unsatisfactory.
Michael: Science is supposed to be objective, and objectively there isn't a clear answer. Yet.
Emma: Yeah, I guess that's true.
Emy was particularly cute that afternoon, she had just come back from that date with Marc. I never really liked that guy, he was a total idiot already when we were six.
I tried to push the thought out of my mind, it was completely useless. Just as it was useless to look for an impossible solution for the science homework I would have liked to hand in. So I armed myself with all my patience, sat down in front of one of the library's PCs, and got ready to write my part.
Emma: Are you okay?
Petra: … I just want this stupid homework to be done, don't worry.
If only she weren't so damn nice and kind to me all the time, how am I supposed to move on?
--------------------------------------------------------------
From Gaia's diary
In recent weeks, we have often woken up to a loud buzzing in our ears. There have always been quite a lot of mosquitoes in the summer, but never so many, loud and annoying.
At first, we didn't even pay much attention to them, or at least not until they were named on the TV news.
TV: Experts launched the alert: leopard mosquitoes reached Sim City. Typical of tropical countries, these mosquitoes are known to be involved in the transmission of numerous infections, such as...
Gaia: Why, of all animals, are mosquitoes the only ones who enjoy climate change?
Techna: I'll assume this is a rhetorical question. Instead, I think it would be a good idea to collect some of the mosquitoes that buzz around our house, to check what species they are.
And so we did. I caught a few of those mosquitoes, put them in a transparent case and then we started studying them. In the evening, after closing the pastry shop, Diego also stopped by, and obviously had a lot to say about the mosquitoes he had encountered during his past travels.
Gaia: You see, I caught a couple this morning in the garden. They are really strange, when looking at them up close they seem covered in dots!
Diego: They look a lot like some mosquitoes that I often see during my travels in Selvadorada, they call them leopard mosquitoes. People hate them, their bites are very itchy and they often infect people with the Selvadorada fever and other strange diseases.
Gaia: Do you think they are dangerous?
Diego: … hard to say.
He didn't want to show it too much, but he clearly seemed worried about their appearance here, in our region. Too bad today we didn't have more time than this to think about them.
Gaia: Anyway, is everything ready for your party?
Diego: Very ready! You'll see, Henford-on-Bagley is fantastic at this time of year. And I also took the chance to make a new cake recipe, I'm curious to see who will guess what the main ingredient is first!
Yes, dear diary, tomorrow is Diego's birthday. To spend an evening together, Diego has decided to cook here what he plans to serve during his party, and tomorrow we will teleport all together to reach a very picturesque forest where he decided to organise his birthday party. He's always talking about that place and all the berries you can find in there, we can't wait to see it in person too.
TV: … let's move on to the news of the day. The drought continues in the Riverblossom Hills region, which after four consecutive years with below-average rainfall is suffering a record low agricultural production. “This region is the breadbasket of the continent,” comments a local farmer. “If the rain doesn't return soon, then—"
Gaia: I have to stop switching on the TV, every time I do so they are talking about some new disaster!
Diego: This very news is something I've often heard about recently, many ingredients have become hard to find for a good price in the last couple of years.
Gaia: …
Diego: But don't worry, tomorrow there will be plenty of food for everyone!
The next day, Henford-on-Bagley Forest
Nico: Diego was right, it's really beautiful here!
Gaia: He told us we have an hour to explore the area, while he prepares everything for the party. Who wants to go swimming?
Alec: Me, me!
Nico: The water here looks so clean, not like the bay in front of our house!
Gaia: I'll need to have a talk with Diego, how came he never brought us here before?
Techna: Have a nice swim, but I think I'll stay here instead...
I couldn't wait to participate in Diego's birthday party, really. My only concern was that he had obviously invited his sister Valentina, and consequently Tommy too. I just hope that no unpleasant situations arise, that's what.
Tommy seemed all pompous, from what I heard his cell phones with built-in teleportation are selling really well. Luckily, however, he didn't seem in the mood to ruin Diego's party either. The jokes we exchanged are perhaps a little colder than they used to be, but at least no one ever mentioned phones or teleportation machines, nor did anyone comment on Techna's presence.
Valentina: Ah ah, you look like grandpa now!
Diego: Ah ah, do I have to remind you that you're the older sibling?
In the afternoon we then moved to the town centre. It was the local fair day, and Diego wanted us to participate with our eggs. A fair about eggs and chickens, doesn't it sound like something coming from one century ago, my dear diary?
Gaia: So, what do you think?
Petra: It's a very, um… quiet little town.
Nico: I really like this place! There seem to be a lot of fun things to do, and we haven't even seen the huge vegetables yet!
Nico seems really enthralled by this place, but his twin brother doesn't seem to share his enthusiasm at all. I've heard them arguing in low voices all day, trying not to attract too much attention.
Alec: Do you really like this place? There's nothing here, it seems so boring!
Nico: I don't know, I think it has a certain charm...
Alec: C'mon, concentrate, we have our first game with the football team tomorrow!
Nico: Well, I'm not so sure about that any more... Maybe I just don't like football that much, you know?
Alec: What? Are you serious?
Alec: (perplexed) I don't get it, we've always had fun doing everything together... Why, all of a sudden, we don't agree on anything anymore?
Petra: I don't know, I don't get it either, this little town seems so small and boring... But I don't see anything wrong with it.
Alec: ...
Petra: You two don't always have to do everything together, right? You can keep playing football, while Nico plays around the garden or stuff like that.
Alec: (frustrated) But that's not the same thing...
Alec: What do you plan to do instead? You have a year left before graduation, do you think you'll go to college?
Petra: That's for sure, but where? And to study what? I still have so much to think about, don't remind me...
I don't know if it's because of the charming atmosphere of that village, but my kids seemed to have a lot of deep thoughts today. I'm sure they won't forget this place any time soon.
--------------------------------------------------------
The weeks went by, but the time to celebrate wasn't over yet. I feel like it's still too soon, there are still so many things I'd like to do and places I'd like to see, and yet, the doors of old age are about to open also for me.
And here I am, full of aches, grey hair and everything. Will I still be able to jump on my skis or climb mountains? I doubt it, although I could at least give it a try, before my back is completely stuck.
Everyone was cheerful and happy, and I tried to smile with them. Yet my smile was a little strained, I just couldn't see myself acting like an old granny... And at least Diego must have noticed because, once the party was over, he insisted on talking a little longer together.
Diego: Are you okay?
Gaia: Um, yes and no... I look even older than I expected, I'm unwatchable...
Diego: Don't even say that as a joke!
Gaia: If you say so...
Diego: Are you sure there’s nothing else?
Gaia: Well… There are a lot of things I’ve been putting off over the years, mountaintop hikes that I wanted to do, and I also wanted to try snowboarding, and things like that. Do I really have enough time to do them all, before being too old to do them?
Diego: You’ve always been really good at these things, I'm sure you still have plenty of time!
I replied with a smile, I think he’s the one who understands me best out of everyone.
Gaia: And what about you?
Diego: Well, they keep asking me if I plan on continuing to travel as much as before. Why shouldn’t I? In fact, once I retire, I’ll have all the time to visit those places I’ve never had a reason to see before!
Gaia: It seems like a great idea to me.
Diego: Right? And you know what? Once we're both retired, we could also travel together, go hiking and all that stuff, and…
He was really getting carried away, as he often does, and only then did it occur to him to add:
Diego: … if you want to join me, of course.
Gaia: (smiling) That sounds like a great prospect, I can't wait!
Diego replied with the warmest smile he was capable of, before holding me tight and kissing me tenderly.
Maybe he's not wrong, becoming old is not the end of the world. Actually, having the time to travel the world together seems like a great prospect to me. I'll need some more time to get used to this, but maybe being old has also positive sides.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
§HermioneSims§ corner
Hello! This time I'm here for a very brief comment about the numbers Techna was throwing in at the beginning of the chapter, and in particular when they talked out 48 billion tons of anthropogenic CO2 emissions per year. Before writing it I actually went to check the current values, and so that this story is supposed to be set in an imprecise time in the future I added a few percentage points. If you are curious, the recent numbers are in the order of 37-40 billion tons/year from fossil fuels burning alone [1] [2] . Overall the situation is quite bad, anyway.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Non-registered readers can also comment. All comments are subject to manual approval by me, so don't worry if your comment doesn't immediately show up ;)