Scientists all over the world are already on it.

10. Ocean Iron Fertilization

“Give me half a tanker of iron, and I’ll give you an ice age” ~John Martin, discoverer of the Ocean Iron Fertilization Idea.

Introduce iron into the ocean’s upper layer and increase the amount of phytoplankton (plant plankton) in the ocean. This in turn will increase the amount of food for ocean life, strengthen the ecosystem and most importantly, take in CO2 and release oxygen. The problem however, is not just the process but the scale on which it has to be done to make an impact.

9. Cloud Reflectivity Enhancement

Making clouds whiter. How? Apparently the “viable plan” by Stephen Salter of the University of Edinburgh is to have 1500 special ships known as Flettner ships to spray ocean water into the atmosphere. The ocean spray would work within a concept known as the Twomey Effect. The biggest problem is the lack on ocean nuclei needed due to pollution.

Problem: 1500 honkin’ ships shooting water into the air.

8. Scatterers – Stratospheric Sulfate Aerosols

Release microparticles into the atmosphere at the rate of 1 million metric tons a year through the use of jumbo jets and military artillery. The idea is to reflect some of the sunlight entering our atmosphere, thus reducing warming effects and helping us keep nice and cool. Read more at Wikipedia.

7. Sun-blocking Space Crafts

Some people have been watching way too many movies; Stephen Schneider of Stanford University to be precise. He suggests building 60,000 shiny space crafts and putting them into orbit. This is yet another proposed process to avert some of the sun’s rays (10% to be exact) and cool the earth. Cost: $100 billion a year.

What would Spock say?

6. The CO2 Scrubber

Like the concept of terraforming was introduced in the movie Total Recall, the idea here is to create 250,000 C02 scrubbers and deploy them around the world. The greenhouse gases would be stored underground and used to fuel industries. Here’s the rub: 250,000 units- that’s a quarter-million machines built and deployed. It’s not impossible, but considering the world’s governments can’t agree on a lunch menu, how would they organize such a crazy project?

5. Artificial Trees

The concept of building artificial trees around the world and allowing them to filter out the carbon monoxide is just the ticket. I have no idea why this wouldn’t work beyond the fact that we’re using artificial trees. Why not just plant more trees? Oh wait, we need those for cutting. Perhaps a better plan would be to make artificial trees and cut them down and leave the real ones alone. Nutty as it may seem, this idea has already received media attention.

4. The Sulfur Dioxide Hose

The idea is to loft baloons into the air and have them just floating around. The huge balloons would have several air hoses attached to them that would spray sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere creating a nice red hue at sunset.

The technology is available right now and could be readily deployed. The downside is that like many other expensive international endeavors, one country will probably end up footing the 300 trillion dollar bill. See Treehugger article for more information.

3. Space Frisbees to Save Earth

The idea has been proposed to shoot millions of reflective disks into orbit around the Earth. We’re talking in the neighborhood of 80,000 discs per minute over the course of years. Hasbro, an American Toy maker, is firmly behind this idea, as are skeet shooting clubs around the world.

2. The Volcano Idea

To create manmade volcanoes and use them to spew forth enough particles to help cool the Earth: This is an ongoing project by the British Royal Society that would require an eruption every few months for the rest of our time here on Earth or at least until we can figure out how to reduce our emissions and clean up what we’ve already done.

Where these eruptions are to take place and what the effects on the Earth would be, no one really knows. Personally I believe any volcanoes that are manmade should be made into amusement parks as well. The braincases who endorse this idea should be the only ones allowed in the park, preferably just before an eruption.

1. The “Farting Tank” for Cows

Though this isn’t strictly Geo-engineering, Scientists figure that one steak dinner for a family of four equals the same amount of greenhouse gas emission as a long drive in a SUV. The thought is to either figure out a way to reduce the methane production of cattle or reduce the amount of cattle being herded. One proposed way to reduce the gas production of cattle is to feed them garlic. Another is to attach plastic tanks to the cow to encapsulate its farts.

Why not just take it to the next level and shoot them into space? Their corpses could block out the sun and reduce greenhouse emissions. They would no doubt stay fresh and we could retrieve the beef at anytime through shuttle missions. Too nutty? See above.

For further funny reading on cows as #1 climate crook, check out this article:  “Meet the world’s top destroyer of the environment. It is not the car, or the plane,or even George Bush: it is the cow.”

10. Stop Painting Your Home

Paint is toxic to its core, think of it as liquid Satan. We’re not just talking about just lead paint either; try ALL paint. Even paint that is “properly disposed of” really has nowhere to go and has an impact on the environment. How about vinyl siding on the exterior and recycled wallpaper inside? Why not? These options also have the added plus of saving you some money as well as add to the value of your home.

Print ad by WWF to increase awareness of paint pollution

9. Get House Plants

They’re nice to have and make great pets. Houseplants help clean the air in your home just a little bit, but if everyone owned about a half dozen or so? This won’t solve the world’s cO2 issues, but it wouldn’t hurt and anything that produces oxygen and reduces carbon is a help. Besides, no one has ever had to walk a fern at 3 am, think about that.

An innovative example of a house plant: the wall plant. Purchase here.

8. Make Your Toilet Flush Less

Cutting down on water consumption is another way to help live a greener life. Not bathing is a bad option as it forces people around you to live green in ways they didn’t want to, especially in enclosed spaces. Showers are better than baths and use less water. Use as much water as you need for the task at hand and consider toilets with less gallons per flush (gpf) or liters per flush (lpf). Read more on how to convert you toilet to a low flush toilet.

The eco-friendly low-flush crapper.

7. Cook Organic Food

Sometimes it’s better and sometimes it’s not. Organic food is a little more expensive that “treated” food because not as many people buy it. The fact of the matter is the more organic food that is bought, the higher the demand and the bigger the market. Once the market increases, competition takes place and prices go down. More organic food being grown means less pesticides being used.

Our favorite online marketplace of natural and organic products: WholeFoodsMarket.com.

6. Buy an e-Bike

While for a lot of us it’s not practical to ride a bike to work every day, how about to the local market or to a friend’s house? Riding a bike is good for you and reduces carbon monoxide. It also saves you money in the long run since you do not have to buy fuel. For those who have electric cars this will also lower your electric bill somewhat.

Discard the old lady in the picture. Schwinn’s electric bikes fit any age.

5. Throw a Party

To heighten awareness, prepare an all organic dinner party and invite your local friends to come over and enjoy the fun! Themed parties like these will help your friends to better understand green living and might just start a trend. Just make sure you’re a good cook!

Without perhaps the chicken. Check out these recipes that will surely entertain your guests.

4. Do Some Backyard Gardening

Use what space you have in your backyard or apartment balcony to make a nice garden. Not only is this pleasant to look at but will provide useful birds and insects a good haven. Birds are responsible for a majority of plant transposition while insects provide pollination. See how this helps some?

Follow the example of Beth and Jim Paluch at Leroy Township in Cleveland, Ohio, and make your own little paradise.

3. Set Free the Farmer Within

Along the same lines as a flower garden but with the benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables, try growing your own food as well. Nothing tastes better than tomatoes fresh off the vine or freshly cropped corn. The added benefits are a delicious plus. Just remember to think organic when you are trying to keep away unwanted guests – meaning insects and animals, not the people showing up to get free peppers.

Inherit the old farmer tradition, but stay clear of the inbreeding and banjo playing.

2. Wood? Wood Schmood! Get A Natural Gas Fireplace

Wood burning fireplaces add to the ambiance of any home. But the carbon monoxide of wood burning is a bad thing. Installing a natural gas system in place of burning wood or fossil fuels will reduce carbon emissions and take that woody smell out of your home as well. That’s two birds with one stone. Not literally, we’re about living green, remember? Natural Gas Fireplace FAQ’s

Do your chimney sweeper a favor.

For those of you who think recycling means riding a bike twice,  get a clue. Recycling saves us all a lot of trouble and is a huge thing we can all do with very low impact. It’s as simple as having more than one trash bin and using them as you go. How anyone could possible feel this is obtrusive is ludicrous. Locate your nearest recycling center and set off an hour every Sunday afternoon to drop off paper, plastic, metal, electronics and glas. If everyone recycled, a large chunk of our eco-problems would be solved on the spot.

Find a recycling center near you and learn how to recycle at Earth911.com.

Any other suggestions? You know what to do.