Valley-based startup Make Sunsets is under investigation by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). That ire comes from the firm’s unusual and controversial geoengineering methods. The firm has already been causing an uproar by launching weather balloons packed with hydrogen gas and sulfur dioxide particles. Their aim? To create a planetary chill-out vibe.
The startup, co-founded by a dynamic duo of cool dads, has been launching these massive balloons into the stratosphere to save the planet. Each balloon, when released, explodes with a very fine, white powder of 1,715 grams of sulfur dioxide at an altitude of 66,000 feet. These sulfur dioxide particles work by scattering and reflecting sunlight, leading to a small cooling of the Earth’s surface. Referred to as audio transducers, this creative approach introduces significant regulatory risk as it likely triggers the potential applicability of the Weather Modification Act of 1976.
So it’s no surprise that Make Sunsets has quickly raised $750,000 in funding from prominent climate-minded investors such as Boost VC, Draper Associates and Pioneer Fund. The company’s stated goal is to accelerate research and deployment of geoengineering solutions, which could one day save us from the worst impacts of global warming. The EPA’s investigation gives a glimpse into the complexities, dangers, and risks of relying on unregulated and untested weather modification practices.
In fact, the Weather Modification Act of 1956 was designed to govern activities such as cloud seeding. This process, called seeding, occurs when particles like silver iodide are injected into clouds to promote precipitation. However, Make Sunsets’ approach goes against typical methods and asks whether it really follows existing regulations.
In an acknowledgment of the legal framework surrounding their operations, a representative from Make Sunsets stated, “Yes, our method to cool Earth falls under the Weather Modification Act of 1976 and report yearly to NOAA of our deployments as required.”
The environmental consequences of sulfur dioxide use have become more prominent since 2020. Cutting the sulfur content of marine shipping fuels had an unintended consequence. Most important, it illustrated just how critically important sulfur dioxide is in improving Earth’s albedo, its capacity to reflect sunlight. This incident illustrates some of the unique risks and benefits of using sulfur dioxide as a geoengineering agent.
For example, Make Sunsets keeps a thorough, regularly-updated FAQ page on its website explaining how and why they’re creating weather modification. As the investigation by the EPA drags on, this innovative but controversial startup’s future—and fate—remain uncertain.
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