Under a White Sky - Up in the Air: Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis

Elizabeth Kolbert
This Study Guide consists of approximately 36 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Under a White Sky.
Related Topics

Under a White Sky - Up in the Air: Chapter 1 Summary & Analysis

Elizabeth Kolbert
This Study Guide consists of approximately 36 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Under a White Sky.
This section contains 1,081 words
(approx. 3 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy the Under a White Sky Study Guide

Summary

In "Up in the Air," Chapter 1, Kolbert signs on to have her carbon emissions scrubbed from the air by a company called Climeworks (143). Climeworks’ work is to "turn carbon dioxide emissions into stone" (143). A year after subscribing, Kolbert travels to Climeworks' operation in southern Iceland. The plant is called Hellisheiði Power Station. Kolbert meets the manager Edda Aradóttir. Aradóttir explains the carbon dioxide conversion process. Climeworks' equipment is essentially speeding up nature, as all carbon dioxide will "eventually turn to stone, via a natural process known as chemical weathering" (146).

There is, Kolbert explains, some debate as to when "people began altering the atmosphere" (147). Some say it began with early agriculture and large scale chopping and burning of forests. Others attribute its start to James Watt's steam engine. The trouble with combatting the emissions issue is equity. Less...

(read more from the Up in the Air: Chapter 1 Summary)

This section contains 1,081 words
(approx. 3 pages at 400 words per page)
Buy the Under a White Sky Study Guide
Copyrights
BookRags
Under a White Sky from BookRags. (c)2024 BookRags, Inc. All rights reserved.