Heat: how to stop the planet from burning

are the most fortunate generation that has ever lived. And are the most fortunate generation that ever will.--George MonbiotWhat George Monbiot means by this is that our civilization has leveraged the awesome power of fossil energy to create a world that only a short time ago would have been nearly unimaginable. Our health, our wealth, our leisure, our freedom from tyranny and struggle, are all benefits bestowed upon us by harnessed energy of oil and coal. But the price of these gifts has been a growing environmental crisis. Our atmosphere is filling up with carbon dioxide, which is released by the burning of fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide traps the sun's heat, causing the temperature of our planet to rise. The…