Seven-story “carbon clock” launched near Madison Square Garden in NYC
June 20, 2009 at 8:00 am by Michelle Schenck
It seems New York City has counters for everything these days. The famous debt clock, and now, a new ‘carbon clock’ was resurrected this past Thursday near Madison Square Garden and Penn Station. It counts the total amount of greenhouse gases that are trapped inside the Earth’s atmosphere.
According to Scientific American, the counter takes into account all greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, and reports them in carbon dioxide equivalents. It skips the effects of natural cycles, such as the El Niño, and doesn’t factor in aerosols, which are difficult to measure and also exert a cooling effect.
This 70-foot, 13 character sign, sponsored by Deutsche Bank, was erected by them for a variety of reasons from sparking public debate on how to reduce emissions to helping various industries profit from a low-carbon economy.
The release of the sign has been praised by a range of climate leaders, including scientists and non-governmental groups.
The carbon counter will be updated online at www.know-the-number.com. For more information about this clock, please visit the Deutsche Bank’s website.
My first question: When will NYC unveil the Octomom kid clock?! Better add a few more slots for numbers!
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