TheHermitofHuron t1_isk1i6u wrote on October 16, 2022 at 4:01 PM

Reply to comment by [deleted] in The Solar System Isn’t Ready to Deal With Humanity’s Garbage by Maxcactus

I am not defending humanity here, but I dont know if you really understand the scale of just our solar system. We could not possibly create enough garbage, even if humanity made it its sole preoccupation, to noticably "pollute" our solar system.

Also, if we could get it into orbit on a trajectory to the sun, that problem would solve itself.

Oceans are barely puddles next to the open space just between the inner planets.

zenith654 t1_isk2buj wrote on October 16, 2022 at 4:07 PM

I agree with your first part, but a trajectory to the sun takes so much more propellant than most things

TheHermitofHuron t1_isk3mdr wrote on October 16, 2022 at 4:15 PM

I know it isnt practical.

I am saying if humanity could create enough waste that it was a problem in the vacuum of space, pushing it towards the sun would solve the problem.

Which we do not have the means to pollute the vacuum of space, so I am saying if we did, the technology to send the debris in a specific direction would probably not be a far stretch.

zenith654 t1_isk47g9 wrote on October 16, 2022 at 4:19 PM

Low Earth Orbit is already pretty polluted actually. It’s just that this article talks about planetary bodies and interplanetary orbits which is way more vast

[deleted] t1_isk9w64 wrote on October 16, 2022 at 4:57 PM

[deleted]

TheHermitofHuron t1_iskawt3 wrote on October 16, 2022 at 5:04 PM

We do not inhabit anywhere in the solar system outside of earths orbit.

Also, you say you understand the scale, but I dont think you understand the scale.

I absolutely think if/when we get to other planets we will trash them. Though none of it will matter on a cosmic scale in any way. like we could have a galaxy wide civilization of hundreds of planets all spinning out garbage with no attempt at recycling and still it wouldnt even register as a rounding error as far as calculating the amount if space it occupies.

We are great at trashing planets. It would take gods to trash intersteller space in a noticable way.