Ask HN: Could increasing the Earth-Sun distance offset climate change?

[s_r_n]

Are there any organizations out there who are thinking about using some sort of propulsion technique to change the orbit of the Earth so that the distance between the Earth and the Sun is slightly larger? This seems like it could offset the heating effects from climate change by decreasing the amount of sunlight that the Earth is exposed to.

[dexwiz]

The amount of energy that it would take to noticeably change the Earth's orbit would dwarf any other practical engineering effort. Carbon sequestration plants would have a much higher impact on climate change.

[zunzun]

I disagree - it seems logical to transport all of the earth's inhabitants to one side of the planet, and have them all push downwards at the same time.

[snlnspc]

wouldn't it be better to go to the other side and use a lunar pulley system?

[zunzun]

From an energy efficiency standpoint, yes.