In fact, they could. Olah's superacid research pointed the way to changing the oil-refining process to produce unleaded gasoline. We are trying to safeguard it. We need to come to an equilibrium between mankind's needs and the environment, to create newer, safer products. I believe that this is a unique contribution which science can make - we can actually provide solutions.
Further solutions are on the horizon.
A chemist can see the possibility of using this carbon dioxide, by taking it out of the atmosphere and converting it to fuel. The theory is there. Olah and his co-workers are now looking for an economical way to turn it into reality. As Olah never hesitates to point out, science has a human dimension. His work at USC has been made possible in large measure by the generosity of one family - the late Donald T. Loker and his wife, Katherine.