The onward march of desertification can be halted

[Scimitar]

and here was me thinking the goats were to blame.
Turns out it was us, all along. Fancy that.
How to green the world's deserts and reverse climate change. [VIDEO]

 

[Croxden]

Very interesting but I would still rather blame the coalition government.

 

[neptune]

I found this video interesting in so many ways. I have no reason to believe that this guy is wrong, and every reason to believe that he is right. His big problem will be making the right people listen, believe, and act. We are so hung up on the idea of technology, and the technical fix, such as compressing CO2 into a liquid and burying it underground. Or building "Artificial Trees". Humanity is more concerned about fighting wars over oil, or religion. There is nothing cool or sexy about saving the world by using cow****. In spite of devoting most of his life to proving his theory, and demonstrating it by practical example, the likely response will be "It will never work."

 

[hech]

the video was indeed interesting to the deeper thinking individuals of the forum and our thanks should be appropriately directed to Schmitar, a good resident of not just the forum but the bogs and lands of the perpetual downpour, from which damp residence he no doubt felt safely incontravertable in his post. It is unfortunate that in Gaelic provinces and beyond, as Schm knows full well, it is all complete pishtalking. Decent, educated folk from the north of the forum have known for years now that the rain and the dampness is the Lord's reminder that we are not put on this Earth at these latitudes for our own seedy purposes and enjoyment, but that pure wee African lads wood be entirely grateful for our own circumstances. We must thank the good Lord and the wee African lads sense that they do not drive their flocks out into the wilderness, for a good God fearing mammal requires more for it's daily sustenance than a green conviction and a stumpy weed in the deserted undergrowth!
if they diverted half the funds or even fluids from the Bahrain gran prix to sub Sahara, they might have dates if not cabbages in the Empty Quarter, as Schimy would say himself!

 

[Blew it]

Interesting topic, and theoretically plausable.

Plant growth requires three basic elements.

Fertile growing medium (soil)
Water (rain or irrigation)
Photosynthesis (sunlight)

Typically, deserts have only one constituent of fertile soil, sand. What's missing, is moisture retaining humous and silt (clay). In a natural way, humous content can be increased by grazing ruminants. But, the large herds of herbivores that will provide the soil enriching dung will need copious amounts of water to drink...where is this water going to come from during the initial phase of desert reclamation?

It is of course true that many of the worlds deserts have enormous underground lakes hundreds of feet below their surface. If such aquifers were discovered beneath the deserts this gentleman wishes to reclaim, then it is far more likely to be used for short-term human food production rather than desert reclamation. A typical example being the Egyptian intrepreneur who, discovering a huge underground lake of fresh water beneath the desert, proceeded to start human food production. The crops, consisting of salad vegetables and fruit are exported all over the world...and making a huge amount of money for him. What needs to be remembered, is such crops consist of 60% water, and he is exporting this valuable resource to countries that have plenty of fresh water on tap. He has stated categorically, when that sub-desert aquifer runs dry, he will simply walk away from the farm....and it will still be a desert.

I admire this gentlemans resolve, but I don't think he has fully addressed the initial requirement of enough water to sustain large herds of cattle or goats during the early phases of desert reclamation.

 

[Blew it]

the video was indeed interesting to the deeper thinking individuals of the forum and our thanks should be appropriately directed to Schmitar, a good resident of not just the forum but the bogs and lands of the perpetual downpour, from which damp residence he no doubt felt safely incontravertable in his post. It is unfortunate that in Gaelic provinces and beyond, as Schm knows full well, it is all complete pishtalking. Decent, educated folk from the north of the forum have known for years now that the rain and the dampness is the Lord's reminder that we are not put on this Earth at these latitudes for our own seedy purposes and enjoyment, but that pure wee African lads wood be entirely grateful for our own circumstances. We must thank the good Lord and the wee African lads sense that they do not drive their flocks out into the wilderness, for a good God fearing mammal requires more for it's daily sustenance than a green conviction and a stumpy weed in the deserted undergrowth!
if they diverted half the funds or even fluids from the Bahrain gran prix to sub Sahara, they might have dates if not cabbages in the Empty Quarter, as Schimy would say himself!

Cheers for that Hech, I do enjoy a good bit of "wordsmithing"

 

[hech]

Cheers for that Hech, I do enjoy a good bit of "wordsmithing"

yes indeed my vegitarian friend, but have you considered this?
all the invaluable tropical forest and fauna business, seems to breed nothing but serpents and ferns! Now consider for a moment the heavenly greenhouse where a good but ruthless gardeneer wi nowt but hoe an trowel might gro man high capiscum and brassica an possibly rasperies? Like the rainforest my latin runeth dry tnight.......... oh dash it again.........