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You can actually peak and get a realistic picture. Google maps shows lots of those greening projects (like the green wall of africa) https://goo.gl/maps/bxpneC

You can actually peak and get a realistic picture. Google maps shows lots of those greening projects (like the green wall of africa) https://goo.gl/maps/bxpneCxBeMvXMELt9 https://goo.gl/maps/bxpneCxBeMvXMELt9 Also most of these programs are basically wood plantations, that regularly fail and continue existence just as propaganda. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Green_Wall_(China)#Criticism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Green_Wall_(China)#Criti... Its overall not very effective. Better outcome would be had by planting diverse dessert-adapted plants and trees at locations were the landscape protects them, so they form "islands" of recovery without needing human intervention. You compute were water in the landscape is most likely to exist and assemble, while protected from dust storms. Then you fire a seed shell from a drone towards the location, similar to this. https://www.fastcompany.com/90504789/these-drones-can-plant-40000-trees-in-a-month-by-2028-theyll-have-planted-1-billion https://www.fastcompany.com/90504789/these-drones-can-plant-... A alternative approach is to use robots to 3d print sand into a watercollecting structure that supports a plant seeded nearby while it drives its root towards ground water. https://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2011-09/you-built-what-seven-foot-high-3-d-printer-uses-sun-transform-sand-glass-object/ https://www.popsci.com/diy/article/2011-09/you-built-what-se...

luckylion 4y ago
Thanks, Google maps is a great idea. Is there a list of these locations with historical images? The approaches you mention are basically what I'd expect: mass-scale efforts that are hit and miss but will overall result in large effects. I suppose the end goal is different between this and other groups: one is "we need trees, lets plant trees" the other is "we need trees but we also need to repair our relationship with nature and create sustainable projects", and the latter probably has scaling-problems built-in. I assume there's a lot of unrelated problems doing that in Africa, but North America has deserts too. What's keeping tech-loving tinkerers with a passion for drones and robots from transforming Arizona?
- kevin_thibedeau 4y ago
  American deserts aren't anthropogenic.
  - luckylion 4y ago
    Human actions certainly play a role in the expansion though. But that aside: Is it "Nature can't be changed, so it's not worth trying"? "Nature knows best, better not interfere"? Neither attitude is something I associate with the US, so I'm not sure what the status has to do with them trying or not trying.
  - vehemenz 4y ago
    Doesn't mean they can't be https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl
eecc 4y ago
You don’t need fancy 3D printers. I remember watching a documentary about a man building a seed bank and reforesting a huge swath of land somewhere in Africa. At first he was ridiculed, fought against but eventually he succeeded. Very simple tools, traditional methods. I think this is the guy, much respect: https://www.lifegate.com/yacouba-sawadogo-the-man-who-stopped-the-desert https://www.lifegate.com/yacouba-sawadogo-the-man-who-stoppe...

luckylion 4y ago

Thanks, Google maps is a great idea. Is there a list of these locations with historical images? The approaches you mention are basically what I'd expect: mass-scale efforts that are hit and miss but will overall result in large effects. I suppose the end goal is different between this and other groups: one is "we need trees, lets plant trees" the other is "we need trees but we also need to repair our relationship with nature and create sustainable projects", and the latter probably has scaling-problems built-in. I assume there's a lot of unrelated problems doing that in Africa, but North America has deserts too. What's keeping tech-loving tinkerers with a passion for drones and robots from transforming Arizona?

kevin_thibedeau 4y ago
American deserts aren't anthropogenic.
- luckylion 4y ago
  Human actions certainly play a role in the expansion though. But that aside: Is it "Nature can't be changed, so it's not worth trying"? "Nature knows best, better not interfere"? Neither attitude is something I associate with the US, so I'm not sure what the status has to do with them trying or not trying.
- vehemenz 4y ago
  Doesn't mean they can't be https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_Bowl

eecc 4y ago

You don’t need fancy 3D printers. I remember watching a documentary about a man building a seed bank and reforesting a huge swath of land somewhere in Africa. At first he was ridiculed, fought against but eventually he succeeded. Very simple tools, traditional methods. I think this is the guy, much respect: https://www.lifegate.com/yacouba-sawadogo-the-man-who-stopped-the-desert https://www.lifegate.com/yacouba-sawadogo-the-man-who-stoppe...