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Fast immer sind diese Rundmails sehr lang, so auch diese.
Der Kern der Idee des originellen Bulgaren: Am Pol Klötze aus dem Eis sägen, sie in die Wüsten fliegen, dort in die Luft sprengen, säen - fertig.
Eine hübsche Idee, ein schöner Beruf: Eisblocksprenger in der Sahara.
Auch bemerkenswert: Am Schluss bekommt er dann sogar noch den Bogen zum 11. September. Gute Leistung, guter Mann.
Ice is water. Water is life
Project
ãDESERT ICEä
by I. Avramov
Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,
Iâll try to draw your attention for a few minutes to a project dedicated to inverting the deserts on this planet into perspective areas for living. The word ãprojectä is too strong at this stage; perhaps ãdreamä is more appropriate, but with your help, I hope it could become a reality.
Please, start enclosed file called Desert Ice Project.pps to see the idea in more colors, or go over to the text·
What weâve got so far?
Now everybody knows what the situation is: the global warming; mass felling in the tropical rainforests continues, nonstop pollution, ozone depletion continues, the polar ice is melting, water level is rising and some islands and coral reefs in the Pacific Ocean sink, the wildlife is dying ö innocent victims of human greed, negligence and irresponsibility; cancer, caused by UV rays, and so on·
The proposition
Basically, the idea sounds like that: there are 7 continents on the Earth: Europe, Asia, Australia, both Americas, Africa and Antarctica. On 5 of them there are deserts with the biggest and most famous Sahara in Africa, Gobi in Asia, Middle East, Atacama, Central Australia, Dead Valley and so on. At the same time there are two polar hats ö North and South, which we could consider as a giant refrigerators or in other words ö as a giant ice generators, of course not defined as endless. Just think about it ö in Antarctica are concentrated 90% of world's ice, 2/3 of world's sweet water supplies! My point is to arrange fast transport (fast because of melting) from the ãcoldä latitudes to a chosen place in the desert, for example ö lets take the North-West Africa ö Morocco, Tunisia. After cutting and forming the iceberg into a standard ice blocks, then comes loading in the airplane, and then ö 6 to 8 hours flight. For instance, a few destinations
are provided: Sondrestrom, Greenland - Algiers, Algeria - 4800km; Reykjavik, Iceland - Damascus, Syria - 5178 km; Murmansk, Russia - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 4600km; Wilks Land, Antarctica - Perth, Australia - 4700, etc. After unloading, the ice blocks are placed in the sand field and by a controlled explosion are dispersed in small pieces on a particular area, where they are melting and the ground is absorbing the water. Hypothetically, after a few cycles, the water won't be absorbed anymore (sponge reaction) and thus shall be created some humid layer on the surface. This layer must be immediately and intensively treated with seeds, compost and fertilizers as a basis, as a ground for some stable kind of grass, bushes, seaweed or duckweed or algae or something else for keeping the humidity. Thus, step by step will be created a soil appropriate for wheat, corn, rice, soya and grain as well as soil for forests, certainly small from the beginning, but with very fast growth in warm, humid, tropical conditions. Or, another way ö after unloading, there follows machine breaking into a small pieces, approximately as big as for a drink, and then with another machine, similar to the seeder, we systematically spread the ice, mixed with manure, normal soil, mud, food additives, etc. over the sands, thus covering much bigger area, compared to the explosion method. After a few times repeating, there comes the real seeder...
Few remarks:
1. First of all there must be conducted a lot of researches in a lot of areas like:
- Climate changes ö climatologists and meteorologists;
- Soil and water ö geologists and specialists in soil structure; they have to tell when and where the soil wonât react like a sieve; also to regulate dead sands transformation into fruitful soil;
- Agriculture, forestry, flora, fauna ö agronomists, botanists and zoologists;
- Genetic changes ö genetic engineers and microbiologists;
- Need from permanent irrigation ö constructors, architects, etc.
- Glaciologists ö responsible for extraction and transportation of ice blocks;
- Engineers and pyrotechnics to ensure the effectiveness and safety of explosion works;
- Financial analysis ö team by accountants able to figure out all the expenses, as well as COI, ROI, etc.
- Landscape and terrain;
- Preliminary computer simulation of the scenario, made by powerful mainframes, would be very helpful;
2. All these scientists must be surrounded and equipped with: places to live and work ö infrastructure, catering, IT&Communications support, recreational facilities, security, etc.
3. Motivation of major investment funds is a crucial factor, as well as creation of ãProject Management Centerä ö responsible for maintaining the synchronization of all activities.
4. Apparently this is very expensive enterprise because of the united efforts from so many scientists, and also for the transportation of these gigantic (as a volume and as a weight) ice blocks, most probably with a plane because of the speed. Thatâs why I suggest conducting a small, local experiment (a rehearsal) in a area determined by transport factor - for example: there are glaciers on the mountains in Central Africa ö much closer to South Sahara, than Greenland, or the same connection: ãdesert ö mountain iceä ö in Chili, Peru, and Bolivia in South America, or Dead Valley ö Rocky Mountains instead of Alaska in North America; Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and other Arabian countries and the glaciers from Pamir, Kavkaz; Gobi in China and the ice blocks from Himalayas and so on. May be the first candidates for pioneers would be the richest Arabian countries, members of OPEC, for instance ö they have a lot of oil, money, and vast unused territories because of the sands.
5. There must be calculated the optimal routes, between glaciers, polar ice territories and deserts, thus aiming the shortest ways for the ice transportation; as well as creation or adjustment of appropriate planes ö with huge fuselages, and cooling installations, most probably with liquid nitrogen ö perhaps some consortium between Boeing, Lockheed-Martin, Tupolev, Antonov, and Europeanâs Airbus. For example: loading capacity of the latest Antonovâs model ö 225 is 250 tones, or EADSâs Super Transporter ö 150 tones. With few flights these machines could deliver ice in a certain places, for accumulation and further use for irrigation ö creation of artificial lake. Except airlift, there is another variant for transportation ö with more capacity, but much slower ö by cargo ships, reconstructed oil tankers, or some kind of pulling/pushing entire multimillion tones icebergs, in shortest directions, trying to avoid the existing warm streams....
6. There are going to appear a lot a problems like border control, attempts for contraband with a lot of special regime goods like drugs, weapons, etc. (I call them the border factors).
7. I mean not to cut off all the glaciers from the mountains or polar hats ö it makes no sense by destroying one area, to develop another, neither to erase at all the deserts from the worldâs map; but to change places of deserts and oasisâs, to allow some places from the deserts stay natural as parks, or reservations and to keep their natural life. I think about some key words like moderation, succession, precaution, responsibility, far-seeing, and of course: ãThink globally, act locally!ä although in this case the action also will be global.
What to expect?
There is no doubt, that in the beginning the prejudiced sceptics will predominate, but once people have seen that something actually works, they are much more likely to accept change, so, sooner we start, sooner we may feel ãthe wind of changeä. In my opinion if we create a strong team, with people really committed to the idea, the first results should be achieved/seen in 15-20 years.
Once the cycle starts, growing plants -> evaporation -> rains, etc., and if the method works properly, the consequences should be:
The positive side:
+ Imagine how Sahara could look green instead yellow on the geographic maps and more important ö to act as the second ãlungä of the Earth, if we accept that the first one is the Amazonian jungle ö this could help to restore the damaged ozone layer, to reduce the loses made by climate changes, such as: reduction of the global temperatures, reduction of the polar ice and glaciers melting and restoration of the loses, stop the islands and coral reefs sinking, lower the UV radiation, and cases of skin cancer, caused by it; Even more ö other inverted deserts could make the effect even greater·
+ The reduction of temperature amplitudes should be a reason for decreasing the number of atmosphere storms, typhoons and so on -> downsizing the financial loses·
+ Imagine how we could ennoble such a big areas, to make them much comfortable places to live and work;
+ If the technology works, that knowledge could be used in other places, such as expedition to Mars, for example;
+ I presume that this could be a solution of the problem with the millions starving people in these places ö they could be able to produce food by their own;
+ I think that this operation could create lots of working places, thousands of jobs;
+ When these people work, produce, they also make money, which makes them consumers, so these potential markets, will become real markets with a billions of dollars turnover ö so, I think the corporate world is also interested in this project;
+ In these millions dying every year from skin cancer or hunger, probably there is someone, who has another challenging and ãcrazyä ideas to improve the world;
The negative side:
ö Still unknown ö we shall learn in the process of research.
Arguments ãforä and ãagainstä
very time when the man harvests something, no matter what ö gold, oil, trees, minerals, he leaves behind ãwoundsä in the ground. If people start suddenly to harvest ice from the polar hats, this could have horrible reflections on Earthâs climate, for at least two reasons:
First of all, ice hats support temperature equipoise on the planet, and their vanishing would be devastating. Second, the weight of the both ice hats, balances the Earthâs position in her orbit around the Sun, and every change in these angles would be fatal. Thatâs why in these territories any industrial activities are prohibited, by international regulations like: Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (1991); The Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Living Marine Living Resources (1980) and so on. The issues of mineral development was ãfrozenä for 50 years, except for scientific research. Therefore I suggest exploiting the icebergs, which are about to melt and sink in the ocean, thus contributing to the water level raising. Instead of this, we could pull up the ice on the ground, transform it into water and use it for forestry and irrigation with two primary targets: filter the air, lower the global temperatures.
This is a chain reaction. But, the direction ö up or down, depends on us. With this way of life, which we have right now, we destroy the ice, the other recourses, respectively the Earth. We allocate mega budgets for military defence (from who? ö recent events clearly illustrated that nonsense), for new factories, for stimulating the industry, for the ãBusinessä, for exploitation of new natural reserves; and significantly smaller funds for research, conservation and environmental defence, trying not to think about the consequences (may be they are too far), and counting on insurances. Obviously we have to rethink the whole economic model, which maximizes the profit, and ignores and underrates everything else as ˆ minor issue; model, which divides humans in two groups ö very rich people, living in smugness and thriftless comfort, made by the mass media to look like stars before the mass; and on the other side ö large majority of the poor, hungry people, almost living by ãphotosynthesisä.
There comes the question about the people who signed these documents, and who have enough water for drinking, washing, and decorative fountains; and the others, who could only dream about it. Scientistâs standpoint is absolutely right, but what about the other aspect ö what are we going to do, when in the next few years or even after 50 years, the sweet water supplies will become really insufficient, and in the same time more and more lands will sink under sea level. Should we enhance our endeavors firmly, or continue to ãstep on the gas and on the brakesä calmly, with the same strength?
In the same time
Of course, we must not stop the measures taken so far, quite the contrary - we have to:
ö Increase ecological requirements (standards) towards the manufacturers, as well as demands regarding recycling policies;
ö Severe sanctions to be imposed on polluting companies instead of convenient and affordable fines, as well as adequate stimulus's for innovations ö a precise mechanism, that will determine environment conservation behaviour in all society members by their economic thinking;
ö Keep trying to decrease greenhouse gases, CO2 and gases from burning oil, coal;
ö Afforest desolated territories;
ö Keep looking for new forms of clean energy, like energy from wind, ocean waves, fuel cells, solar, biomass; energy efficiency and so on; everybody (both consumer and manufacturer) knows that this is not forever, that some day the liquid gold will be over, and then what?
ö Improve the dialog between corporations and green organizations, instead of ãwarä actions; instead of demonstrations with paper storks and original but useless posters; instead of destroyed shops and McDonalds restaurants ö this shows nothing but a weakness and lack of any tolerance; instead of conferences with empty resolutions and declarations, closed with a lots of protocol applauds and pomp cocktails and parties. Continue convincing and explaining to people, that so called ãGlobalizationä is inevitable, I mean the trends are obvious: merging and sharing of markets, cultures, ideas; opening the borders, instead of new divisions, etc.; so, we must extract maximum utility from this process, for the majority, not minority, instead of blind rejection, instead of throwing pies at politicians, and stones at policemen ö this isnât funny or heroic, but foolish. Itâs 21st century already ö so, lets change the word ãfightä with ãtalkä, and most of all - with ãworkä. Search for more practically directed solutions and the final target ö to make everyone understanding, that itâs pointless to make more and more money, no matter the methods, the price, and spend them on the ãnextä day with a gas mask, because of the smog and the lethal UV rays ö results of the profit chasing. Because, if we continue on this way, soon on the Earth wonât be left any appropriate and safe place for your children, no matter how well they are educated, dressed, feed; rich or poor. Till that moment, in which both sides will realize that we inhabit one planet, and we belong to one side.
In conclusion:
Generally speaking, I donât think, that this is an idea too difficult for implementation. Without underrating technical complexity of the process, I suppose that itâs more a question of large-scale vision, or in other words: country members of UN must justify the organizationâs name: ãUnited Nationsä. I presume that todayâs technologies potential allows us to look much further (we sent a man to the moon more than 30 years ago! ö remember?). The main obstacles would be expressed in so called ãhumanä or ãpoliticalä factor, so, I think we have to convince ãopen mindedä CEOâs of the biggest transnational companies, with foreseen budgets for strategic and science researches, as well as politicians, from different countries, because of the international character of the project.
When I was searching the Net for more info, I have visited a lot of websites of so many institutes, university's faculties and departments for climate, water, desert, and arctic researches; governmental and nongovernmental organizations, etc. My point is to consolidate the efforts, the activities of as much as possible institutions, each one with long record of research and knowledge, but not strong enough to implement the entire plan alone.
As youâve probably noticed, this presentation misses the most important ö the numbers, so Iâll need some kind of scholarship, or position in your team, or some other form of financial aid and collaboration (you decide), to figure out the whole process with more accuracy, in more concrete frames.
Mankind has already the water problem, which is deepening! If we ignore for a while renewable resources, the only alternative (reservoir) is the polar ice, so, any researches in this scientific area would be useful. I donât pretend to solve all nowadays problems. I believe that this is just the next step in our way forward. If you accept the challenge, and consider the idea as not a totally weird, naive or futuristic, please do not hesitate to contact me for discussing it, and for making the first steps of its realization. Iâll be very satisfied to work with you.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely yours,
Ivaylo Avramov
June 2001
Sofia, Bulgaria
P.S. I realize, that the agenda is completely different after Sept.11th ö problem N1 is the World Terrorism, which by the way does not exist from yesterday, but ãyesterdayä some of these people were called ãfriendsä; they were paid and armed as fighters for human rights and democracy, no matter that the same pals were proven criminals (assassins, drug dealers, etc.), most important was that their interests were parallel to somebodyâs strategic interests. Yesterdayâs friends are todayâs ãworld enemiesä, but what about ETA, IRA, AOK/ANO, Tamil tigers in South Asia, Mudjahidins in Chechnya, exploding people-bombs in Israel, extremists in North Africa, Columbian gorillas, and so many others famous, and not so famous radical formations fighting (killing) for ãfreedomä, or whatever· Are they also included in ãterroristä definition, or just are internal, domestic problems? Perhaps we should diplomatically change the theme now ö to talk about the weather, fashion, and sport? Is this really a global war against the evil and the violence, a war supported by me and most of the people; or simply the area of former Yugoslavia became too boring as a polygon, and now we have another one exiting long term place for testing/ demonstration of new weapon technologies, and in the same time ö demonstration of that, who rules today? I hope, I bet on the first one·
However, the size of the entire operation (all included people, planes, ships; coordination, logistics ö the whole organization) shows that the implementation of the main idea of Desert Ice Project is possible, and is a matter of international consensus. How many years, decades yet, we have to withstand, before facing up the truth, that there is no need every time to look for an enemy ö a prerequisite for motivation; and start dealing with real problems (political and ecological), caused by ourselves, ironically.
Refute me, if you can·
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Soso, die Eiskappen auf den Polen stabilisieren durch ihr Gewicht also die Erdrotation um die Sonne. Ich bin begeistert.
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'd'oh!'
