To stop global warming, we need to dramatically reduce the massive burning of fossil fuels. These fuels generate the carbon dioxide (CO2) that is a primary cause of the greenhouse gases producing global warming. At the same time, we need to expand carbon sequestration efforts to help remove excess CO2 from our air. Hybrid and electric cars, mass transit, alternative (green) energy development, improved nuclear power plants, and similar efforts can help to reduce the quantity of fossil fuels burned. In addition, lands made unproductive by desertification (over 40 percent of land areas) may be used for carbon sequestration as part of counter-desertification efforts. Many counter-desertification crops, providing carbon sequestration, can also produce large quantities of green energy.
Global warming and the activities of man have created desertification problems in over 100 nations, with more than 40 percent of the land on our planet becoming arid, desert-like, or desert. In China alone, over 27 percent of its land area has been made unproductive due to desertification. For the developing nation of Sudan, over 40 million people cook and heat each day using charcoal made from shrubs and trees whose destruction adds to desertification problems. Food shortages and high food prices, as well as the demand for biofuel crops, are resulting in the removal of shrubs and trees in an attempt to create more cropland in marginal areas. As a result of all this abuse of natural resources, more desertification occurs making huge areas unproductive. On a global scale, we now have far fewer trees to utilize all the excess CO2 and produce oxygen (O2).
Counter-desertification plans, now being developed, would provide gully control and rainfall catchments as part of rainwater harvesting and protective storage. Water wells would also be drilled when and where feasible. Drip-irrigation and micro-dosing of fertilizers would than be used to plant trees, shrubs, and plants that do well in arid/dryland regions. Windbreaks would be formed using Neem, Myrrh, and Acacia trees, with some Desert Wolfberry shrubs to help lift wind above the trees. Each of these plants provide crops that will produce income and help pay planting costs. Neem seeds provide an organic inseticide and traditional medicines. Myrrh resins are used for incense, perfumes, anointing oils, and traditional medicines. Acacia trees provide gum arabic that has a wide number of uses to include food addatives. The Desert Wolfberry provides berries used to make a very powerful antioxidant juice. Nigeria alone has pledged to use some of its petrodollars to plant one billion of these trees to help provide carbon sequestration as part of a national counter-desertification effort. If another 100 countries would do something similar, we can begin to effectively combat global warming.
The above described windbreaks need to be spaced about 1/4 mile apart , with each windbreak being about 1/8th mile in width, as a matter of planting and production efficiencies. Areas between the windbreaks would be planted with three oil crops producing well on arid/ desert lands; e.g. Jatropha, Jojoba, and Buffalo Gourd. Jatropha seeds are about 40 percent lipids, and the toxic plant materials are used in biogesters to produce methane gas. Jojoba seeds are 54 percent lipids, and the plants make a good livestock forage. The seeds from Buffalo Gourd are 34 percent lipid, and the dried (crushed) leaves make a good organic insecticide. All of these lipids may be used to make biodiesel fuels providing a clean, green fuel for developing nations. Most of these nations have little or no financial means to purchase the quantities of petroleum otherwise needed in their nations. All of these lipid producing plants also provide carbon sequestration, while accomplishing the counter-desertification effort.
Petroleum companies generally object to all the above, fearing that large quantities of inexpensive green energy will lower petroleum prices. As in the past, the petroleum companies will use “political payola,” (large, sustained campaign contributions), expensive gifts, free trips, sexual favors, and other corrupt means to control a majority of U.S. Congressmen, to protect their energy monoply. If the voting public does not work to defeat such harmful lobbying activities, by petroleum companies, the U.S. Congress will not act to support counter-desertification as an effective response to global warming. In brief, the voting public will determine if we can really stop global warming.
