I think it's interesting how the grasses are following the grid. I wonder if they're seeded, or if it's just the wind getting trapped and dropping whatever it's carrying
Imagine a world where you could trade time. At first you sacrifice 1.5 seconds to click a link because shit, it's not that long, but eventually you get used to the luxury. Soon you're trading 20 minutes for an Instatime order. You can earn time by doing tasks for others, known or not, i.e., a random act of kindness can earn you time but an inconvenience can strip it. If you offer a convenience and someone takes it, you gain the time and the other loses it.
Sorry, but this kind of research doesn't prove the reality of what you're looking for (I'd like to introduce you to the Bot and AI web contents). I'm not saying that these results doesn't show reality, I'm just saying that images are not a proof of evidence.
Also read about solar panels in deserts, where the side effect is that the shade attracts critters, and also some condensation which helps plants get a foothold...
Not trying to be a dick, but is all that plastic going to be worth it in the end? Also I know deserts aren't hospitable for humans but do they serve some other ecological purpose?
Can't speak to the plastic point, but the expansion of deserts is a huge problem. Many of them are growing significantly larger every year. We could do this to thousands of sqaure miles and the deserts would still be bigger than they were a few decades ago. Look up the part about Gobi here, for example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertification
Burlap (Hessian/Jute): This is the traditional, natural fabric used for sandbags. Good chance they are using that, don't think they want plastic if they are going to try to use the area for farming in the future or bring the area back to a eco safe environment for animals.
"IDGAF about long-term ramifications" is how we got in this mess to begin with. and that is definitely plastic. I can see it offsetting the ecological reclamation. but to pretend it won't be an issue down the road is a bit extreme.
Did you eat food today? OK, you wasted more plastic than one of those tube sections. Your understanding of scale, harm vs. benefit, is so out of whack, I don't have words. This sort of activity not only changes ecology the ground, it changes the very atmosphere above it. tl;dr: Negative impact solutions do not exist.
I did eat food today. Thanks for asking. Maybe take it down a notch. I was asking an sincere question. . You are obviously very passionate about Ecology and I appreciate that. Me asking about the effects of the plastic doesn't mean I don't care about ecology. Contrary to what seems to be going on in the world you everything doesn't to be one side or the other.
No, I get that. I'm wondering how organic medium gets in there. Reading the article I found, seems actual dirt in pretty close to the top, close enough anyway.
I think once the barriers are in place its entirely plausible that if water retention is confirmed they would implant topsoil and likely cut down the process significantly. Especially if they can transplant from already successful grow areas yano. Im not expert but even with those barriers the soil still shifts some, potentially bleeding into and supporting neighboring squares. Plus with already producing plants the roots can spread too
I would like that, Get SOME plants growing in there, then make the area better to support even MORE plants. This isn't a "do one thing" and then magic happens. This will be a 10+ year plan.
Check out the Itchy Boots YouTube channel. She’s currently riding through the Chinese desert on a motorcycle. She has some spectacular drone shots of desert reclamation. She posted earlier today.
Similar programs exist in Africa south of the Sahara though they favor different patterns sometimes. Will this exact pattern work this well? Maybe but the concept is sound.
It doesn't even have to work well, it just has to work good enough. Any vegetation is a lot of progress compared to no vegetation and increases the chances of nature being able to do the rest.
If this particular video shows actual workers reversing desertification, or if stabilizing the surface of a sandy desert can help plants grow and reverse desertification?
We use certain grasses which do the same. The grass can live in dry area's, they capture sand and retain a bit water, because there is water other plants grow. It's often used to stabilize dunes near the sea. Pretty sure this works but maybe not for a long time. I think after every heavy sand storm, this needs to be redone?
This is used as a starter. Most plants need something to grab onto. The sand tubes also help retain a bit of water and slightly cooler temp. This allows for hardy grasses to grow to create a root net to hold sand/soil in place. Once the ground is stable enough you can incrementaly add more plant types. As more plants are introduced the sand becomes increasingly stable, nutrient soil layer develops from plant matter, and water retention increases as shade/plants trap it. Takes years but works
But does it survive heavy sand storms? I have seen complete mountains being moved from A to B over night during a storm. Giant masses of sand suddenly in a place where there was no dune before.
The long answer is no, but not every grid needs to weather a giant sandstorm for the gridding programme to work. Even if only a couple of grids stabilise the sands for long enough for plant life to take over, that's still a success and it reduces the likelihood of sandstorms locally in the future.
Basically it has a failure rare built in and it takes a long-ass time, but it's still effective.
There are recent research finding that what china has done so far (this being part of it) has drastically affected the climate in regions, with how much vegetation being planted in recent years
I've seen enough variations on this sort of thing that it tracks. Generally, the interventions are at the edge of the desert. I've versions with pits, tree planting, hex grid, and discussion of effects on nearby farm productivity Don't know this project, but this sort of thing has been done in western Africa a lot.
I was too busy, decent to good but not the best, I was about to drive, and I didn't realize I was being graded on this like a thesis.
I hate the phrase 'do your own research', but I looked this up before I even saw a comment about it and just replied after I got a basic understanding of it. It's not on me to go back and do your homework.
last time this was posted i got slammed for a similar question. I am glad you were met with a more favorable response. I did learn that burlap was a more common material used for this tactic
yup. a natural fibre like Cotton would be good for this as it would eventually decompose and become part of the soil. but they'll have just used nylon or rayon or one of the other man made fibres that are basically a kind of plastic.
Before we poo-poo nylon, it is basically one of two plastic types that life is conditioned to break down. The bonds in nylon are chemically the same as the bonds in proteins (peptide or amide bonds) and the most common, nylon 66, breaks down into adipic acid and hexamine diamine. Life can also break down polyesters into the acid and water starting materials, but the starting materials can be more toxic depending on which polyester (PET is worse than PCL for example).
Rayon's even more biodegradable than cotton actually. It's cellulose, not plastic. Its manufacturing process isn't good for the environment, but the end product does biodegrade.
mentalmasticator
https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1cXNxMDA0OWJnZWlveXI1OHkxbWl5cndvcTR6cXRqdWJ2eWpkMXc1dCZlcD12MV9naWZzX3RyZW5kaW5nJmN0PWc/aWPGuTlDqq2yc/200w.webp
Anonymus442
Liet Kynes approves
TheZoid
Anyone know what material those bags are made from?
mytruepersonality
Can't wait for an andrew millison video of this.
Freeasabird2015
This is awesome, so simple and yet so effective.
IStay
Does this hurt the sand?
ShutUpMeh
This KILLS the sand
ricpaul
Also see https://justdiggit.org/
QueefMalone
Sand no move?
Cavy
Using >plastic bags< to "naturally" prevent Mother Nature from doing her thing... Brilliant!
shalafi71
FFS. Buncha experts in here who couldn't grow a tomato plant. "But they're using PLASTICS!" You know how I know you don't know shit?
SnarfyMcSnarferson
Fabric? Or polyester?
Heelcat70
Sandworm traps?
noWhiteHorseHereJustBatturuPrinsu
Best.... sand pie... ever....
LilyCuster
Absolutely amazing! TY
RarntajanovanTheRambunctious
You learn about this in the game my time at sandrock 😊
Lampmonster
Frank Herbert approves.
Nightcaste
I think it's interesting how the grasses are following the grid. I wonder if they're seeded, or if it's just the wind getting trapped and dropping whatever it's carrying
onlyheretoargue
For the record, I never thought what I was watching here was science fiction.
theyallwenttoMexico
After a 1.5 second search:
dorpjorp
Imagine a world where you could trade time. At first you sacrifice 1.5 seconds to click a link because shit, it's not that long, but eventually you get used to the luxury. Soon you're trading 20 minutes for an Instatime order. You can earn time by doing tasks for others, known or not, i.e., a random act of kindness can earn you time but an inconvenience can strip it. If you offer a convenience and someone takes it, you gain the time and the other loses it.
KinetoPlay
You might want to watch the 2011 film In Time. It covers a society where people can buy things with lifespan time and earn more by doing things.
dorpjorp
Thank you for the recommendation!
claudiekante
Sorry, but this kind of research doesn't prove the reality of what you're looking for (I'd like to introduce you to the Bot and AI web contents). I'm not saying that these results doesn't show reality, I'm just saying that images are not a proof of evidence.
jesuisgur
Also read about solar panels in deserts, where the side effect is that the shade attracts critters, and also some condensation which helps plants get a foothold...
SomebodyalreadytookMyPants
Not trying to be a dick, but is all that plastic going to be worth it in the end? Also I know deserts aren't hospitable for humans but do they serve some other ecological purpose?
Taxian
Can't speak to the plastic point, but the expansion of deserts is a huge problem. Many of them are growing significantly larger every year. We could do this to thousands of sqaure miles and the deserts would still be bigger than they were a few decades ago. Look up the part about Gobi here, for example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertification
Kehy
If they used burlap bags it wouldn't be as harmful
InablueMule
A lot of Italy and Spain and middle east was not as dry before humans messed it up.
HellFireBeardMan
Burlap (Hessian/Jute): This is the traditional, natural fabric used for sandbags. Good chance they are using that, don't think they want plastic if they are going to try to use the area for farming in the future or bring the area back to a eco safe environment for animals.
SomebodyalreadytookMyPants
that doesn't look like burlap
shalafi71
IDGAF. The expenditure of plastic, if it is, is nothing compared to the value of the ecological reclamation.
SomebodyalreadytookMyPants
"IDGAF about long-term ramifications" is how we got in this mess to begin with. and that is definitely plastic. I can see it offsetting the ecological reclamation. but to pretend it won't be an issue down the road is a bit extreme.
shalafi71
Did you eat food today? OK, you wasted more plastic than one of those tube sections. Your understanding of scale, harm vs. benefit, is so out of whack, I don't have words. This sort of activity not only changes ecology the ground, it changes the very atmosphere above it. tl;dr: Negative impact solutions do not exist.
SomebodyalreadytookMyPants
I did eat food today. Thanks for asking. Maybe take it down a notch. I was asking an sincere question. . You are obviously very passionate about Ecology and I appreciate that. Me asking about the effects of the plastic doesn't mean I don't care about ecology. Contrary to what seems to be going on in the world you everything doesn't to be one side or the other.
Escapist83
Is that Jude Law's voice?
SayRamrod
sounds like jonathan rhys meyers
YesThisIsTero
That’s Jude’s Law – assuming a voice is Jude Law’s voice while it’s not or is.
YesThisIsTero
What?
Evenmoreuselessname
It might be AI Jude Law
EedDaPooPoo
Do you need a bondulance?
YesThisIsTero
Sometimes perhaps. Not now. Thanks for offering
huffnpuff72
You can't fight nature. You definitely have to work with it.
booklist
do you want sandworms? cause this is how you get sandworms
grayone64
That's incredible. I love seeing things like this.
kittykit17009000
Beautiful 🥰
szpet627
slimvictor
I’ve got a toothed disc too.
shalafi71
THAT is what has me wondering about the OP. OK, how are you ever getting organic material in there?
Snarkywisecrack
If you are asking about pioneer plants, they get there naturally by wind, birds, etc.
mrsdowneyjr
They also plant things on the middle of the grid squares
shalafi71
No, I get that. I'm wondering how organic medium gets in there. Reading the article I found, seems actual dirt in pretty close to the top, close enough anyway.
gobblinal
How long before the topsoil is thick enough to support more planting?
philmoregraves
I think once the barriers are in place its entirely plausible that if water retention is confirmed they would implant topsoil and likely cut down the process significantly. Especially if they can transplant from already successful grow areas yano. Im not expert but even with those barriers the soil still shifts some, potentially bleeding into and supporting neighboring squares. Plus with already producing plants the roots can spread too
gobblinal
I would like that, Get SOME plants growing in there, then make the area better to support even MORE plants. This isn't a "do one thing" and then magic happens. This will be a 10+ year plan.
philmoregraves
I mean i hope its the case yano. Im just a guy trying to look at it objectively with no education on the subject heh
PerkyPervertedPet
About 10 years or longer?
gobblinal
That's a lot less than I was afraid it would be. I was thinking geological time, not human-scale time. This is GOOD!
Kaleopolitus
If we can ruin our environment fast, we can make it better fast.
Also, just wanted to note that they offered NO source, no justification, just a number.
Grains of salt, is all I'm saying.
Randomice
Sauce: https://english.cas.cn/newsroom/cas_media/202412/t20241204_893105.shtml
HollowHermit
Thank you!
ninjafartball
I'm getting myself accustomed to saying: "China takes the lead."
tzahtman
There has to be some missing steps as you don't go from sand bags sitting on sand to miraculously vegetation.
DarnHyena
It probably took a year or two for results to show.
shalafi71
Where does organic material come from? Because that's kind of a big deal.
tzahtman
The Organ region of France, iirc.
shalafi71
Otherwise it's just "sparkling dead shit".
ManThatLaughs
So the idea here is that the grid catches topsoil as blows across the desert, and once established it hold water and grows shit
Makerofthingsmasherofstuff
Do you have any sources for this actually being true?
CrisprCAS
Looks like a form of straw checkerboarding, I assume because the wind is too strong there for bare straw so they use the sand to hold it in place.
azgrak1
Check out the Itchy Boots YouTube channel. She’s currently riding through the Chinese desert on a motorcycle. She has some spectacular drone shots of desert reclamation. She posted earlier today.
mormacil
Similar programs exist in Africa south of the Sahara though they favor different patterns sometimes. Will this exact pattern work this well? Maybe but the concept is sound.
DunnowForgot
It doesn't even have to work well, it just has to work good enough. Any vegetation is a lot of progress compared to no vegetation and increases the chances of nature being able to do the rest.
Wikipedo
This video explains it a little bit: /gallery/MtrhsFH
Lithens
Its true. Its well documented
mafiacarstarter
If this particular video shows actual workers reversing desertification, or if stabilizing the surface of a sandy desert can help plants grow and reverse desertification?
amundost
Yes
braddCommentSmuggler
Yeah similar thing is being done to re green the sahara right now
GrandmasterSpank
We use certain grasses which do the same. The grass can live in dry area's, they capture sand and retain a bit water, because there is water other plants grow. It's often used to stabilize dunes near the sea. Pretty sure this works but maybe not for a long time. I think after every heavy sand storm, this needs to be redone?
blisfulloblivion
This is used as a starter. Most plants need something to grab onto. The sand tubes also help retain a bit of water and slightly cooler temp. This allows for hardy grasses to grow to create a root net to hold sand/soil in place. Once the ground is stable enough you can incrementaly add more plant types. As more plants are introduced the sand becomes increasingly stable, nutrient soil layer develops from plant matter, and water retention increases as shade/plants trap it. Takes years but works
GrandmasterSpank
But does it survive heavy sand storms? I have seen complete mountains being moved from A to B over night during a storm. Giant masses of sand suddenly in a place where there was no dune before.
Dinkleboop
The short answer is no.
The long answer is no, but not every grid needs to weather a giant sandstorm for the gridding programme to work. Even if only a couple of grids stabilise the sands for long enough for plant life to take over, that's still a success and it reduces the likelihood of sandstorms locally in the future.
Basically it has a failure rare built in and it takes a long-ass time, but it's still effective.
Poco3o
There are recent research finding that what china has done so far (this being part of it) has drastically affected the climate in regions, with how much vegetation being planted in recent years
popeyeNL
Google: just dig
HellFireBeardMan
There is another country that uses half moons to help hold rain and bring life back to the dry land.
DunnowForgot
This? Seen them do that in the Sahara and similar areas.
euphoricopportunity
I've seen enough variations on this sort of thing that it tracks. Generally, the interventions are at the edge of the desert. I've versions with pits, tree planting, hex grid, and discussion of effects on nearby farm productivity
Don't know this project, but this sort of thing has been done in western Africa a lot.
mrsdowneyjr
It's the opposite of the dust bowl problem
Gibleteousjack
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1084600/My_Time_at_Sandrock/
DaCareBearStare
https://media0.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1YmF4ZHhrdjFuM3F1c256azhvYm54cTg4MWUza3MyeHlvbm9rZjByZiZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/S6HEz4XChX8boa5uuo/200w.webp
magewareinc
Looked it up. Enough sources from decent to good sites show it to be true.
MadamPuddifoot
And you chose not to link any because....?
magewareinc
I was too busy, decent to good but not the best, I was about to drive, and I didn't realize I was being graded on this like a thesis.
I hate the phrase 'do your own research', but I looked this up before I even saw a comment about it and just replied after I got a basic understanding of it. It's not on me to go back and do your homework.
sprayfartmaster
You could have done it yourself with less effort than it took to make that snarky response.
MadamPuddifoot
And yet you still didn't answer my question OR post a link!
mafiacarstarter
Probably because there are other links posted in the comments here. And your question was answered.
sprayfartmaster
Im not the one who made the comment… you sound drunk madam
WillLickNudibranchsForBUzz
Depending on the material used for the bags, this looks great...
SomebodyalreadytookMyPants
last time this was posted i got slammed for a similar question. I am glad you were met with a more favorable response. I did learn that burlap was a more common material used for this tactic
psmith00
yup. a natural fibre like Cotton would be good for this as it would eventually decompose and become part of the soil. but they'll have just used nylon or rayon or one of the other man made fibres that are basically a kind of plastic.
Relicanth
Before we poo-poo nylon, it is basically one of two plastic types that life is conditioned to break down. The bonds in nylon are chemically the same as the bonds in proteins (peptide or amide bonds) and the most common, nylon 66, breaks down into adipic acid and hexamine diamine. Life can also break down polyesters into the acid and water starting materials, but the starting materials can be more toxic depending on which polyester (PET is worse than PCL for example).
psmith00
i didn't know that. but if it is so friendly to the environment and not made of oil then i'd still fear that hey used some other cheaper fabric.
InkyBlinkyPinkyAndClyde
Rayon's even more biodegradable than cotton actually. It's cellulose, not plastic. Its manufacturing process isn't good for the environment, but the end product does biodegrade.
psmith00
see response to previous response..
man will always pick the cheapest and most hazardous path.