Paul Hodges, providing solutions with salicornia

[begreen]

My son's girlfriend turned me onto this work. I think I have a new hero in Paul Hodges.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/10/business/fi-seafarm10
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2007/04/hodges200704
(broken link removed)

 

[Redox]

This will never work! Where are we supposed to get all that seawater from? Huh? Next thing you know, the oil tankers will be getting grounded due to a lack of seawater. Then we will be going to war over seawater. ;-P

Now get back to work! You have to make money to pay for gasoline!

Chris

 

[Adios Pantalones]

My worry would be salt water pollution of aquifers. This is nifty stuff- but I'm fond of drinking fresh water.

 

[Tfin]

Very interesting. Ground water pollution should be of concern, but we do have the ability to know where fresh water aquifers are, and where they aren't.

I map them on a weekly basis.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

You're right. I don't want to spoil a good idea, but it's radical and the potential dangers need to be examined. Putting salt in the earth- if the climate does change radically, then who's to say where the rain may start falling eventually. What happens if we want to "reclaim" salted earth? Will it just wash out with little effect?

Could be.

 

[Tfin]

No arguement there. All aspects of it would need to be studied in depth, as you raise valid concerns. But the possibilities definately warrent the research. I hope he can continue to safely push forward on this.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

An interesting part of this is that the seawater may provide all the nutrient needed, reducing other chemical pollution. It would also kill about any traditional weed problem.

 

[begreen]

My worry would be salt water pollution of aquifers. This is nifty stuff- but I'm fond of drinking fresh water.

That was my concern at first too. But an understanding of local geology can deal with this issue. I don't think this is an issue in some areas with dead aquifers. For example, they are already pumping seawater into oil wells to displace the remaining oil in the middle east.

A more interesting problem would be the effect of large green areas where there was desert. Often this can lead to positive ecosystem changes too.