Comments on: Desertification: The world’s most underestimated environmental crisis

By: Huner Payne

Huner Payne — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 19:47:08 +0000

Desertification is impacting the western third of the United States, not to mention Australia and the Middle East. The calls it the greatest environmental challenge of our time. I think we should believe that.

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:27:57 +0000

I did know that– but only through the research I did for this article! In fact, the photo with this article is part of China's other great wall! Before I knew anything about desertification, someone in Puerto Rico tried to tell me that the reason for smog on the island was due to desertification. and I laughed–the butterfly effect gone crazy. Now I know better!

By: Gudge

Gudge — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 23:10:18 +0000

Thank you for talking about this problem. It's huge. If you haven't seen it I'd encourage you to check out the short film "Tesfaye" about an Ethiopian man's struggle against the desertification of his land. It's on the festival circuit. Or you can catch it here… ” target=”_blank”>http://vimeo.com/1431641

By: Sarah_Menkedick

Sarah_Menkedick — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:53:36 +0000

Hey Julie, This is a really huge problem in China as well. Have you heard of "the other great wall?" It is a wall of thousands and thousands of trees along China's northern border, to prevent sand and loess from blowing south. I didn't realize how big of a deal desertification was until I lived through several sandstorms in Beijing; sand from the Gobi desert comes blowing through the city and everything is covered in dust and fine yellow grains. It's disgusting–it's literally hard to breathe.