Turning The Sahara Green

THE SAHARA DESERT, which comprises the northern half of Africa, is not only huge, its growing. As climate change progresses, the frequency, severity, and length of droughts increase worldwide,e and kill what little vegetation lurks in and on the edges of the largest desert in the world. When the green disappears, the exposed soil beneath dries and bleaches, and its lighter color reflects more light back into the atmosphere, warming the air currents above, desiccating them, resulting in less rainfall for the already parched Sahara. This vicious cycle is expanding the desert with sufficient rapidity that within a century, if not checked, the desertification will encompass most of Africa. For planet earth, for us all, for future generations, this would be disastrous. there is, however, a solution, which is known to at least one scientist, and presumably all of them. It would be desirable to convert much if not most of the Sahara into grassland, forest, and farmland, some of each. The solution is solar energy, vast arrays of solar panels spread out over vast areas to absorb rather than reflect the sunlight, convert it to usable energy, enough, in fact, to power the entire planet and operate enough desalination plants to water the land, and begin the process of growth, renewal, and prosperity, for humankind, and for the rest of the plant and animal kingdom. Furthermore, the Sahara is a windy place, a perfect place to generate wind power. A few wind turbines here and there might even serve to spruce up the barren appearance of the landscape. if future generations of humans and all other species are going to be able to live on a sustainable, harmonious ecosystem, we the current generation must set about the task of terraforming the earth immediately, so that our descendants can complete it and reap the benefits therefrom. No, this planet is not Mars or the moon, but yes, considering the sorry state into which we have allowed the ecosystem to descend, nothing less than a comprehensive terraforming is expedient. May we have the political will to begin the great task ahead.