It is clear that the climate is changing and the planet is headed toward an uncertain future. At a minimum sea levels will rise and climate patterns will collapse, leading to massive food production shortages and mass migrations. We need to reduce the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, and besides the obvious globally recognized targets of lowering emissions, there is a strong role to pay with biological solutions.
Trees
Billions of years of plant life have created a breathable oxygen atmosphere for mankind, and we are benefitting from it during our brief blip of life as a species on this ancient planet. We have vastly underappreciated the role of plants, especially trees, and we continue to do so as we strip the planet naked.
We need to plant more trees, billions more, to make up the losses of past centuries, and to absorb the ever increasing emissions we are putting forth.
Present planting methods
Back breakers
Regular methods of planting involve back breaking labor with pick axes and hoes, and only attain minimal results. A single person with a hoe might be able to dig 10 tree holes a day before complete exhaustion takes over.
Even advanced machines that use a swift downward kick on a geared shaft, such as available from Scandinavian nations, involves strong individual exertion of effort.
Machines
There are giant tree planting machines that can scorch the earth with 10,000 trees planted a day, but this is counterproductive in the sense of emissions and cost, especially in the context of poor nations where trees are needed the most.
Rickshaw vans
These machines are very common in Bangladesh and used all over for general goods transportation. They are extremely cheap and common vehicles.
Leg power
I was inspired in particular by the fact that pedaling is probably the easiest power generation motion that a human can make. It is much easier than walking or running, that using arms or back. A typical person can pedal for hours without visible fatigue, therefore I chose this power format for my extension of the rickshaw van.
Rickshaw Van Tree Planter
I present my design, open source and free for all to copy. I am very limited in what I can do for the planet, at the very least I can share my idea. All I seek is to leave a better planet for my children than I found.
Advantages of the machine
Human power
2 pedaling drivers maximize the potential power transfer for this machine. Thus difficult terrain can be traversed and deep tree holes can be dug very easily.
With a simple level, the power from the chains goes from the wheels to the drill arm.
Carry load capacity
The large carry platform inherent in such designs ensures that massive amounts of seedlings, supplies, spare parts, etc can be transported easily to the planting zone with no major effort on the part of the drivers.
Cost
This is a third world machine built with the cheapest steel, iron and wood. Therefore the cost is minimal compared to almost any other planter. Likewise repair and maintenance will be quite cheap.
Availability
The machine can be mass exported from nations that build rickshaw vans, probably fitting about 500 such units in a single ship container. The machine can also be built at any place and location, and adapted to local conditions. Any country that makes bikes can make this.
Accessories
Once the tree is planted and the crew leaves that particular seedling, it should not be left completely unprotected. Biodegradable or strong paper shielding tubes should be placed around the seedling to protect it from grazing and pests. These items can also be easily transported in the van.
Species selection
Care must be taken to plant species that are fast growing, as we are in a race against time, but we must keep inter-species conflicts in mind. Local species are best, if they are plentifully available.
Target replanting zones
Watersheds
Watershed regions like rivers, swamps, oasis and springs are critical areas for replenishing natural water sources. The depletion of vegetation in these areas is a vicious cycle that further depletes the overall water sources and density. It is critical to plant trees in high concentration within the watershed to continue the natural protection of the water sources.
Desert borders
All desert regions have a beginning and an end. Each year the deserts of the world increase in size, and we are running out of time. Hardy species of trees should be planted at the edges of deserts to form a natural barrier against further desertification and to help push back against the desert. Such an example can be seen in the Green Wall of China, a massive reforestation effort to plant millions of trees to push back the increasing Gobi desert.
Funding models
U2 360 Tour
The recent record shattering U2 360 tour was extremely environmentally friendly in terms of carbon displacement. To maintain carbon neutrality, the band purchased carbon offsets that are the equivalent of planting 20,000 trees. Such high profile groups, events and organizations can put a strong green stamp of environmental approval on everything they do by such actions. The rickshaw van is a cheap enabler of such carbon offsets.
Direct donors
There are plenty of direct funding sources for environmental protection and tree planting that can contribute to rickshaw van large scale projects.
Carbon credits and markets
Specially funded rickshaw van planting projects can be integrated into the actual global carbon markets and made part of the buying and selling of carbon assets. Corporations can take special advantage of this, if the planting projects are controlled through authorized sources and project managers.
My plans
Prototype
To prove my concept and idea, I will in the near future fund the modification and retrofit of a rickshaw van to convert it into a tree planet as per my schematics. I want to be able to demonstrate the concept in the field and iron out any real bugs that may exist.
The design will always be open source and anyone in the planet is free to copy the schematics and create a machine of their own concept.
Bangladesh
Being located in Bangladesh, a nation at the forefront of the coming climate crisis, I plan to collaborate with private and public organizations to start some well funded replanting projects across the nation of limited land space, in critical areas. I will seek maximum return on investment in terms of planting in vulnerable areas like hillsides and watersheds.
International scope
I remain committed and interested in any international replanting projects that might be undertaken across the world in vulnerable regions.
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