Green Gold
The story of how modern humans are slowly depleting the Earth is not new. Deserts are encroaching, water is increasingly scarce, and the world’s population is growing by 1 billion every 12 years.
One man has discovered how to green our deserts and restore our planet to health. Cinematographer and ecologist John D. Liu discovered the solution almost by accident and has dedicated himself to spreading the word about the problem since discovering it.While the world is more complex than it was hundreds of years ago, solutions to reversing ecosystem problems remain relatively simple
In 1999, Andy Lau went to China to film the restoration project of the Loess Plateau. While working on the project, he saw how a vast area of 640,000 square kilometers—almost the size of the Netherlands—was transformed from a desert into a vast oasis. Thousands of years of agricultural use and endless animal grazing have led to the loss of vegetation in hills and valleys, scientists have found. As a result, instead of seeping into the ground, rainwater washes down slopes, carrying away fertile soil. This gradually destroys the fertility of the area. Stunned by these discoveries, Liu decided to make desert greening his goal in life.
Using his cinematic skills, Liu has produced a film that documents the near-superhuman effort of the Chinese people to accomplish this seemingly impossible task. The film is titled “Hope in Climate Change” and is being released online to ensure global distribution.
Soon, the government, facing a situation similar to the one depicted in the film, started contacting John D. Liu. The documentary accompanies Liu to these countries. In Jordan, Princess Basma bint Ali invited him to study the causes of the sprawl of barren land. One of the things he discovered right away was that overgrazing was responsible for much of the devastation visible in this land that was once “flowing with milk and honey”.
Liu now has success stories in many different countries around the world. He has worked in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Jordan, and other countries, educating governments and citizens on the steps they must take to protect ecosystems, restore land, and eliminate the threat of famine.
It’s possible, and that’s good news for all of us. Watch this remarkable documentary now.
