NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/02/26/norway.seeds/index.html

Who decides what plants deserve to be saved?

Cool! I wonder if I can put my seed there? :p

I mean seeds of the few Cannabis Saliva plants I take care of here, not my personal seed *grins*

I hope they are storing more than just seeds in there, because in a post-apocalyptic world, I can't imagine the soil being too.. good.

Edit: They better leave a key under the rug too. I mean.. how are people supposed to get the thing open after humanity is nearly wiped out.

Edit: They better leave a key under the rug too. I mean.. how are people supposed to get the thing open after humanity is nearly wiped out.

I'm also concerned with how people are supposed to get to Svalbard in a post-apocalytpic world.

I'm also concerned with how people are supposed to get to Svalbard in a post-apocalytpic world.

I thought of that too, but I sort of figured the world would just be a flat wasteland with a large number of craters. Probably wont be much if any snow up there, though the temperature may even be too high. The seeds will probably rot.

Norway probably should have spent the money on attempting to prevent doomsday. They must know something we don't....

They may talk of "doomsday," but IMO, its best usage will end up being as a way to undo the lack of crop-plant diversity caused by modern farming's disproportionate love of monocultures.

A clever ruse by the Norwegians....

1. Take the worlds seeds.
2. Lock seeds in giant vault.
3. ??????????????
4. Profit!

Fergi America;13483876']They may talk of "doomsday," but IMO, its best usage will end up being as a way to undo the lack of crop-plant diversity caused by modern farming's disproportionate love of monocultures.

Probably.

Norway probably should have spent the money on attempting to prevent doomsday. They must know something we don't....

I disagree. Its good that a fairly neutral nation is doing something like this, way up there in Svalbard. It isn't their job to say, "Hey, let's take all of this money and put it into a magical 'Stop Doomsday Fund!'".

I demand the U.S build a doomsday doomsday weapon, just in case there is some sort of nuclear holocaust we should be ready to set of another one once they take out the seeds.

I disagree. Its good that a fairly neutral nation is doing something like this, way up there in Svalbard. It isn't their job to say, "Hey, let's take all of this money and put it into a magical 'Stop Doomsday Fund!'".

Norway has the highest standard of living in the world. They are obviously up to something... maybe to raise the global average HDI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index) by wiping out all other nations?

It is all a bit suspicious.

Lunacy. If something large (Like a nuclear war) happens, then how the heck will we be able to get there? And how will we get in? And lastly, How will we plant them? With Nuclear waste all over the place, I doubt that plants (Or us for that matter) Will last long.

Lunacy. If something large (Like a nuclear war) happens, then how the heck will we be able to get there? And how will we get in? And lastly, How will we plant them? With Nuclear waste all over the place, I doubt that plants (Or us for that matter) Will last long.

Minor detail. Besides that, the bunker is probably one of the targets for everyone's MAD attack.

Maybe I'm being cynitical, but what's the point of saving the plants if you're not going to save insects like Bees and such? These plants have evolved into an ecosystem, and you can't just suddenly add them back to an ecosystem missing the other elements and assume they're going to live.

You put your weed in there!

...I know some people with some seeds worth saving...

Norway has the highest standard of living in the world. They are obviously up to something... maybe to raise the global average HDI (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Development_Index) by wiping out all other nations?

It is all a bit suspicious.

....Not to me. Not in any remote way. I don't consider Norway to be a malicious nation. Hell, Norway has great food, amazing music, (black metal), intriguing and history, and of course, gorgeous women, but this can be said for all of Scandinavia.

...I know some people with some seeds worth saving...

I bet. :)

All joking aside, cannabis would be a remarkably useful plant to save in a post-apocalyptic world. Hemp is much more useful than cotton. It requires less watering, creates tougher clothing, and has better soil efficiency...and I guess you could use the bud as...painkiller? ;)

As I understand it, those are two different types of Hemp...

As I understand it, those are two different types of Hemp...

No, the hemp for rope and cloth is the same as the smoking variety - just different strains bred for different purposes.

And you burn your weed with this..
http://www.flameengineering.com/Red_Dragon_Propane_Torch_K.html

Doomsday does not have to be nuclear. if the more paranoid of the environmental disasters happen, if and when we finally get the Earth's climate under control, we will need this kind if stuff.

Lunacy. If something large (Like a nuclear war) happens, then how the heck will we be able to get there? And how will we get in?

You won't, the Norwegians will...

Svalbard is Norweigan but the Russians British and some others have settlement rights.

Therefore anyone could get those seeds.

Maybe I'm being cynitical, but what's the point of saving the plants if you're not going to save insects like Bees and such? These plants have evolved into an ecosystem, and you can't just suddenly add them back to an ecosystem missing the other elements and assume they're going to live.
How do you suggest they save insects like bees and such? I don't think you can just deep freeze animals or insects and then thaw them out however many years later and expect them to live.
Svalbard is Norweigan but the Russians British and some others have settlement rights.

Therefore anyone could get those seeds.

Anyone who is alive after the need for them arises, and knows where they are, and has the means to get there, and the means to open the vault up.

Anyone who is alive after the need for them arises, and knows where they are, and has the means to get there, and the means to open the vault up.

Hands up Volunteers to set up a British settlement up in Svalbard!

Hands up Volunteers to set up a British settlement up in Svalbard!

*shoots anyone who raises hand*

I see so anyone who already has the means to get that far north should there be a disaster will be able to transport all of those seeds to the right locations, ie a few thousand miles south.
yes what a clever idea. I wonder why i hadn't thought of that one.

Hands up Volunteers to set up a British settlement up in Svalbard!

I don't think the panserbjorne will like that.





Wait, wrong universe.......

Who decides what plants deserve to be saved?
'Sup.

Seems to me post-apocalyptic doesn't look so bad anymore.

On a more serious note, it's interesting how the risk of genetically modified mutant grains from the likes of Monsanto - or the ability of corporations to patent any non-patented seed, even if not GMO at all - wasn't mentioned in the article.

protecting them from a wide range of threats including war, natural disasters, lack of funding or simply poor agricultural management.

"Poor agricultural management" almost sounds like a euphemism for this kinda shit (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto_Canada_Inc._v._Schmeiser).

There's essentially no regulation economically, and worse no really practical way to regulate. I'm not some sort of anti-capitalist, but I don't want DuPont and Monsanto to own the world's entire food supply and any and all things connected with it.