Comments on: Arctic “doomsday vault” for seeds opens — except GMOs http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/ Global environmental challenges Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:25:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Danny Bloom http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-334211 Danny Bloom Fri, 04 Apr 2008 08:19:13 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-334211 Danny Bloom comments: Alister, After a long email trail search, I finally was able to discover the name and the firm of the Norwegian architect who created the blueprints for the Seed Vault. His name is Peter Soderman, and the firm responsible for the design of the vault is Barlindhaug Consult AS in the town of Tromsø, according to sources deep inside in the Norwegian government. I wonder why his name never appeared in any news reports in English anywhere in the world? You would think that the architect behind this project would be recognized by the media. Well, now, for the record, the above info should remain online here for future archives researchers. Danny Bloom comments:

Alister,

After a long email trail search, I finally was able to discover the name and the firm of the Norwegian architect who created the blueprints for the Seed Vault. His name is Peter Soderman, and the firm responsible for the design of the vault is Barlindhaug Consult AS in the town of Tromsø, according to sources deep inside in the Norwegian government. I wonder why his name never appeared in any news reports in English anywhere in the world? You would think that the architect behind this project would be recognized by the media. Well, now, for the record, the above info should remain online here for future archives researchers.

]]> By: McShabby http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333899 McShabby Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:21:11 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333899 In a few hundred million years the Galaxy closest to us will collide with our own, thus rendering all human endeavour on this planet essentially pointless. There's a cheery thouhgt for you all In a few hundred million years the Galaxy closest to us will collide with our own, thus rendering all human endeavour on this planet essentially pointless. There’s a cheery thouhgt for you all

]]> By: Danny Bloom http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333871 Danny Bloom Fri, 29 Feb 2008 03:04:09 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333871 Thanks, Alister, for followup info on the 200 year time frame, etc. The entire thing is a spectular sight, at a spectacular site, and a very interesting scientific experiment and vault. Human ingenuity is a marvel to behold! One question: I heard that the entrance way was an art sculpture or whatever by a Norwegian artist who was contracted to make the entrance way that way and put a beautiful thingamajingy on top as a reflector. Great idea. Art in the Arctic! But now I wonder: who was the architect of the entire vault, one man or woman, or was it a Norwegian archtectural firm that did it. Which one, what name, where? They also deserve a round of applause. Thanks, Alister, for followup info on the 200 year time frame, etc.

The entire thing is a spectular sight, at a spectacular site, and a very interesting scientific experiment and vault. Human ingenuity is a marvel to behold!

One question: I heard that the entrance way was an art sculpture or whatever by a Norwegian artist who was contracted to make the entrance way that way and put a beautiful thingamajingy on top as a reflector. Great idea. Art in the Arctic! But now I wonder: who was the architect of the entire vault, one man or woman, or was it a Norwegian archtectural firm that did it. Which one, what name, where? They also deserve a round of applause.

]]> By: Don Cantrell http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333870 Don Cantrell Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:48:50 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333870 This doomsday vault is not about global warming, you people need to wake up and look at the direction, our supposed to be, government leaders is taking America! Check out the North American Union and the treasonous acts they are committing!!Check out the government prison camps and the U.N. Vehicles and troops thats in America training at Ft.Polk and several other military bases! They are not only expecting world calamity, It's part of their One World Agenda! Wake up America!!! Don Cantrell This doomsday vault is not about global warming, you people need to wake up and look at the direction, our supposed to be, government leaders is taking America! Check out the North American Union and the treasonous acts they are committing!!Check out the government prison camps and the U.N. Vehicles and troops thats in America training at Ft.Polk and several other military bases!
They are not only expecting world calamity, It’s part of their One World Agenda!
Wake up America!!!
Don Cantrell

]]> By: alister doyle http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333862 alister doyle Thu, 28 Feb 2008 10:13:41 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333862 thanks for all the comments...on Danny Bloom's question the vault is built to last at least 200 years in the sense that the worst imaginable scenario for global warming might start to thaw the deep permafrost by 2200. If that happened the vault would no longer be a natural deep freeze and would have to rely on artificial refrigeration like any other seed store around the world, losing the "doomsday" backup function. And a Norwegian government study said it "should be constructed to last essentially 'forever'...for practical purposes, that means that the internal structure be designed to last 200 years." (i.e. how many builders do you know who give a 200-year guarantee? Maybe those who built the pyramids in Egypt but not my house). And the vault is more than 100 metres above sea level -- even if all of the ice from Antarctica to Greenland melted over thousands of years it would not flood. thanks for all the comments…on Danny Bloom’s question the vault is built to last at least 200 years in the sense that the worst imaginable scenario for global warming might start to thaw the deep permafrost by 2200. If that happened the vault would no longer be a natural deep freeze and would have to rely on artificial refrigeration like any other seed store around the world, losing the “doomsday” backup function.
And a Norwegian government study said it “should be constructed to last essentially ‘forever’…for practical purposes, that means that the internal structure be designed to last 200 years.” (i.e. how many builders do you know who give a 200-year guarantee? Maybe those who built the pyramids in Egypt but not my house).
And the vault is more than 100 metres above sea level — even if all of the ice from Antarctica to Greenland melted over thousands of years it would not flood.

]]> By: Dr. Amy Goldman http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333861 Dr. Amy Goldman Wed, 27 Feb 2008 21:34:59 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333861 GMOs don't belong in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Genetically modified crops are not higher-yielding; rather, they have been engineered for two traits only: insect resistance and herbicide tolerance. GM crops, bred for uniformity - the hallmark of industrial agriculture - depend on expensive inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation. Further, these crops are not as well equipped to withstand harsh conditions in marginal farming environments as are open-pollinated, standard, and heirloom varieties. Heirloom food crops, developed by generations of farmers and gardeners and preserved because of their many fine traits, are more adaptable - yet many are on the verge of extinction due to market forces. Crop genetic diversity will enable us to adapt to climate change in the decades ahead. The Svalbard Vault is the repository and insurance policy for these precious seeds. Breeders looking for "climate tolerant" genes begin by looking at crops that thrive in stressful environments such as intense heat, water scarcity, high altitude, high winds, and salt water. Standard varieties have the genetic advantages (that GMOs lack) and will provide the best bet for surviving and adapting to rapid climate change. GMOs don’t belong in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Genetically modified crops are not higher-yielding; rather, they have been engineered for two traits only: insect resistance and herbicide tolerance. GM crops, bred for uniformity - the hallmark of industrial agriculture - depend on expensive inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, and irrigation. Further, these crops are not as well equipped to withstand harsh conditions in marginal farming environments as are open-pollinated, standard, and heirloom varieties. Heirloom food crops, developed by generations of farmers and gardeners and preserved because of their many fine traits, are more adaptable - yet many are on the verge of extinction due to market forces. Crop genetic diversity will enable us to adapt to climate change in the decades ahead. The Svalbard Vault is the repository and insurance policy for these precious seeds. Breeders looking for “climate tolerant” genes begin by looking at crops that thrive in stressful environments such as intense heat, water scarcity, high altitude, high winds, and salt water. Standard varieties have the genetic advantages (that GMOs lack) and will provide the best bet for surviving and adapting to rapid climate change.

]]> By: Danny Bloom http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333858 Danny Bloom Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:59:32 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333858 The sybolsim of the image of the doomsday vault opening, seen on front pages of newspapers around the world, will surely wake people up more and more to the possible dangers of global warming and climate change. Forget nuclear winter. I think this is really all about global warming "winter", in the distant future, far far away from now. But one thing I was not clear on. One report, from the German news agency dpa, said the vault was guaranteed to last by the builders just for 200 years, the report even quoted an official as saying that. So if this vault is only good for 200 years or so, what's all the fuss all about? The reporter for dpa, Leonart Simonsson, wrote the story that said 200 years. Can someone check on this? Maybe "guarantee" is just a contractual term, to protect the builders by contract? But all in all, I applaud this wonderful idea to wake people up about the real possibility that someday in the far distant future, humans might have to live in similar doomsday vaults to weather the Long Emergency that some doomsayers talk about. I hope it never comes to that. Maybe this seed bank can serve as a good wake up call for all of us. We need to act now, to fight global warming today. Not later. Now. The sybolsim of the image of the doomsday vault opening, seen on front pages of newspapers around the world, will surely wake people up more and more to the possible dangers of global warming and climate change. Forget nuclear winter. I think this is really all about global warming “winter”, in the distant future, far far away from now.

But one thing I was not clear on. One report, from the German news agency dpa, said the vault was guaranteed to last by the builders just for 200 years, the report even quoted an official as saying that. So if this vault is only good for 200 years or so, what’s all the fuss all about?

The reporter for dpa, Leonart Simonsson, wrote the story that said 200 years. Can someone check on this? Maybe “guarantee” is just a contractual term, to protect the builders by contract?

But all in all, I applaud this wonderful idea to wake people up about the real possibility that someday in the far distant future, humans might have to live in similar doomsday vaults to weather the Long Emergency that some doomsayers talk about. I hope it never comes to that. Maybe this seed bank can serve as a good wake up call for all of us. We need to act now, to fight global warming today. Not later. Now.

]]> By: Dan http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333857 Dan Tue, 26 Feb 2008 20:41:36 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333857 We are right to keep the GMOs out for many reasons. This vault is a great idea because we have been close to all out nuclear war during the cold war so why can't it repeat. We are on the brink and must unite in order to survive against something that we created. Whether it be nuclear weapons or climate change/global warming. Thanks for reading We are right to keep the GMOs out for many reasons. This vault is a great idea because we have been close to all out nuclear war during the cold war so why can’t it repeat.
We are on the brink and must unite in order to survive against something that we created. Whether it be nuclear weapons or climate change/global warming. Thanks for reading

]]> By: Chris http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333856 Chris Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:48:50 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333856 It is best to keep GM/GMO products out of the vault... such frankenseeds have already cost the American farmer too much in lost revenue due to lack of markets for exportation. Plus, the biotech companies can't control their frankenseeds, and have nearly ruined certain crops (like canola or rice, for instance) in particular growing areas. Anyway, the biotech companies would most likely charge the vault to store the frankenseeds anyway! It is best to keep GM/GMO products out of the vault… such frankenseeds have already cost the American farmer too much in lost revenue due to lack of markets for exportation. Plus, the biotech companies can’t control their frankenseeds, and have nearly ruined certain crops (like canola or rice, for instance) in particular growing areas.

Anyway, the biotech companies would most likely charge the vault to store the frankenseeds anyway!

]]> By: “Doomsday” seed vault opens at make it news http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333855 “Doomsday” seed vault opens at make it news Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:19:49 +0000 http://blogs.reuters.com/environment/2008/02/26/arctic-doomsday-vault-for-seeds-opens-except-gmos/#comment-333855 [...] Reuters wonders why GMO seeds were left out — what do you [...] [...] Reuters wonders why GMO seeds were left out — what do you [...]

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