Genetically Engineered Trees

Sierra Club ^ | 08/15/03 | Staff Writer

[Wonder Warthog]

"We would also point out that the United States is using twice as much paper per capita as other highly civilized nations (Europe, Japan). Let us not ask genetic engineering to do what could be accomplished by lower-tech means like putting a surcharge on junk mail."

Which means that the US is doing twice as much as the other civilized nations to reduce global warming. Paper (and the CO2 it takes to grow it) that ends up in landfills is removed from the biosphere for quite a long time. What we NEED to be doing is RECYCLING LESS PAPER, and land-filling MORE.

[Physicist]

The possibility that the new genes spliced into GE trees will interfere with natural forests isn't a hypothetical risk but a certainty.

Excellent. Maybe they can resurrect the American chestnut.

[Prof Engineer]

Cool. I'd like two FrankenOaks for my yard please.

[SpinyNorman]

Nature makes it's own transgenic trees: it is called mutation. I am surprised that they aren't protesting the mass extinction of dinosaurs (and finding a way to blame it on the President)!

Aren't these the same people that will watch their precious forests go up in flames because they will not allow proper forest management that would contain the fires to relatively small controllable areas?

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[ClearCase_guy]

For instance, GE'd pines might be grown without all those "useless" pine cones. They may be herbicide resistant so that competing undergrowth can be eliminated. They may produce their own pesticides so that many of the insects which live in association with trees are poisoned.

That's a lot of hypotheticals. Here's another: GE'd trees may be designed to be so radioactive that they glow in the dark -- to make clear-cutting easier at night. It could happen! Yikes!!!

[jae471]

Which means that the US is doing twice as much as the other civilized nations to reduce global warming. Paper (and the CO2 it takes to grow it) that ends up in landfills is removed from the biosphere for quite a long time. What we NEED to be doing is RECYCLING LESS PAPER, and land-filling MORE.

Huh? Are you trying to say that because we use more paper, we grow more trees, which reduces CO2? Or that we should simply remove the carbon from the system, via a landfill.

[Nateman]

Every time most species reproduce you have an unknown genetic experiment. We must stop sexual reproduction for every living thing for who knows what unknown bad things shall be born! Oh wait a minute , only genetic manipulation by man is bad since nature is always good and man is always evil. Yea, that's it.

[ASA Vet]

[S.O.S121.500]

If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times:

SIERRA CLUB
HIKE TO HELL

[Prodigal Son]

One can easily go off on a flight of fancy thinking of genetically engineered trees. Imagine a tree that was engineered to grow in the shape of a house- complete with plumbing, doorways, windows etc. You could maybe splice different plants onto it and have the tree grow tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables so you could just reach out the window and pick your dinner. The Greens would love it. We could plant a big orchard of these things and you could move all the extreme lefties into their tree houses out in the middle of nowhere and be shut of 'em.

[jae471]

Very true.

Lets not forget that dogs, cats, cattle, horses, corn, tomatoes, squash, chickens, ducks, pigs, grapes, apples, pears, peaches, plums, yougurt, cheese, and roses are all products of genetic engineering, and have been for hundreds of years.

Why is a Quater Horse different from a Belgian? Genetic Engineering of Horses. (up to 2000 years ago)

Why does Merlot taste different from Pinot Grigio? Genetic Engineering of Vitis Vinefera grapes. (up to 2500 years ago)

Why do we have white American and yellow American cheese? Genetic Engineering of bacteria cultures. (up to 3000 years ago.)

Why is a Great Dane different from a Poodle? Why is either different from a Grey Wolf? Genetic engineering of Grey Wolves. (up to 10000 years ago.)

WOW! we've been GE'ing for quite a while now, and look at all the hideous creatures we have now, like Chiuauas and Clydesdales and Cheddar.

[jae471]

Greens would love it.

Heck, I think I'd like it. At least the part about picking dinner out the window. Now if you could only make the fruit taste like beef...

[Baseballguy]

I want trees when in the fire smell like cinnamon. I want the would it to last 6 hours on the fire with no ashes. I want it to be light soo when i haul it to the fire place i dont have to sweat. I want it easy to split. I want the branches to be pulled off so i dont have avoid those little stumps when hauling to the fireplace. I dont like thick bark. I want them to light easy with a fire starter. Oh also could they grow about 15' high and 4' round.

[crz]

One acre of young healthy growing timber/trees removes about 13 tons of gasses and dusts from the air each year. In turn it/they release as much in Oxygen into the air. In contrast, an old age forest which is stagnant and in the process of dying, will do nothing, an old growth forest is the end cycle of a stand. Do humans keep growing the older they get? its the same with all living things. Cant tell the fruits and nuts that though.

[Prodigal Son]

Well, to tell the truth, I sort of liked the idea myself.

I was riding a bus from my house in the Scottish Borders up to Edinburgh once and was reflecting on the idea during the ride. That idea (growable tree house) came to me after giving considerable thought to a new mode of transportion- an animal that was engineered genetically to be dependent upon a computer CPU for its brain. You could combine all the best features of antelope, horse, cheetah, kangaroo etc and design the rib cage of the creature to form a sort of cockpit for you to nestle down in. The animal would still have a vestigal brain perhaps- a little node at the top of the spinal cord that did the little tedious things that keep an organism going (crapping, heart rate that sort of thing) while the computer would take over higher functions like vision, course determination, specific commands (like "Speed up!" "Stop" "Trample that Democrat") etc. You could design the creature to break down just about any plant matter- grass, leaves, fruit whatever- just open up a port on the creature's side and shovel the stuff in...

It would keep you warm if you were cold, respond to verbal commands and be fueled by whatever you could find along the way. You could perhaps even add a compressor to the rear end of the varmint and compress all that methane produced, bottling it for later use as a fuel source at home...

[HairOfTheDog]

There is unrest in the Forest
There is trouble with the trees
For the Maples want more sunlight
And the Oaks ignore their pleas

The trouble with the Maples
(And they're quite convinced they're right)
They say the Oaks are just too lofty
And they grab up all the light
But the Oaks can't help their feelings
If they like the way they're made
And they wonder why the Maples
Can't be happy in their shade?

There is trouble in the forest
And the creatures all have fled
As the Maples scream `Oppression!`
And the Oaks, just shake their heads

So the Maples formed a Union
And demanded equal rights
'The Oaks are just too greedy
We will make them give us light'
Now there's no more Oak oppression
For they passed a noble law
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet,
Axe,
And saw ...

~Rush....

[RightWhale]

could they grow about 15' high and 4' round

Too limited. How about branches that grow 18" in length, 4" in diameter uniform to the end [which is flat], and break off at the junction with the trunk so easily a child could do it so splitting for the stove is unnecessary. The branches would regrow fast enough that it would be unnecessary to harvest the tree itself, just break off the kindling branches and pile them in cord piles so they have time to dry before use. Or, design the trees so the branches fall naturally into cord piles without the necessity of reaching up to break off a branch and carrying it over to a pile.

[Baseballguy]

Or, design the trees so the branches fall naturally into cord piles without the necessity of reaching up to break off a branch and carrying it over to a pile.

This is a true American endevor. We should patent this right now.