WaterBoxx Grows Forest in the Desert

The invention of the Dutch businessman and inventor Pieter Hoff has won the prestigious Beta Dragons Award during the annual Flying Dutchman 2008, Science & Technology Summit in Amsterdam. A board of scientists and captains of industry proclaimed his design to be the most promising and innovative project. Philips CEO Gerard Kleisterlee handed him the corresponding amount of 10.000 euro.

The WaterBoxx looks like a plastic, rectangular bucket, with a hole in the centre, allowing the tree to be planted in the soil. The sophistically designed top catches water from condensation at night. Together with the rainwater from rare showers, it is distributed in small doses to the tree inside. Additionally the WaterBoxx prevents water in the top soil layers from evaporating and protects the roots against sun, wind, weeds or rodents. After a year the tree is strong enough to grow by itself and the WaterBoxx can be removed.

"Trees can grow in arid areas but are not able to germinate. The WaterBoxx gives them a head start", Hoff explains. Recently, he successfully tested his invention in de Moroccan Sahara. 90 Percent of the trees planted with a WaterBoxx were alive and green after a few months in the extreme hot summer. 90 Percent of the trees planted without the WaterBoxx died however, although they had been watered every week.

Hoff is convinced that, if the right species are planted, large parts of the earth can be reforested, without sacrificing agricultural land. He is seeking investors to apply his invention in the Middle East, India, Africa and other arid territories. Hoff: "If we can reforest 2 billion hectares, the trees consume more CO2 than men produces and the whole CO2 problem will be solved." His WaterBoxx will be available from July 2009.

HELLO, WELL I'M VERY MUCH IMPRESSED WITH THIS NEW MEANS OF COLLECTING WATER FROM THE ATMOSPHERE. I WAS ASKING IF THIS CAN BE MADE IN DIFFERENT COLORS(NOT TO ATTRACT ATTENTION) AND LARGER SIZES TO COUPLE WITH THE PLEASING ENVIRONMENT FOR HOTELS SO THAT THE WATERBOXX CAN BE USED TO COLLECT WATER FOR DRINKING. PAUPIAH SAILESH - 10/06/2009 - 09:34

this should work nicely. We manufacturer quite a bit of plastic as it is already, but i'm sure they could make this box out of some kind of bio-degradable materials. some dude - 15/12/2008 - 08:57

You have to look at how much CO2 is produced vs how much would be absorbed over the lifetime of the tree the box will help plant. The balance becomes even better if the box can start many trees. Anonymous - 15/12/2008 - 06:50

Yeah, but how much CO2 is used in the manufacture, delivery, and installation of the box? And are these forests sustainable? Anonymous - 15/12/2008 - 02:20