Sean Montague

Popcorn pops when steam builds up and it explodes. Therefore, getting the corn as hot as possible as quickly as possible is key, otherwise you lose steam and end up with lame not so fluffy popcorn. It pukes open more than explodes. I use refined sunflower seed oil since it has a high smoke point and relatively low in polyunsaturated fat. Medium high heat, put 5 kernel in pot, when they pop the oil is ready. I get it as hot as I can without burning the oil. I constantly shake the pot to prevent the popped corn from burning.

The Sahara is a desert because it is a desert. In the Sahel overgrazing can cause desertification, and parts of the middle east have been abused, I'm sure humans have made things worse in the Sahara, but it's a desert because that is how the climate of Earth works. Topography and location to water can alter this a bit, but generally speaking, deserts exist in and around 30 degrees of latitude north and south, plus or minus, for a reason. Too hard to explain here, below is a link to a great explanation. The Monsoons are pretty much the northern and southern extent of the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), which fluctuates between the deserts of the north and south with sun as direct rays migrate between the Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn. The ITCZ is what is responsible for tropical rainforests around the equator, plus or minus a few degrees. Can one green the desert? Yes, but it'll never be "wet". Rainfall could possibly be increased a bit, but the greening will still heavily rely on planned water conservation measures and not abusing the land.

http://gizmodo.com/5994656/why-does-the-earth-have-rain-forests-and-deserts

Someone mentioned encasing the chimney in cob, but what about encasing the entire stove in cob, except for the front where you put the wood in? Eventually I want to build a rocket stove, but in the meantime, I have a wood stove I'd like to make more efficient.

Sean

Here is an ORC: http://www.infinityturbine.com/ORC/ITmini_ORC_System.html

They run about $20K. I'd be interested to know if they actually worked well.

Hi Richard,

I'm not sure I follow your drawing. It could be similar to what I was thinking. Below is what I was imagining. It would be very cool if you could build an Organic Rankine Cycle system like http://www.infinityturbine.com/ORC/ITmini_ORC_System.html into thermal mass to generate some electricity. I imagine producing bio char while heating and lighting a greenhouse.

Sean

What about taking this idea, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXMUmby8PpU venting the chimney sideways at the top, and snake it through cob, or my case, a greenhouse?