tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889440015227996955.post7311908148904467175..comments2023-05-05T16:58:47.126+01:00Comments on climatechangescotland: In today's PressMalcolmhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16259223907405291030noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6889440015227996955.post-24172976302829631562009-05-29T06:25:24.087+01:002009-05-29T06:25:24.087+01:00Biochar Soil Technology.....Husbandry of whole new...Biochar Soil Technology.....Husbandry of whole new orders of life<br /><br />Biotic Carbon, the carbon transformed by life, should never be combusted, oxidized and destroyed. It deserves more respect, reverence even, and understanding to use it back to the soil where 2/3 of excess atmospheric carbon originally came from.<br /><br />We all know we are carbon-centered life, we seldom think about the complex web of recycled bio-carbon which is the true center of life. A cradle to cradle, mutually co-evolved biosphere reaching into every crack and crevice on Earth.<br /><br />It's hard for most to revere microbes and fungus, but from our toes to our gums (onward), their balanced ecology is our health. The greater earth and soils are just as dependent, at much longer time scales. Our farming for over 10,000 years has been responsible for 2/3rds of our excess greenhouse gases. This soil carbon, converted to carbon dioxide, Methane & Nitrous oxide began a slow stable warming that now accelerates with burning of fossil fuel.<br /><br />Wise Land management; Organic farming and afforestation can build back our soil carbon,<br /><br />Biochar allows the soil food web to build much more recalcitrant organic carbon, ( living biomass & Glomalins) in addition to the carbon in the biochar.<br /><br />Biochar, the modern version of an ancient Amazonian agricultural practice called Terra Preta (black earth, TP), is gaining widespread credibility as a way to address world hunger, climate change, rural poverty, deforestation, and energy shortages… SIMULTANEOUSLY!<br />Modern Pyrolysis of biomass is a process for Carbon Negative Bio fuels, massive Carbon sequestration,10X Lower Methane & N2O soil emissions, and 3X Fertility Too.<br />Every 1 ton of Biomass yields 1/3 ton Charcoal for soil Sequestration, Bio-Gas & Bio-oil fuels, so is a totally virtuous, carbon negative energy cycle.<br /><br />Biochar viewed as soil Infrastructure; The old saw;<br />"Feed the Soil Not the Plants" becomes;<br />"Feed, Cloth and House the Soil, utilities included !".<br />Free Carbon Condominiums with carboxyl group fats in the pantry and hydroxyl alcohol in the mini bar.<br />Build it and the Wee-Beasties will come.<br />As one microbiologist said on the Biochar list; "Microbes like to sit down when they eat".<br />By setting this table we expand husbandry to whole new orders of life.<br /><br />This is what I try to get across to Farmers, as to how I feel about the act of returning carbon to the soil. An act of pertinence and thankfulness for the civilization we have created. Farmers are the Soil Sink Bankers, once carbon has a price, they will be laughing all the way to it.<br /><br />One aspect of Biochar systems are Cheap, clean biomass stoves that produce biochar and no respiratory disease. At scale, the health benefits are greater than ending Malaria.<br />A great example;<br />://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/poznanclimatetalks/docs/Natural%20Draft%20Stove.pdf<br /><br />The biochar Fund is also doing amazing work in the developing world;<br />://terrapretapot.org/<br /><br /><br /><br />The USDA-ARS have dozens of studies happening now to ferret out the reasons for char affinity with MYC fungi and microbes, but this synergy is solidly shown by the Japanese work, literally showing 1+1=3<br /><br /><br />Biochar data base; TP-REPP<br />://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/?q=node<br /><br />NASA's Dr. James Hansen Global warming solutions paper and letter to the G-8 conference, placing Biochar / Land management the central technology for carbon negative energy systems.<br />://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0804/0804.1126.pdfErich J. Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10995702794016834400noreply@blogger.com