Science Forums 2

[RBlack]

To everyone on the site, Thanks!

Last Thursday evening I gave a talk to the Rapid City South Dakota Sierra Club on Terra Preta and this website and all the people who have provided information deserve some of the credit.

The talk went great! It was the highest turnout that they had had in 6 years with about 30 people showing up. Two thirds were gardeners and the rest SC members. What was most exciting was that people ARE interested in Terra Preta and willing to listen. Now we just got to get the word out! I also left the third floor of the Rapid City community building smelling of fresh charcoal.

With that in mind two things;

Earth Day is April 22 a Sunday and I was invited to have part of the Sierra Clubs booth at the South Dakota School of Mines celebration to present Terra Preta material. It got me to thinking - Why don't we all do that!!
We have a great idea and need to get the word out! Almost every city has some festivities of some kind so why don't we take what we know and share it! If I can get 30 people here in South Dakota (not known for its progressive or liberal thinking), what can you do where you live?

Second thing is that I am willing to share my PowerPoint presentation and lecture notes with any person willing to give it a go. I have 25 slides that I borrowed from all the on-line PP's (credited of course), a few of my own, notes for about an hour talk, articles to hand out, and demonstration of how to make charcoal (without the burning of course). The talk is in four parts, "The Terra Preta Effect" - Intro, history, positive benefits, "Carbon in Soil" - why and how carbon works in soil, soil structure and texture, CEC, "How to Make Charcoal/Biochar" - took in my little garbage can kiln and took them through the steps to make charcoal, and ended up with "Carbon Sequestration" - a little on global warming and what in being done large scale.
Since I was going for the gardeners the program is a little weak in the "Carbon Sequestration" part because I didn't want to get "preachy" on them.

Send me a private message and I will send you all I have!

I have seen with my own eyes that people are ready to hear about Terra Preta and do something! Earth Day is coming up let’s get this going!

RB