A New Look at "Ashes to Ashes...Dust to Dust"
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.
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.
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.
Wise Land management; Organic farming and afforestation can build back our soil carbon,
Biochar allows the soil food web to build much more recalcitrant organic carbon, ( living biomass & Glomalins) in addition to the carbon in the biochar.
I got poking around the American Chemical Society Joint meeting and certainly found an ally in this presentation by
Paul Hepperly, Rodale Inst.;
Food and Agriculture Offer World of Opportunity to Combat Global Greenhouse Gases.
Food and Agriculture Offer World of Opportunity to Combat Global Greenhouse Gases.
I first spoke with Paul after a biochar article he did about two years ago, and recently sent him my field study proposals, and are in collaboration.
Rodale being the second oldest organic research center in the world should help certification fly by. The recent EU permits posted by Edward at 3RAgroCarbon
3R AGROCARBON
Should make US certification a slam dunk.
Dr. Mark Alley, at Virginia Tech, who sits on the voluntary Chicago Carbon Exchange (CCX) board has established credits for No-till cultivation practices which increase soil carbon content.
