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Published online 19 November 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/456290a
Snapshot: Carbon stores
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This survey totally ignores the largest and most accessible Carbon store; TOP SOIL Here is my letter to President Obama's Energy Transition Team; Dear Mr. Podesta, Biochar, the modern version of an ancient Amazonian agricultural practice called Terra Preta (black earth), is gaining widespread credibility as a way to address world hunger, climate change, rural poverty, deforestation, and energy shortages? SIMULTANEOUSLY! 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. 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. Charles Mann ("1491") in the Sept. National Geographic has a wonderful soils article which places Terra Preta / Biochar soils center stage. I think Biochar has climbed the pinnacle, the Combined English and other language circulation of NGM is nearly nine million monthly with more than fifty million readers monthly! We need to encourage more coverage now, to ride Mann's coattails to public critical mass. Please put this (soil) bug in your colleague's ears. These issues need to gain traction among all the various disciplines who have an iron in this fire. http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2008/09/soil/mann-text Biochar data base; http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/?q=node It's what Mann hasn't covered that I thought should interest any writer as a follow up article and your transition team. The Biochar provisions by Sen.Ken Salazar in the 07 & 08 farm bill, http://www.biochar-international.org/newinformationevents/newlegislation.html 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. http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0804/0804.1126.pdf The many new university programs & field studies, in temperate soils; Cornell, ISU, U of H, U of GA, Virginia Tech, New Zealand, Japan and Australia. Glomalin's role in soil tilth, fertility & basis for the soil food web in Terra Preta soils. The International Biochar Initiative Conference Sept 8 in New Castle; http://www.biochar-international.org/ibi2008conference/aboutibi2008conference.html Given the current "Crisis" atmosphere concerning energy, soil sustainability, food vs. Biofuels, and Climate Change what other subject addresses them all? This is a Nano technology for the soil that represents the most comprehensive, low cost, and productive approach to long term stewardship and sustainability. Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it. Michael Pollan is well briefed about Biochar technology, but did not include it in his "Farmer & Chief" article, but I'm sure Biochar will be his 8001th word to you. Erich 540 289 9750
Not only Erich Knight's Comment about Terra Preta, but in North America, the native prairie restored in its complete ecosystem, especially the tallgrass portion. This grassland set of ecosystems has to include all the big predators as well as the large herbivores which BTW are very good, healthful eating when taken by hunting instead of CAFOs.