National Geographic on Biochar

Posted on 27 August, 2008 by Eclipse Now

National Geographic magazine:

Rough calculations show that “the amount of carbon we can put into the soil is staggering,” Woods says. Last year Cornell University soil scientist Johannes Lehmann estimated in Nature that simply converting residues from commercial forestry, fallow farm fields, and annual crops to charcoal could compensate for about a third of U.S. fossil-fuel emissions. Indeed, Lehmann and two colleagues have argued that humankind’s use of fossil fuels worldwide could be wholly offset by storing carbon in terra preta nova.

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1 Response to National Geographic on Biochar

  1. Erich J. Knight says:
    28 August, 2008 at 12:08 pm

    Charles Mann's Sept. National Geographic article which places Terra Preta / Biochar soils center stage is wonderful.
    I think Biochar has now 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

    I love the "MEGO" factor theme Mann built the story around. Lord… how I KNOW that reaction.

    I like his characterization concerning the pot shards found in Terra Preta soils;

    so filled with pottery – "It was as if the river's first inhabitants had
    thrown a huge, rowdy frat party, smashing every plate in sight, then
    buried the evidence."

    A couple of researchers I was not aware of were quoted, and I'll be sending them posts about our Biochar group: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/b…guid=122501696

    and data base;
    http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/?q=node

    I also have been trying to convince Michael Pollan ( NYT Food Columnist, Author ) to do a follow up story, here's my latest pleading email to him, after his first reply that " I think Charles has the subject covered " :

    "Dear Michael,
    .On Friday, the Washington Post ran an article on another story in NGM's September issue; http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/14/AR2008081401492.html
    on "The Green Sahara".

    Since the NGM cover reads "WHERE FOOD BEGINS" , I thought this would be right down your alley and focus more attention on Mann's work.

    I've admired your ability since "Botany of Desire" to over come the "MEGO" factor (My Eyes Glaze Over) and make food & agriculture into page turners.

    It's what Mann hasn't covered that I thought would interest you as a follow up article for the NYT.

    The Biochar provisions by Sen.Ken Salazar in the farm bill,

    Dr, James Hansen's Global warming solutions paper and letter to the G-8 conference last month, and coming article in Science,
    http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/0804/0804.1126.pdf

    The new university programs & field studies, in temperate soils

    Glomalin's role in soil tilth & Terra Preta,

    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?

    So, if I have still not convinced you, please forward my posts to Charles Mann, I can't find his email address anywhere.

    Thanks,
    Erich"

    Reply

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