Lobby For Terra Preta

[erich]

PRESIDENT OBAMA ISSUES PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE TO USDA TO EXPAND ACCESS TO BIOFUELS

 

USDA, EPA and DOE form Biofuels Interagency Working Group to increase energy independence

 

 

 

President Obama issued a presidential directive today to Secretary Vilsack to aggressively accelerate the investment in and production of biofuels. On a conference call with Energy Secretary Stephen Chu and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson, Vilsack also announced that he will help lead an unprecedented interagency effort to increase America's energy independence and spur rural economic development.

 

 

 

Release No. 0145.09

[erich]

Hi List,

 

Here is the first report of the Congressional Briefing by members of the Soil Carbon Standards Committee.

 

If any members of the list are members of the groups that Gary has outreached to, please weigh in with them in addition to your Congressional Committees representatives and contacts you may have with USDA, EPA, NOAA and DOE.

 

Thanks for efforts

Cheers,

Erich

 

 

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Gary DeLong <[email protected]>

Date: Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 8:55 AM

Subject: Update on Standard

 

All,

 

I am sending a quick note to update everyone on the progress so far on the pubic comment period for our standard. I have also attached a brief summary of the congressional briefing we did on May 11 and 12. It included the appointments and the people seen.

 

Outreach information:

 

The groups that have been contacted so far are:

 

(Note: although the following groups have been contacted not all have responded)

 

World Wildlife fund

 

Nature Conservatory

 

Duck Unlimited

 

Key Stone Group

 

Voluntary Carbon Standard

 

Ag and Climate Initiative

 

TFI

 

NACD

 

 

 

Through news wires we heard from:

 

Australia

 

Italy

 

Germany

 

UK

 

Canada

 

 

 

Note: If any of our commodity groups or representative have comments and would like to make them in person please let me know. We would be happy to be on a conference call or set up a meeting to go over the standard with those groups.

 

 

 

Various members of the committee have made several contacts that I may be unaware of to date. If you have please let me know so I can add the names to the list or let me know so I may contact them for comment. We would like to have more comments and remember that the committee can make comments into the standard also. The comment period is not just for external groups or individuals.

 

 

 

Reminder-The comment period will end June 26th.

 

 

 

Thanks again for all your work on this standard.

 

Gary DeLong

Managing Director

Novecta, LLC

5505 NW 88th St., #100

Johnston IA 50131

Novecta - Charting a New Direction in Agriculture

515-334-7305 office

515-225-0781 fax

515-240-9586 cell

 

 

 

Congressional Briefing report:

 

May 11th and 12th 2009

 

The committee had a successful trip to Washington DC. I want to thank Dale Enerson, Patrick Splichal, and Doug Johnson for their time. Their trip was paid for (along with Novecta’s) out their own pockets so we own them a lot of gratitude.

 

On May 11th, Dale set up a meeting at 2:00 PM ET with the National Farmers Union:

 

We met with Roger Johnson, President and Sarah Gallo, Government Relations Representative and received an update on the proposed Waxman-Markey legislation.

 

Sara Brodnax from the Clark Group set up a meeting with Sally Collins at 3:00 PM ET.

 

We met with Sally Collins and Carl Lucero from the office of Ecosystem Service and Marketing and discussed the standard and ask for opinion on how we could interact. Sally recently introduced me to David Antonioli CEO of the VCS and Davis and I have a meeting in DC planned for the afternoon of June 18th.

 

Mike Parrish form Monsanto allowed us to meet from 4:00 – 6:00 at the Monsanto office to put the final touches to the presentation for the Congressional briefing. He gave us background and coached us on the presentation. We want to give a big thanks to Mike and his staff for all the time and contacts to set up the briefings. It would not have happen without their efforts.

 

Mike, Dale, Doug and Patrick went to supper and I attended a gathering with USDA people who knew Beth for a memorial.

 

Dana Stahl set up a meeting with USDA for 9:00 AM ET.

 

Patrick, Dale and myself went to meet the USDA while Doug went to the congressional briefing meeting location to set up and get ready for our 10 AM meeting.

 

For the USDA meeting we met with Jim Riva USDA ARC, Dave Shipman USDA AMS, William Hohenstein Director of Global Change Program for the USDA, Charles Martin Deputy Associate Administrator USDA AMS and Dana Stahl.

 

We briefed them on the content of the standard and took questions that they had. We had to cut the meeting short due to House Congressional Briefing.

 

The Senate Congressional Briefing had around 25 in attendance with both the majority and minority leaders aids present. The presentation lasted around 35 minutes and we took questions for another 30-40 minutes.

 

The House Congressional Briefing was the same numbers and questions. At the House we had press from Point Carbon, Kim Moore, who has covered this standard from last August. IMI Global had Jay Truitt attend from Policy Solutions LLC to ask questions from the audience and provide support.

 

Overall I sent out 12 presentation and a copy of the standard to press that was unable to attend the briefings and Dale reported that he did at least one press interview.

 

It was a successful trip for the committee and we had a lot of support and help from many members of the committee.

[erich]

Dear Group,

Here is a post I sent to Dr. Scherr after reading her report;

Farmers Poised to Offset One-Quarter of Global Fossil Fuel Emissions Annually | Worldwatch Institute

(and her reply, such replies give me warm fuzzy feelings inside:):D.

 

I think we will be seeing much greater media attention for biochar as reports like her's come out linking the roll of agriculture and climate.

 

all good things,

Erich

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Erich Knight <[email protected]>

Date: Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 11:12 PM

Subject: Biochar Updates

To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>

 

 

Dear Dr. Scherr,

 

I'm so glad to see your report include biochar. Farmers Poised to Offset One-Quarter of Global Fossil Fuel Emissions Annually | Worldwatch Institute

 

What the CFC/Ozone success story was for the atmospheric chemistry, I feel biochar will be for carbon soil chemistry, Mycology and Microbiology. The historical climate work of William Ruddiman at UVA showing the agricultural origin of most excess CO2 begs this anthropogenic solution of soil carbon sequestration.

 

Your point on CCS only reducing emissions can't be said enough, biochar systems draw down CO2 every energy cycle, closing a circle back to support the soil food web. The "capture" collectors are up and running, the "storage" sink is in operation under our feet. Pyrolysis conversion plants are the only infrastructure we need to build out.

 

This recent research on aerosols presents a counter intuitive double-bind, in that , as aerosols are reduced (NOX & SOX), less diffusion of light reduces photosynthesis, drawing down 20% less CO2 into biomass. Again, only a carbon negative system like biochar can address this double-bind of clean air.

physicsworld.com

 

Another significant aspect of bichar and aerosols are the low cost ($3) Biomass cook stoves that produce char but no respiratory disease. At scale, the health benefits are greater than ending Malaria.

A great example;

http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/poznanclimatetalks/docs/Natural%20Draft%20Stove.pdf

and, The Biochar Fund;

Biochar pot - terra preta stove - Home and village level systems Biochar Fund - fighting hunger, deforestation, energy insecurity and climate change - Home

 

 

I have focused on efforts to network the many disciplines and organizations researching and implementing biochar systems.

 

Key among these efforts has been recruiting input to the Soil Carbon Sequestration Standards Committee. Hosted by Monsanto, this group of diverse interests has been hammering out issues of definition, validation and protocol. The past week, this group have been pressing soil sequestration's roll for climate legislation to congress.

http://www.novecta.com/documents/Carbon-Standard.pdf

 

Along these lines internationally, the work of the IBI fostering the application by 13 countries for UN recognition of soil carbon as a sink with biochar as a clean development mechanism will open the door for programs across the globe.

The International Biochar Initiative (IBI).

 

 

I will be speaking at the first North American Biochar Conference, in Boulder Aug 12-15, about my efforts to network the many disciplines and organizations researching and implementing biochar systems.

Keynote speaker Secretary Tom Vilsack & Dr. Susan Solomon (NOAA's head atmospheric scientist).

North American Biochar Conference 2009 - 1 - powered by RegOnline

 

My attendance is thanks to the folks at EcoTechnologies Group .

( EcoTechnologies Group , they have also fully funded my field trials with Dr. Paul Hepperly at the Rodale Institute & JMU)

 

 

Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.

 

(Below are two comprehensive biochar reports, by the CRS and CSIRO in Australia.)

 

Please call if you need any additional current research, clarification or documentation concerning these issues.

 

At your service,

Erich

 

Erich J. Knight

Shenandoah Gardens (Owner)

1047 Dave Barry Rd.

McGaheysville, VA. 22840

540 289 9750

Co-Administrator, Biochar Data base & Discussion list TP-REPP

Eco Technologies Group Technical Adviser ( EcoTechnologies Group )

University of California Riverside advisory board member

 

 

Reports:

This new Congressional Research Service report (by analyst Kelsi Bracmort) is the best short summary I have seen so far - both technical and policy oriented.

http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/R40186_20090203.pdf .

 

This is the single most comprehensive report to date, covering more of the Asian and Australian work;

http://www.csiro.au/files/files/poei.pdf

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Scherr's Reply;

 

 

 

Dear Mr. Knight,

 

Thanks very much for your note, and for all of the materials that you sent. Please do keep us on your mailing list.

 

Good luck with your work,

 

Sincerely,

 

Sara J. Scherr, President

 

Ecoagriculture Partners

[erich]

OFFICIAL TESTIMONY:

 

(I thought Danny Day had spoke to congress before , or maybe that was only the UN)

 

Erich

 

 

June 18, 2009: IBI Chairman of the Board, Dr. Johannes Lehmann, Invited to Testify on Biochar in the US House of Representatives

The Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming has invited Dr. Johannes Lehmann to testify at a hearing which will discuss how agriculture and forestry in the United States have and will be impacted by the effects of global warming. Dr. Lehmann's testimony will provide scientific information about biochar carbon sequestration for sustainable climate change mitigation and global soil enhancement.

 

The hearing, entitled "Global Warming's Growing Concerns: Impacts on Agriculture and Forestry" will take place Thursday June 18, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. in room 2175 Rayburn House Office Building. Click here to read the invitation as well as Dr. Lehmann's full written testimony.

 

Dr. Lehmann has been asked to cover the following questions:

 

* What is biochar?

* How does biochar sequester carbon?

* What are the climate benefits that can be achieved by the sequestration of carbon in biochar?

* How can biochar help farmers deal with the projected impacts of global warming on agriculture?

 

Dr. Lehmann's testimony represents the first official testimony on biochar before either House of the US Congress, and comes at a critical time during development of legislation to combat climate change. IBI is seeking carbon credits for measurable, reportable, and verifiable greenhouse gas emissions reductions achieved by biochar systems.

Biochar projects have been moving forward in many US States including Colorado, Washington, Oregon, California, South Dakota, Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Virginia, Missouri, Hawaii, Georgia, and the Northeast.

[erich]

NEWS FLASH: WE CHAR Act:

 

I just received word that Senator Baucus co-sponsored a bill along with Senator Tester (D-MT) called WE CHAR. Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration Act! It focuses on promoting biochar technology to address invasive species and forest biomass. It includes grants and loans for biochar market research and development, biochar characterization and environmental analysis. It directs USDI and USDA to provide loan guarantees for biochar technologies and on-the-ground production with an emphasis on biomass from public lands. And the USGS is to do biomass availability assessments

CALL YOUR SENATORS!!.....................................NOW!!!

 

Cheers,

Erich

[erich]

A newly introduced bill in the US Senate provides additional congressional support for biochar projects to qualify for carbon offsets, as well as R&D funding for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for biochar production and utilization projects.

 

The Clean Energy Partnerships Act of 2009 was introduced November 4, 2009 by Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, along with five cosponsors--Senators Max Baucus (MT), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Sherrod Brown (OH), Mark Begich (AK), and Tom Harkin (IA). The bill is designed to ensure that any US domestic cap-and-trade bill provides maximum incentives and opportunities for the US agricultural and forestry sectors to provide high-quality offsets and GHG emissions reductions for credit or financial incentives. Carbon offsets play a critical role in keeping the costs of a cap-and-trade program low for society as well as for capped sectors and entities, while providing valuable emissions reductions and income generation opportunities for the agricultural sector. The bill specifically identifies biochar production and use as eligible for offset credits, and identifies biochar as a high priority for USDA R&D, with funding authorized by the bill.

 

Importantly, the Clean Energy Partnerships Act of 2009 assigns jurisdictional authorities to the Secretary of Agriculture for offsets and emissions reductions opportunities in the agricultural and forestry sectors, with the EPA Administrator in charge of other offset and emissions reductions opportunities. Within 1 year of enactment, the USDA Secretary is authorized by the bill to establish an initial list of project types eligible for inclusion in the domestic offsets program; biochar production and use projects are identified on the initial project list specified by the Congress.

 

The bill establishes an advisory committee to jointly advise EPA and USDA on scientific and technical advice for offset projects, including agricultural and forestry offset projects. Besides creating offset opportunities for the agricultural sector, the bill establishes a program that utilizes the proceeds from 2% of the allowance allocations to incentivize additional emissions reductions and increased sequestration from the agricultural and forestry sectors. Projects identified for support under this program include projects that are not otherwise economically viable, or projects types not yet mature enough to qualify for offset credits.

 

One of the bill's subtitles also amends a bioenergy program from the 2002 Farm bill to provide additional opportunities for bioenergy projects to enhance rural economic development and national energy security. The title would utilize .7% of allowance allocation proceeds to fund projects that qualify as biorefineries under this provision; some biochar production facilities might qualify for this program, depending on the bioenergy characteristics of the system.

 

An R&D title would fund additional research and demonstration projects for agricultural mitigation and adaptation activities relative to climate change programs, using the proceeds from 1.1% of allowance allocations. Biochar production and use as a soil conditioner are specifically identified as high-priority R&D programs for the Secretary to pursue. Along with 6 farm groups, IBI endorses this bill.

 

To read the full text of the bill, go to: http://www.biochar-international.org/sites/default/files/END09F94.pdf.

[Essay]

A newly introduced bill in the US Senate provides additional congressional support for biochar projects to qualify for carbon offsets, as well as R&D funding for the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) for biochar production and utilization projects.

 

The Clean Energy Partnerships Act of 2009 was introduced November 4, 2009 by Senator Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, along with five cosponsors--Senators Max Baucus (MT), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Sherrod Brown (OH), Mark Begich (AK), and Tom Harkin (IA). The bill is designed to ensure that any US domestic cap-and-trade bill provides maximum incentives and opportunities for the US agricultural and forestry sectors to provide high-quality offsets and GHG emissions reductions for credit or financial incentives. Carbon offsets play a critical role in keeping the costs of a cap-and-trade program low for society as well as for capped sectors and entities, while providing valuable emissions reductions and income generation opportunities for the agricultural sector. The bill specifically identifies biochar production and use as eligible for offset credits, and identifies biochar as a high priority for USDA R&D, with funding authorized by the bill.

 

Importantly, the Clean Energy Partnerships Act of 2009 assigns jurisdictional authorities to the Secretary of Agriculture for offsets and emissions reductions opportunities in the agricultural and forestry sectors, with the EPA Administrator in charge of other offset and emissions reductions opportunities. Within 1 year of enactment, the USDA Secretary is authorized by the bill to establish an initial list of project types eligible for inclusion in the domestic offsets program; biochar production and use projects are identified on the initial project list specified by the Congress.

 

The bill establishes an advisory committee to jointly advise EPA and USDA on scientific and technical advice for offset projects, including agricultural and forestry offset projects. Besides creating offset opportunities for the agricultural sector, the bill establishes a program that utilizes the proceeds from 2% of the allowance allocations to incentivize additional emissions reductions and increased sequestration from the agricultural and forestry sectors. Projects identified for support under this program include projects that are not otherwise economically viable, or projects types not yet mature enough to qualify for offset credits.

 

One of the bill's subtitles also amends a bioenergy program from the 2002 Farm bill to provide additional opportunities for bioenergy projects to enhance rural economic development and national energy security. The title would utilize .7% of allowance allocation proceeds to fund projects that qualify as biorefineries under this provision; some biochar production facilities might qualify for this program, depending on the bioenergy characteristics of the system.

 

An R&D title would fund additional research and demonstration projects for agricultural mitigation and adaptation activities relative to climate change programs, using the proceeds from 1.1% of allowance allocations. Biochar production and use as a soil conditioner are specifically identified as high-priority R&D programs for the Secretary to pursue. Along with 6 farm groups, IBI endorses this bill.

 

To read the full text of the bill, go to: http://www.biochar-international.org/sites/default/files/END09F94.pdf.

 

In trying to lobby my Senator, it occurred to me that having a printed outline of Biochar's Benefits might be a good idea. Anyone know if there already is such a thing? ....I ask after working this up:

 

BIOCHAR Biography:

 

1. Biochar is like charcoal, but made using new technology (-pyrolysis-).

A. Pyrolysis is similar to burning, but in an oxygen-deprived system.

B. Biochar can be made from any biomass (natural, or from waste-streams).

 

2. Biochar Production – using pyrolysis:

A. Pollution (smoke) is greatly reduced – including reduced CO2 emission (Globally, smoke from cooking stoves kills more people than Malaria).

B. Biofuels and bio-oils can also be produced during pyrolysis………… (Reducing dependence on foreign oil).

C. Heat is produced and can be used (i.e. cooking or power generation).

D. Biochar (non-activated charcoal) is the final product (residue of pyrolysis – with very little ash).

 

3. Biochar Usage [burned]:

A. Fuel (as with traditional charcoal) used for cooking or power generation.

 

4. Biochar Usage [un-burned]:

A. To count as “Carbon Credit” in a Cap & Trade or other carbon-value system.

 

B. Pollution control:

i. Biochar can act as a filter - soaking up pollutants (toxins & chemicals including GHG’s).

ii. Biochar enhances soil microbiology – detoxifying pollutants.

iii. Biochar enhances water retention – reducing runoff to rivers

iv. Biochar can be used in polluted-soil remediation efforts (large-scale projects can remediate coastal “Dead-Zones”).

 

C. Agricultural Benefits:

i. Biochar can replace or reduce NPK fertilizer (annual) usage.

ii. Biochar is essentially permanent (one-time application only).

iii. Biochar increases crop productivity as it matures in the soil.

iv. Biochar reduces GHG emissions from agricultural soils (Nitrous Oxide and Methane, as well as CO2).

v. Biochar increases retention of nutrients via reduced leaching.

vi. Biochar provides nutrients as it ages and matures in the soil.

vii. Biochar generates nutrients via enhanced microbial action.

viii. Biochar amended soils resist compaction and desiccation.

ix. Biochar greatly improves CEC (cation exchange capacity) of soils.

x. Biochar can be used to adjust soil pH.

 

 

5. Biochar Benefits:

A. Energy Independence, Air Quality, Water Quality, Soil Quality, CO2 Sequestration and Climate Change Mitigation, Crop Productivity (from above).

 

B. Biochar’s Economic Benefits:

i. Biochar can help increase income to farmers (reduced fertilizer usage & rebated carbon offsets).

ii. Biochar-based “carbon credits” can be “income” for anyone.

iii. Biochar can be used on the scale of a backyard sustainable garden, or a third-world subsistence or barter/truck garden.

iv. Biochar can be used on the scale of a large industrial park (i.e. energy & oil production, waste stream diversion – no tipping fees, specialty/designer biochars, bioremediation).

v. Biochar can be used on the scale of small businesses (i.e. mobile units for processing farm wastes or forest slash & deadwood; central processing of any biomass; or distribution, characterization, & monitoring of biochar products/systems).

vi. Biochar technology will NOT replace the fertilizer industry, but it will compete with it.

vii. Biochar technology will NOT replace the coal and oil industries, but it will compete with them.

viii. Biochar technology will NOT replace our need to cut other GHG emissions, but it will compliment those efforts.

ix. Biochar technology will NOT solve all of the Millennium Development Goals, but it will substantially contribute to solving many of the goals …with a minimal investment.

x. HEALTH BENEFITS: Biochar can encourage a healthier lifestyle through education about personal health + nutrition, learning about socioeconomic health, and promoting planetary health; as well as encouraging more outdoor & community activity.

xi. EDUCATION: To fully realize biochar’s environmental, economic, and agronomic benefits, Biochar Technology WILL require more R & D, research and development, to maximize biochar production and to optimize the benefits of using biochar.

 

===

 

Any thoughts, additions, omissions, corrections, etc.??

~ ;)

[erich]

From Nat at World Stoves

 

Subject: Biochar for Climate Change Mitigation: Facts, NOT Fiction

 

The attached is a list of peer review and fact supported corrections of common misconceptions about biochar.

 

Cordially yours,

 

Nathaniel Muclahy

http://www.WorldStove.com

 

 

http://d.yimg.com/kq/groups/22438052/128543087/name/Biochar%20for%20Climate%20Change%20Mitigation%2C%20Facts%2C%20NOT%20Fiction

 

 

 

Nat has been fighting the good fight at the COP15

Here is his reply to the RANTINGS and Misrepresentations of BFW and their ilk;

 

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Nathaniel Mulcahy

To: [email protected], rsmolker

Date: Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:57:51 +0100

Subject: Dangerous Misinformation put forth by the Biofuelwatch Group at COP15

Dear Almuth, Rachel, and Deepak Rughani,

 

I am stunned that after I wrote to your groups (see attached) with the correct information regarding pyrolytic stoves and offered time and again to meet with you to provide you with all the information you had asked me to prepare for you, you chose no not to show up. In your side event yesterday Dr. Rughani insisted in restating the incorrect statement from your November publication that biochar stoves use one third more fuel. I had clearly shown your that this is simply not the case.

 

Furthermore, in good faith, I had written to you, called you, and you had been provided information based on field work and lab tests that show that the LuciaStove char produces no PAHs and that the LuciaStove uses significantly less fuel than other stoves (as little as one twelfth as much fuel as standard biomass cook stoves that can only use large pieces of wood or charcoal).

 

That you have deliberately chosen to ignore scientific evidence provided to you is deplorable, and that your misinformation places the lives of the people we have been helping, the soils we have been restoring, and the forests we are replanting at risk says that your personal agendas are clearly more dear to you than the lives of the poor and the health of the planet.

 

Your behaviour yesterday at your COP15 side event is so contrary to both logic and to your stated “about us” goals, and your lack of scientific integrity so pronounced, that I have to wonder what your objectives really are and who might be funding you.

 

Cordially yours,

 

Nathaniel Mulcahy

http://www.WorldStove.com

[erich]

TenthMil

 

I was thinking of a Carbon Arts project , Like at Steve Munsun's site; his campaigns here;

 

TENTHMIL

 

Check out his Time line to see why I love his writings and how they jive with mine about the unintentional climate benefit of the Ag revolution over the last Millenniums ;

 

The TENTHMIL Timeline - TENTHMIL

 

Hope you get a kick from the rest

Erich

 

 

 

Also this is way fun stuff;

 

What a Leap toward Kurzwelt's Singularity!!

WITH OFF THE SHELF TECHNOLOGY!

The environment replaces the graphic interface.

 

Sixth Sence Technology

YouTube - Pranav Mistry at TED; The Sixth Sense - part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzKmGTVmqJs&feature=related

Known Universe

The Known Universe Scientifically Rendered For All to See | American Museum of Natural History News

 

Expansive....huh? Nothing like gaining a little perspective.

 

 

 

Climb on up the Biochar Bus,

Erich

[erich]

Dear All Soil Carbon Concerned,

 

I understand that for now a Hansen tax & dividend is no where in sight, what is coming down the road are other mechanisms like the carbon foot print Labeling that will soon be lead by Walmart, (as goes Walmart so goes the world, I can't wait to see the Carbon negative label on the first bag of WalChar. )

 

To me, in the long run, the final arbiter / accountancy / measure of sustainability will be

soil carbon content. The USDA is in Final review of the Soil Carbon Standards. Once this royal road is constructed, traffic cops ( Carbon Board ) in place, the truth of char systems will be self-evident. The Carbon Board will certify the efficacy of practices to build soil C.

This Certification process lays the foundation to craft legislation and to base sustainable policy directions.

 

As I read the agronomic history of civilization, only the Kayopo Indians and the Egyptians ( because of Nile floods, which they now have forsaken) have maintained fertility for the long haul.

 

We are also in De-nile about our own soil carbon loss over time due to technical mitigations like NPK and the green revolution.

 

The true "Gold" standard is soil carbon, measurable soon by earth sensing satellites, available for all to see their good (or bad) works.

 

The clarity and lack of complexity in this simple perspective has focused my efforts to this goal.

 

I'm told by the Jet Propulsion Lab mission specialists responsible for the suite of earth sensing satellites, that they will be reading soil carbon in 5-7 years. (reading soil moisture to 3 foot dept next year with SMAP, Reading GHG emissions and biomass from the tree tops down next year when the OCO is rebooted, to 1 Ha resolution )

Then any farmer can click Google maps to see the soil carbon accounted to his good work, a level playing field to be a soil sink banker.

 

 

 

 

Just sent this off to Steven Colbert's blog,

The Colbert Report - Colbertnation.com Forum

 

Dear Steven Colbert,

" GIVE ME LiBERTY or GIVE ME Half-Life "

 

My Dad, a cold warrior, Vietnam battalion commander, gave this short answer when asked about Mutually Assured Destruction or MAD defense policy,

 

I thought the writers may want to play with it for a segment.

 

 

 

A Serious Note:

 

I envision an offensive policy of Mutually Assured Sustainability. Based on carbon accountancy, the rules are simple; Who ever moves more Carbon from the air to the Soil wins, but so does second place, as third and so on.

 

I'm a major Soil Carbon Sequestration advocate, Working on Soil Carbon Standards with the USDA.

 

Since we have filled the air , filling the seas to full, Soil is the Only Beneficial place left.

 

Large Biochar / Biofuels systems are the most powerful tools to convert CO2 to soil carbon.

 

One aspect is small Biomass cook stoves, that produce Biochar, is removal of respiratory disease emissions. At Scale, replacing "Three Stone" stoves the health benefits would equal eradication of Malaria.

 

For the woman & Children BECAUSE in Africa Men don't Cook.

 

The Biochar Fund : Biochar Fund - fighting hunger, deforestation, energy insecurity and climate change - Home

 

Exceptional results from biochar experiment in Cameroon

The broad smiles of 1500 subsistence farmers say it all ( that , and the size of the Biochar corn root balls )

Biochar Fund - fighting hunger, deforestation, energy insecurity and climate change - Biochar Cameroon pictures

 

 

 

Haiti:

WorldStove is on the ground with a major biochar stove relief project. Donate: 501c3 account for WorldStove's Haitian Stove Project at International Lifeline fund: International Lifeline Fund

International Lifeline Fund

 

WorldStove got this effort moving on Jan 14, just 2 days after the quake. You can follow them on Twitter: WorldStove (WorldStove) on Twitter; WorldStove (WorldStove) on Twitter

 

 

If I were Sir Richard Branson, this is my Command to Carbon War Room;

 

CWR: Biochar Stove Action Plan:

1).... Immediate funding of the numerous Stove groups,

2).....Those who are in production; Italy,China & India; Immediate air lift to Haiti

Packaged with rations & water, seeds, tarps, a whole kitchen Garden kit,

Instructions; Use Biochar first to filter water, then to sanitize sewage, then to soils

 

The military is first in Logistics. They can give a man a fish quickly, and feed him for many, many days. We can provide them the tools to help feed him for life.

 

Looking for a Virgin C-5A, or AN-225,

Erich

 

 

A letter to the editor concerning an evangelist's comment on Haiti;

 

Dear Pat Robertson,

I know that you know that all press is good press, so I appreciate the

shout-out. And you make God look like a big mean bully who kicks people when

they are down, so I'm all over that action. But when you say that Haiti has made

a pact with me, it is totally humiliating. I may be evil incarnate, but I'm no

welcher. The way you put it, making a deal with me leaves folks desperate and

impoverished. Sure, in the afterlife, but when I strike bargains with people,

they first get something here on earth -- glamour, beauty, talent, wealth, fame,

glory, a golden fiddle. Those Haitians have nothing, and I mean nothing. And

that was before the earthquake. Haven't you seen "Crossroads"? Or "Damn

Yankees"?

If I had a thing going with Haiti, there'd be lots of banks, skyscrapers, SUVs,

exclusive night clubs, Botox -- that kind of thing. An 80 percent poverty rate

is so not my style. Nothing against it -- I'm just saying: Not how I roll.

You're doing great work, Pat, and I don't want to clip your wings -- just, come

on, you're making me look bad. And not the good kind of bad. Keep blaming God.

That's working. But leave me out of it, please. Or we may need to renegotiate

your own contract.

 

Best,

 

Satan

 

LILY COYLE, MINNEAPOLIS

 

 

 

I feel Terra Preta soil technology is the greatest of Ironies since Tobacco.

That is: an invention of pre-Columbian American culture, destroyed by western disease, may well be the savior of industrial western society. As inversely Tobacco, over time has gotten back at same society by killing more of us than the entire pre-Columbian population.

 

Biochar systems for Biofuels and soil carbon sequestration are so basically conservative in nature it is a shame that republicans have not seized it as a central environmental policy plank as the conservatives in Australia have. The "Liberal" (read Republican) party of Oz is challenging the Labor government's Cap & trade proposals with a plan to remove more CO2 WITH NO TAXES

It's a great shame to let the Democratic TreeHuggers hold this High moral ground of Stuartship, Conservation and method of Organic Creation Care.

 

If the Republican's sized a Soil Carbon Plank , I will crawl in Bed with Rush Limbah, Bill O'Rilley & YOU Steven., That is how dedicated & passionate I am about this Global Warming Solution.

 

Senator Baucus is co-sponsoring a bill along with Senator Tester (D-MT) called WE CHAR. Water Efficiency via Carbon Harvesting and Restoration Act!

 

Individual and groups can show support for WECHAR by signing online at:

Biochar Matters - Support WECHAR

 

 

 

The Terra Preta Prayer

 

Our Carbon who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name

By kingdom come, thy will be done, IN the Earth to make it Heaven.

It will give us each day our daily bread and forgive us our atmospheric trespasses

As we forgive those who trespass against the Kyoto protocols

And lead us not into fossil fuel temptation, but deliver us from it's evil

low as we walk through the valley of the shadow of Global Warming,

I will feel no evil, your Bio-fuels and fertile microbes will comfort me,

For thine is the fungal kingdom,

and the microbe power,

and the Sequestration Glory,

For ever and ever (well at least 2000 years)

AMEN

 

Your Chartarian,

Erich

 

 

 

Erich J. Knight

Chairman; Markets and Business Opportunities Review Committee

US BiocharConference, at Iowa State University, June 27-30

2010 U.S. Biochar Initiative Conference -- Welcome/home

 

EcoTechnologies Group Technical Adviser

EcoTechnologies Group

Shenandoah Gardens (Owner)

1047 Dave Barry Rd.

McGaheysville, VA. 22840

540 289 9750

Co-Administrator, Biochar Data base & Discussion list TP-REPP

BioEnergy Lists: BioChar (or Terra Preta) | Information on the intentional use of BioChar (charcoal from biomass) to improve soils.

[Eclipse Now]

Coming from a Christian POV I love the letter from Satan, it's very CSLewis "Screwtape letters" and points out that Pat should check his own backyard before making big pronouncements like that. (References to Screwtape letters even made it into U2's soundtrack for "love me kiss me thrill me kill me..." sound track to a very poor version of batman if I remember correctly).

 

I'm also very over big time TV evangelist dudes saying "God's doing this or that to punish those people!" when their own backyard is just rife with hypocrisy and sin and greed and social injustice. Honestly, these guy's attempt at discerning "God's will" is shameful. From a Christian POV, couldn't God just as easily be 'judging' America by letting it prosper so much that people just forget about life & death & getting right with God until it is too late? What was that about the seed among the thorns that choke the life out of the young plant as it tries to grow, the 'worries and pleasures of this life'? (God, please don't let me get too wealthy and too content with your creation so that I forget you, the One who creates over billions of years...).

 

But basically, what has all this got to do with biochar and especially, campaigning for biochar? Yeah, hmm, maybe the thread should get back on to how to promote the scientific, empirical benefits of biochar and lose the religious references.

[erich]

A major focus of my work is coming to fruition, a soil C Standard.

The next step in this process will be nominations for elections to seat a Soil C Board, a supreme court, if you will, under USDA / EPA oversight, to validate / certify practice & protocols for systems that build soil C.

 

A dream I've had for years ( see Paraphrased speech below ) to base the coming carbon economy firmly on the foundation of top soils. My read of the agronomic history of civilization shows that the Kayopo Amazon Indians and the Egyptians were the only ones to maintain fertility for the long haul, millennium scales. Egypt has now forsaken their geologic advantage by building the Aswan dam, and are stuck, with the rest of us, in the soil C mining, NPK rat race to the bottom.

 

The Ag Soil Carbon standard is in the second phase of review by the AMS / ARC branch at USDA.

After initial review, approval is expected in this month. Contact Gary Delong . Novecta - Charting a New Direction in Agriculture 515-334-7305 office

Read over the work so far;

http://www.novecta.com/documents/Carbon-Standard.pdf

 

In my efforts to have Biochar included I have recruited several to join the list, briefed the entire committee about char when issues concerning N2O & CH4 soil GHG emissions were raised, fully briefed a couple members when they replied individually to my "Reply all" briefs.

 

Erich J. Knight

Chairman; Markets and Business Opportunities Review Committee

US BiocharConference, at Iowa State University, June 27-30

2010 U.S. Biochar Initiative Conference -- Welcome/home

 

EcoTechnologies Group Technical Adviser

EcoTechnologies Group

Shenandoah Gardens (Owner)

1047 Dave Barry Rd.

McGaheysville, VA. 22840

540 289 9750

Co-Administrator, Biochar Data base & Discussion list TP-REPP

 

 

Soil Carbon Dream

 

I have a dream that one day we live in a nation where progress will not be judged by the production yields of our fields, but by the color of their soils and by the Carbon content of their character.

 

I have a dream today.

 

I have a dream that one day, a suite of earth sensing satellites will level the playing field, giving every farmer a full account of carbon he sequesters. That Soil Carbon is given as the final arbiter, the common currency, accountant and Judge of Stewardship on our lands.

 

I have a dream today.

 

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made forest, the rough soils will be made fertile, and the crooked Carbon Marketeers will be made straight, and the glory of Soil Sequestration shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see a Mutually assured Sustainability.

 

This is our hope.

 

My apologies to Dr. King, but I think he would understand my passion

Erich

 

 

Soil Carbon Commandments:

 

1) Thou shalt not have any other Molecule before Me

 

2) Thou shall not make wrongful use of the name of Biochar, It will not acquit anyone who mis-charactorizes it's name

 

3) Observe the Fallow days and keep them, as Sustainability commands thou

 

4) Honor your Micro Flora & Fauna , as the Soil Carbon commands you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that High Soil Carbon has given you.

 

5) Thou shall not murder the Soil Food Web

 

6) Neither shall thou adulterate the Soils with Toxicity

 

7) Neither shall thou steal Biomass from the Soil Food Web

 

8) Neither shall thou bear false witness against your neighbors Biochar, or about Thy own

 

9) Neither shall thou covet your neighbor's Fertility

 

10) Neither shall thou desire your neighbor's house, or field, or Pyrolysis Reactor, or farm implements, or anything that belongs to your neighbor, as thou may Create thy Own

[erich]

Nature has some interesting articles; Movement on Ag grants, and a new understanding on the ocean conveyor disruption.

Erich

 

 

A new row to hoe

 

The time is right to revitalize US agricultural research.

 

In nations where food is plentiful, it is easy to take that abundance for granted. In the United States, for example — a country rich in corn fields and pasturelands, and where shops overflow with cheap produce — agricultural research has languished for years under comparatively low budgets and disorganized funding priorities. In the 2009 economic stimulus bill, for example, the National Science Foundation received a $3-billion boost and the National Institutes of Health got $10 billion — but the Department of Agriculture's internal research programme was allocated just $176 million, all of which was restricted to improving facilities.

A new row to hoe : Article : Nature

 

 

River reveals chilling tracks of ancient flood

The " 'Younger Dryas' cooling, 13,000 years ago. Picking through evidence from Canada's Mackenzie River, geologists now believe they have found traces of this flood, revealing that cold water from North America's dwindling ice sheet poured into the Arctic Ocean, from where it ultimately disrupted climate-warming currents in the Atlantic."

 

"assumed flood pathway down the St Lawrence River into the North Atlantic; or along a possible alternative route southwards through the Mississippi basin. Now it is clear why: the flood did occur; it just took a different route."

River reveals chilling tracks of ancient flood : Nature News

 

Access : How ocean stirring affects climate : Nature

[erich]

Avatar for Biochar

 

 

Dear List,

This proposal to enlist James Cameron & Marina Silva could be a powerful platform for Biochar.

VISIONSHARE

 

 

I have sent it on to the few contacts I have from the entertainment industry and hope all you will do the same.

 

Erich

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: lou gold <[email protected]>

Date: Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 7:35 AM

Subject: James Cameron, Marina Silva and Biochar

To: Lou Gold <[email protected]>

 

 

WHAT A CONCEPT!

 

VISIONSHARE

 

Nothing real yet, just a vision pregnant with possibility.

 

Perhaps, you might help spread and amplify the thought.

 

blessings,

 

lou

 

--

Please visit my other places:

 

VISIONSHARE (Blog)

visionshare's photosets on Flickr (Photos)

YouTube - lougold's Channel

(Videos)

[erich]

Below you will find some details of a campaign that we started last week. Please sign up, sign on, and pass it on to others. J Happy Earth Month!

 

 

 

TODAY, Earth Day 2010 -- the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, we are launching a campaign called The Huntsville Project to inform the global public about Biochar, one of the most promising developments in our fight against climate change.

 

This Earth Day we can look back on a year in which James Cameron’s Avatar, a film about environmental crisis and restoration, swept box offices around the globe.

 

What if there were a real-life answer to help solve the real world problems of climate change, peak oil, and global food security?

 

Would you want the leaders of the G8 and the G20 to know about it and endorse it?

 

At our new website, NewCarbon Economy - Challenging the Old Carbon Economy, you can find out about biochar and sign our petition:

 

NewCarbon Economy - Biochar for Haiti and the World

 

 

We are asking global leaders to support this important new clean technology.

 

On June 25, 2010 the G8 will meet in Huntsville Ontario. On June 26 and 27 the G20 will then meet in Toronto.

 

Our goal is to publicize and gain support for Biochar and Biochar offsets. We want to help implement and scale up the global Biochar industry by creating public awareness and new markets for Biochar.

 

We are asking G8 and G20 delegations to make a commitment to recognizing Biochar carbon sequestration and offsetting with Biochar.

 

Our website features a public petition that we hope you will sign.

 

I would like to encourage you to sign our "Huntsville Petition":NewCarbon Economy - Biochar for Haiti and the World

 

... and help put Biochar on the global agenda.

 

 

The following description of Biochar from the newcarboneconomy website is a good place to start.

 

It is being cited around the web as an authoritative non-technical definition of Biochar: NewCarbon Economy - Biochar

 

If you have skills or content to contribute, we would love to hear from you!

 

If have contacts and ideas for the Huntsville Project, and want to help with the effort for Huntsville, you are most welcome to contact me.

 

Please check out our website, sign the Huntsville Petition, and circulate this link to your friends and members of your social networks:

 

NewCarbon Economy - Challenging the Old Carbon Economy

 

Help us out, let people know about our website, and have a beautiful 40th Anniversary of Earth Day.

 

Happy Earth Day!

 

 

To join our Huntsville Project team, go to:

 

The Huntsville Project group | LinkedIn

 

 

 

Sign our petition! http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/newcarbon-economy

 

 

 

Check out Ron Dembo's Huffington Post blog post on The Huntsville Project and Biochar! Ron Dembo: Can Biochar Help Save the World?

 

 

 

Lloyd Helferty, Engineering Technologist

 

Principal, Biochar Consulting (Canada)

 

Biochar Consulting - Home

[erich]

Nation Science Foundation Awards $1,609,017 for Biochar

........Now that is some Award!!..... and over three years

To a great tag team; Johannes & Janice

 

This abstract says it all, it's like what Lauren's BioChar Fund has been doing for years now, but with the scientific rigor that Cornell brings to the table, this will hopefully spawn a whole movement of similar projects wherever "Three Rocks & a Pot" technology exist.

 

The World Heavy Weight Title Belt goes to team Johannes & Janice for this rumble in the jungle.

 

Your feather weight Fan,

Erich

 

BREAD: Biochar Inoculants for Enabling Smallholder Agriculture

Award#0965336 - BREAD: Biochar Inoculants for Enabling Smallholder Agriculture

and the others.

BREAD Awards

 

 

Federal Incentive Programs

I ran across a better (concise) summary of all US Federal

support programs for RE topics than I have seen elsewhere. There are 159

pages (9+ MB) - but lots of big font as well - and seems well organized.

It is at:

Federal Incentive Programs that might apply to Biochar

http://www.fulbright.com/images/publications/GovernmentIncentives.pdf

 

 

Statement From Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on the Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule and Its Impact on Bioenergy

 

WASHINGTON, May 13, 2010 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today issued the following statement on the Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas Tailoring Rule:

I want to thank the Administrator for agreeing to seek further comment on how to address the greenhouse gas benefits of bioenergy under the Clean Air Act. Energy derived from woody biomass, switch-grass and other sources has potentially enormous benefits for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, developing clean, home-grown energy, and providing economic opportunities for rural America. Markets for woody biomass can also bolster forest restoration activities on both public and private lands that improve the ecological health of our forests.

 

Release No. 0262.10

[Eclipse Now]

Hi Erich,

what's the latest on the sheer quantities of Co2 we could store in the soil on an emergency timetable if we really got serious?