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[Bill Jones <billj AT harborside.com>]

This is all very interesting, but you will grant there are no autotrophs 
living out of reach of sunlight, so decaying organic matter will always 
breathe out CO2. Period. So there are no soil organisms removing CO2 
from the air.  They only produce it.

In fact this is often used, fallaciously, to argue against organic 
gardening.  But in fact will always be a zero-sum game.  Carbon is 
removed from the air by growing plants, and replaced by their 
decomposers.  I think they call it the Carbon Cycle.

Of course, there's no doubt that having more live plant biomass will 
improve the CO2 situation.  But that's a statement so obvious that it's 
not worth a paper.

I suspect that this is really about finding a future politician who's 
gullible enough to sign on to a "Kyoto Accrord of the Fertilizers".

And by the way, the Rodale press is not a reliable source of anything 
factual.  Do you remember how they used to publish every anecdote from 
anybody as gospel truth?  They've published whole books of nothing but 
quips from their readers.

Bill
S. Oregon coast

Jerry B wrote:

> Anyone interested in how excess amounts of carbon in the atmosphere can 
> be quickly restored to preindustrial levels through the restoration of 
> fertility in our soils does not have to read an entire book, but can 
> immediately read Allen C. Yeomans Chapter #5 pdf  file, free, at:
>
> http://www.yeomansplow.com.au/docs/PRIORITY-ONE-Chapter5.pdf.
>
> It is titled "Soil Formation Can Halt Greenhouse Warming". 
>
> Bill, I think you would find that this man is not a theorist without 
> hands-on experience in the soil with any familiarity with his life and 
> resume. He and his father originated the 'Keystone' land-management 
> system, it's principles being introduced and used in the restoration of 
> Dust Bowl lands of the US of A. His father worked in close communication 
> with such persons as Lois Bromsfield and Rodale.
>
> I think you would learn how a very small 'load of crap' can be worth 
> more than premature conclusions.  This very readable, short chapter, I 
> think, makes it very clear why this is so.  I could do a piddling job of 
> explaining "he exact physical mechanism behind this" but not with the 
> skill and experience this man has. From my own hands in the soil, I am 
> pretty certain that what he says is accurate and of value. I'd be 
> interested in hearing what you have to say about it after reading it, 
> though from what you have said, I would not be surprised if you did not 
> read it.  Gerald Brittell (jerry)
>
> -------
>
> Bill Jones wrote:
>  
>
> > no time for BS. the facts i cite have nothing to do with anyone's 
> > opinion. tell us how u think lots of decaying matter laying around will 
> > reduce CO2. maybe someone who HAS read it can explain the exact physical 
> > mechanism behind that..
> >
> > quite often theorists who have never gardened before will make 
> > ridiculous statements. my "organic matter" is gone after a year.
> >  
> >    
> ---------
>  
>
> > Lynda wrote:
> >
> >  
> >    
> >
> > > Well, then read the book and let us know if he's full of crap or your 
> > > opinion of something you haven't read is.
> > >
> > > Lynda
> > > ----- Original Message ----- 
> > > From: "Bill Jones" <billj AT harborside.com>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >    
> > >      
> > >
> > > > this sounds like total load of crap to me. how's that supposed to work?
> > > > the organisms in living soil exhale CO2 as surely as any other animals.
> > > > the only force that removes it from the air and water is photosynthesis
> > > > (and dry ice manufacturers). so the CO2 could only be removed by "extra"
> > > > plants grown solely for mulch or compost. even then, organic matter
> > > > disappears into the air from soil faster than i can replace it. so
> > > > wouldn't if be more effective just to grow lot of vegetable matter to
> > > > sequester the CO2, then submerge it in a swamp, or otherwise preserve it
> > > > so that it can't decompose and release the CO2 back? in a nutshell, i'm
> > > > really trying hard to see how having lots of decaying organic matter
> > > > lying around will reduce CO2. take a lesson from the "Biosphere".
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