permaculture

[Robyn Francis <robyn@permaculture.com.au>]

John,
I read the ISIS institute article 'Beware the Biochar Solution' some months 
ago and have pretty well dismissed it as poor science and narrowly 
researched, cherry-picking the trials that support the argument, and ignoring 
the mountains of other work that's been done on biochar as one of the many 
strategies that can contribute to carbon sequestration and storage.  There 
are some good comments questioning the article and it's flawed assumptions, 
worth reading them through with an open mind.
I agree that large industrial-scale biochar production is no solution, 
however there's also good research being done on biochar as a positive 
contributor to building soil and C sequestration as small localised activity 
and with proper bio-activation of biochar before adding it to soil. It may 
not be appropriate to all climates, and I noted that most of the negative 
examples in the ISIS report were from places like Siberia, Scandinavia and 
Scotland.
No one technique or technology will save us, and my hackles quiver when any 
one thing is touted as THE solution, however along with a comprehensive and 
diverse tool kit of solutions, biochar does have a role to play.

Robyn



On 08/11/2013, at 10:22 AM, John D'hondt wrote:

> 
> Well, just maybe I have read a lot more about it than you Christopher for 
> at 
> least two decades. At least the latest from the ISIS institute confirms my 
> own misgivings.
> And please, science should be about critical thinking and experimenting and 
> I have done both, personally.
> 
> The worse and more complex the problems become the more simplistic and 
> often 
> stupid the solutions proposed become. That seems to be the general rule. 
> And 
> I am sure Albert Bates will make more money out of this than I ever will.
> John
> 
>> Again, John, you do not understand the science. Please read "The Biochar 
>> Solution" by Albert Bates so you have any understanding. Right now you are 
>> reactionary and clueless.
>> 
>> 
>> _____________________________
>> Christopher Nesbitt
>> 
>> Maya Mountain Research Farm
>> San Pedro Columbia, Toledo
>> PO 153 Punta Gorda Town, Toledo
>> BELIZE,
>> Central America
>> 
>> Country code 501-630-4386
>> 
>> www.mmrfbz.org
>> www.facebook.com/MayaMountainResearchFarm
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On Nov 7, 2013, at 12:11 PM, John D'hondt wrote:
>> 
>>> Lawrence you know what I think about "biochar". The name is a very good 
>>> name
>>> to sell a product that is quite bad for the planet.
>>> Want to keep the planet cool? Then go for living trees and shrubs and all
>>> sorts of plants. You want to do something good for the soil then let
>>> residues rot in situ. That is food for living organisms. Bio-char is a 
>>> dead
>>> substance whatever the name.
>>> John
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Lawrence London" <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>
>>> To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
>>> Sent: Thursday, November 07, 2013 4:07 AM
>>> Subject: Re: [permaculture] Beetle Kill and Biochar-- Fwd: USDA Invests 
>>> in
>>> Research to Convert Beetle-Killed Trees into Renewable Energy
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> On Wed, Nov 6, 2013 at 8:18 PM, Amy Little <amylittle@hvc.rr.com> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> Though not stated clearly... Cool Planet Energy Systems is  BIOCHAR
>>>>> oriented
>>>>> company.....
>>>>> 
>>>>> From: "USDA Office of Communications" <usda@public.govdelivery.com>
>>>>> To: jeffs@ncat.org
>>>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 6, 2013 1:04:01 PM
>>>>> Subject: USDA Invests in Research to Convert Beetle-Killed Trees into
>>>>> Renewable Energy
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> That could be a lot of trees across the country utilizing losses from 
>>>> ash
>>>> dieback, pine beetle and other sources. I remember the years when pine
>>>> beetle devastated
>>>> quite a large number of southern yellow pines and possibly other
>>>> varieties.
>>>> If the harvesting is done on tree farms, state and national parks lands,
>>>> federal land,
>>>> private sector tracts growing timber for paper or lumber products then 
>>>> you
>>>> might have a lot of material to convert to biochar. The main issue is
>>>> getting the trees harvested and
>>>> transported to biochar production sites; who is going to pay for and do
>>>> this?
>>>> 
>>>> Lawrence London
>>>> lfljvenaura@gmail.com
>>>> http://www.avantgeared.com
>>>> avantgeard@gmail.com
>>>> https://plus.google.com/+Avantgeared
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> 
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