19 results for tag: biochar


Solving Food Insecurity and the Climate Crisis in India

Are there nature-based methods for fighting food insecurity, nutrient deficiency, and climate change in the world’s most populous nation? The answer is a definitive yes.

Restoring Soils in Kilimanjaro – Engineers Without Borders Seeks Funding to Fight Food Insecurity in Tanzania

This project contributes to Sustainable Development Goals Introduction David Paul Blessing examines volcanic rocks that will be used to produce a locally sourced, nature-based fertilizer for small-scale farmers in the Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania. David Paul Blessing, President of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) in Tanzania, has a science-backed plan to bring better outcomes to small-scale farmers, their families and communities in the Kilimanjaro region in northeastern Tanzania. Across Tanzania, agriculture employs 75% of the working population. Soils vary dramatically from region to region in their mineral and nutrient ...

Remineralization Pioneer David Yarrow on Transforming Soils to Transform Ourselves

There’s no doubt that the industrialization of agriculture has changed the world we live in. With the advent of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, ‘agribusiness’ is a commercial enterprise seeking to do what most businesses do — maximize profit. But soil isn’t a static input, a sterile medium,  or an endless reservoir from which crops will always sprout. In fact, treating soil in this way is a fast-track to depleting it. Continuing down this path is not sustainable, and it’s becoming clearer that we must rethink the way this system works, and move forward in a regenerative, holistic way.  One of the pioneers of this ...

Puro.earth and Nasdaq in Partnership Propel a Green Economy Forward

A seminal breakthrough in the global carbon removal market came when Nasdaq  acquired a majority stake of Puro.earth in June 2021. This partnership between Puro.earth, described as “the world’s leading carbon crediting platform for engineered carbon removal,” and Nasdaq, a global electronic stock exchange, represents a huge opportunity to scale the marketplace as more companies look to offset their emissions.  Puro.earth and their innovative CORCs Antti Vihavainen took the first steps toward creating Puro.earth in a pitch to Scandinavian clean energy company Fortum. His goal was to create a business model to incentivize ...

Getting Real: Munson’s New Book Calls For A ‘Positive Solution To Climate Change’

Remineralizing the planet increases soils’ ability to produce flora capable of absorbing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide, thus combating global climate change without resorting to the elimination of hydrocarbons from the energy mix — that is a central theme from David Munson’s Get Real: A Positive Solution to Climate Change.  In his new book, this entrepreneur and inventor also calls for more biochar production and implementation of holistic and regenerative agricultural practices en masse, along with somewhat unorthodox methods for spreading crushed rock dust to all corners of the world. Further, he invites readers to ...

Moving Beyond Academia: Rock Dust Local Founder Promotes Remineralization Research

Tom Vanacore with some of Rock Dust Local's rock dust products. Image from video by Learn Organic Gardening at GrowingYourGreens Remineralization proponents really should publish their own research for peer review, moving away from reliance on academic validation to convince policymakers and the public, says Rock Dust Local founder Tom Vanacore. From left to right: Ted Dobson, Tom Vanacore and Ben Dobson, with a delivery of Rock Dust Local's biochar at Stone House Farm “Most of the enhanced-weathering academic papers being published are either too highly technical to be understood by most people, or the protocols they’re using are all ...

The Future Forest Company on OpenAir CDR: Natural approaches to CO2 removal

The Future Forest Company project in Brisbane Mains, Scotland The Future Forest Company featured on OpenAir CDR When it comes to national and international discussions of the climate crisis, so much of the focus has been on decarbonization methods: What can countries and corporations do to reduce track and reduce their carbon footprint? Experts agree that this is a necessary step in reducing future warming – and the inevitable consequences that come with a 2°C temperature increase – but this approach is inherently limited, circumventing the very real problems of the here and now. Decarbonization offers only half a solution; the other half ...

Unf*cking the Future – Afforestation of Scotland with rock dust and biochar

(All photos courtesy of the Future Forest Company.)   Deep ecology inspires innovative business model Founding a company committed to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through forestry may not seem unexpected for someone who grew up on a dairy farm and studied ecology in university, but for Jim Mann, starting the Future Forest Company Ltd. marked a shift in his career. Mann spent decades as an entrepreneur focused on technology, retail, and leisure companies before turning his attention to climate change. The initial idea behind the Future Forest Company was to sequester carbon dioxide through reforestation and afforestation. ...

Wild Urban Spaces: Growing Micro Forests for a Greener Planet

Completed forest trail walk project. Photo courtesy of Acacia Eco. Overview With over 30 years of horticultural experience, Wild Urban Spaces, founded by James Godfrey-Faussett, is working to improve our environment through rapid-growth micro forests, which range from small, urban forests all the way to larger hectare forests. Based in the UK, Wild Urban Spaces uses their knowledge of organic and innovative environmental processes to create these micro forests. Their efforts to regreen the Earth teach people how to make their own impact on the environment and create a green legacy for us and future generations. When Godfrey-Faussett first founded ...

Get Real: David Munson, Jr. Wants Realistic Solutions to Climate Change

David Munson, a Dallas-based philanthropist, has formed the Get Real Alliance to pursue “realistic solutions” to climate change and other global issues. Rock dust and biochar play a central role. He lays out the ideas behind this alliance in his upcoming book, “Get Real: A Positive Solution to Climate Change.” In particular, he advocates for an increased focus on carbon sequestration in addition to carbon emissions, for a couple of reasons. First, he judges emission reduction to be difficult to achieve, and thus likely insufficient. Second, reducing carbon emissions reduces harm but doesn’t add anything positive. On the other hand, carbon ...