108-year-old Chuska woman

“Before the white man came,

we never had to weed our gardens.”

native American, California

PARADIGM SHIFT

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neutral?neutral?

Reduce Burning Fossil FuelsProduce Renewable Energy

Sequester Carbon negativenegative

Challenge

OurClimate Change

Confronting

introduction to an emerging technologyintroduction to an emerging technology

HOW TOHOW TOPARADIGM SHIFT

The Biochar StrategyThe Biochar Strategy

XXBONUS:BONUS: Create Sustainable Soil Fertility

Reduce Water PollutionGrow Nutrient Dense Foods

BONUS:BONUS:

BONUS:BONUS: clickto continue

The Biochar StrategyThe Biochar Strategy

Carbon Negative

Reduce Burning Fossil FuelsProduce Renewable Energy

Sequester CarbonIncrease Soil Fertility

Reduce Water PollutionGrow Nutrient Dense Foods

negativenegative

Challenge

OurClimate Change

Confronting

Nutrient Dense

Full Spectrum Fertility

BiocharBiochar

Soil Food Web

Pyrolysis

NEW VOCABULARYNEW VOCABULARYfor the paradigm shiftfor the paradigm shift

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Dan KittredgeDan Kittredge

Dr. Arden AndersonDr. Arden Anderson

Remineralize the EarthRemineralize the Earth150 South Street, Northampton, MA150 South Street, Northampton, MA978-257-2627978-257-2627dkittredege@remineralize.orgdkittredege@remineralize.orgwww.remineralize.orgwww.remineralize.org

Keynote SpeakerKeynote Speaker

NOFA ConferenceNOFA ConferenceAugust 8-12, 2008August 8-12, 2008UMASS AmherstUMASS Amherst

Beyond Organix™ Beyond Organix™ Beyond Organic Beyond Organic

3 day training program3 day training programHow to grow Nutrient Dense foodHow to grow Nutrient Dense foodearly December 2008, eastern MAearly December 2008, eastern MA20 certified growers for 2009 marketing20 certified growers for 2009 marketing

SoilFoodNutritionBodiesHealthThe Real Food CampaignThe Real Food Campaign

clickto continueNutrient Dense

superior food nutritionsuperior food nutrition

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How do we put fertility in our soils?How do we put fertility in our soils?… … to grow food to feed our communities?to grow food to feed our communities?

How do we keep fertility in our soils?How do we keep fertility in our soils?… … long term, sustainable fertility?long term, sustainable fertility?

How do we put Carbon in our soils?How do we put Carbon in our soils?… … out of Earth’s atmosphere?out of Earth’s atmosphere?

… … to reverse global warming?to reverse global warming?

… … all 90 elements in a balanced blend?all 90 elements in a balanced blend?

… … not another annual addiction?not another annual addiction?

… … when the price of oil is over $100 a barrel?when the price of oil is over $100 a barrel?

CarbonCarbon

Strategy for SurvivalStrategy for SurvivalState of EmergencyState of Emergency

in a climate of changein a climate of change

CarbonCarbonSoil MineralsSoil Minerals

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In the 80s, the first scientific field tool In the 80s, the first scientific field tool to evaluate biological activity in soilto evaluate biological activity in soilmeasured conversion of Omeasured conversion of O22 into CO into CO22

of soil samples sealed in a vialof soil samples sealed in a vial

In 2007, Australian researchersIn 2007, Australian researchersdocumented that biochar added to soildocumented that biochar added to soil

reduces NOreduces NOxx emissions by over 50% emissions by over 50%

NONOxx is 350 times more potent than CO is 350 times more potent than CO22

… … in the atmosphere?in the atmosphere?… … that created the atmosphere?that created the atmosphere?

where are thewhere are theCarbonCarbon

… … in the Carbon Cycle?in the Carbon Cycle?

Soil MineralsSoil Minerals

PARADIGM SHIFT

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CycleCyclemicro-organisms?micro-organisms?micro-organisms?micro-organisms?micro-organismsmicro-organismscreated Earth’s atmospherecreated Earth’s atmosphere

releasing onereleasing one hydrogenhydrogenas anas an electronelectronand aand a protonproton

releasing one releasing one hydrogenhydrogenas anas an electronelectronand aand a protonproton

releasing one releasing one hydrogenhydrogenas anas an electronelectronand aand a protonprotonand oneand one oxygen oxygen molecule moleculeis releasedis released

releasing an releasing an electronelectroncreate an electric currentcreate an electric currentused by the cellused by the cell

to make carbohydrateto make carbohydrate

This is a 5-step cycleThis is a 5-step cyclethat begins with two that begins with two water water molecules…molecules…

4 electrons4 electronsLast, oneLast, one hydrogenhydrogen is released is releasedas a as a protonproton

Photosynthesis

green plants turn sunshine into sugargreen plants turn sunshine into sugar

storing energy in chemical moleculesstoring energy in chemical molecules

HHOO

A thirdA third photon photon is captured is capturedA fourthA fourth photon photon is captured is capturedA A photonphoton of sunlight is captured of sunlight is capturedA secondA second photon photon is captured is captured

is the source of sweetnessis the source of sweetness

SS44

SS33

SS22

SS11

SS00

HHHH

OO

HHHH

OO

HH++

OOOOee--

SS

SS

SS

SS

HH++

HH++

HH++

ee--

ee--

ee--

++HHOO

HH

OOOO OO

photonphoton

photonphoton

photonphoton

photonphoton

hydrogen ionhydrogen ion

electronelectron

hydrogen ionhydrogen ion

electronelectron

hydrogen ionhydrogen ionelectronelectron

hydrogen ionhydrogen ion

electronelectron

waterwater waterwateroxygenoxygen

protonproton

protonproton

protonproton

protonproton

4 protons4 protons

how plants produce Oxygenhow plants produce OxygenCarbonCarbonSoil MineralsSoil Minerals

CarbohydrateCarbohydrate

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Carbon FixationCarbon Fixation

HHOOKidneysKidneys

BladderBladder

ofof

Oriental PhilosophyOriental Philosophy& Medicine& Medicine

FiveFiveElementElement

LawLaw

SS44

SS33

SS22

SS11

SS00

waterwater oxygenoxygen

WATERWATER

TREETREE SOILSOIL

METALMETAL

LiverLiverGall BladderGall Bladder

Small IntestineSmall IntestineHeartHeart

SpleenSpleenStomachStomach

LungsLungsColonColon

FIREFIRE

HH++HH++

HH++

HH++

ee--

ee--

ee--

ee--

SS

SS

SS

SS

OOOO

Photosynthesisis a Hydrogen fuel cycle:

sunlight is the sparkwater is the fuel

HHHH

OO

HHHH

OO

++HHOO

HH

OOOO OO

PARADIGM SHIFT

CarbonCarbonSoil MineralsSoil Minerals

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Photosynthesisis the source of sweetnessis the source of sweetness

how plants produce Oxygenhow plants produce Oxygen

Chlorophyll—the green pigment in plants—intercepts sunlightto release hydrogen from water as an electric cascade of electrons and protons.

Photosynthesis uses this electric charge to remove CO2 from the air CO2 combines with waterto create carbohydrates CO2 + H2O = sugar

Sweetness is only made by plants

Photosynthesis is carbon-fixation—one of Earth’s 3 main carbon-fixing paths

Plants connect simple sugars into complex sugars

Cellulose is complex sugars linked in long spiral chains to form fibers

Plants spin and weave cellulose fibersto build their bodies with cellulose threads—microscopic homes for living plant cells

ChlorophyllChlorophyllPhotosynthesis

Soil MineralsSoil Minerals

CarbonCarbon CarbonCarbon FixationFixation

HH++

ee--

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At night, without sunlight, plants burn sugar

and breathe out up to half of each day’s CO2.— Respiration

When a plant dies, carbon fixation stops.— conversion of sunshine, CO2 & HH22OOinto carbohydrates and cellulose stops.

The plant body slowly decays into soilIts carbon fiber skeleton returns to the airas CO2 & HH22OO

20% of the CO2 plants remove from the air

is secreted as sugar by roots into soil.

These least of all life feast on this sweet treat.Thus, solar sweetness becomes food for microbes.

In return, microbes feed plants water, minerals, enzymes & hormonesan underground economy of nutrient exchange:The Soil Food WebThe Soil Food Web

Chlorophyll

Soil MineralsSoil MineralsCyclesCyclesCarbonCarbonCarbonCarbon

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RespirationRespiration

Some carbon stays in soil as dark, spongy organic matter—humus.Organic farms must have 4˗5% soil organic matter

Soil is a carbon sink—holding carbon out of the atmosphere.

When a forest is cut, no new carbon is fixed. CarbonCarbon is quickly digested by microbes and oxidized into CO2 & HH22OO

Without annual additions, organic matter decays in a few yearsCarbonCarbon returns to the air as CO2 plus HH22OO

Conventional organic matteris short-term carbon storageshort-term carbon storage: — a few years, maybe two decades

When plants are burned, CarbonCarbon and minerals oxidize into CO2, HH22O O & ash

Ash is soluble, quickly dissolves in water, and leaches out of soil

Soil MineralsSoil Minerals SinksSinksCarbonCarbonCarbonCarbon

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How can we store carbon long-term?

For centuries?

For millennia?

How does nature do this?

PyrolysisPyrolysis ——burning with low or no oxygenburning with low or no oxygen

CelluloseCellulose burned with minimal oxygenburned with minimal oxygen— — smolderedsmoldered — — reduces organic matter to charreduces organic matter to charinstead of oxidation to ash. instead of oxidation to ash. Charcoal is left in the burnerCharcoal is left in the burner— — BiocharBiochar

This reduced carbonThis reduced carbonisn’t easily broken down by chemistryisn’t easily broken down by chemistryor digested by microbesor digested by microbesand thus remains in the soil and thus remains in the soil

Carbon is removed from the air Carbon is removed from the air stored safely for centuries & millenniastored safely for centuries & millennia— — a a long-term carbonlong-term carbon sinksink—— sequesteredsequestered

Scientists estimate soil can store Scientists estimate soil can store as much carbon as is released yearlyas much carbon as is released yearlyburning fossil fuelsburning fossil fuels

SequestrationSequestrationSoil MineralsSoil Minerals

CarbonCarbon CarbonCarbon

PyrolysisPyrolysis

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CarbonCarbonNegativeNegative

In the Amazon,In the Amazon,replacing replacing slash & burnslash & burn

by by slash & charslash & charcan can end rainforest destructionend rainforest destruction

and create sustainable agriculture and create sustainable agriculture

Can this work in our “temperate” zone?Can this work in our “temperate” zone?

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our question is:our question is: