[Terrapreta] Sustained Biochar

[Sean K. Barry]

Hi Lou, Larry, et. al.,


"Terra Preta Nova" is the "New Black Gold"!

Sometime back, someone posted an article, where the Japanese ingest small amounts of charcoal to sooth a sour stomach.  

When black carbon in the form of charcoal is incorporated into the environment around us, our "personal" health is improved.
Altruistically, if one makes black carbon charcoal for others,  and puts it in their environment, then they will have improved the health and lives of the others.  If parent's invest in making black carbon charcoal for their children, then they and their children will have healthier, improved lives.

It we ALL put the "New Black Gold" more in our environment, use less of the "Old Black Gold" in our environment, and at the same time clean up the mess we made with the "Old Black Gold", then we will ALL have healthier, improved lives (I mean actual ability TO live).

Is the "Old Black Gold" like the "Golden Calf"?  Now, we need to wander off the desert and find the "Land of Milk and New Black Gold"?

I like the smack of the "New Black Gold".  Participating in making the "New Black Gold" makes me feel like a better man.


SKB

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: lou gold<mailto:lou.gold at gmail.com> 
  To: Larry Williams<mailto:lwilliams at nas.com> 
  Cc: Sean K. Barry<mailto:sean.barry at juno.com> ; Miles Tom<mailto:terrapreta at bioenergylists.org> 
  Sent: Friday, August 31, 2007 12:24 PM
  Subject: Re: [Terrapreta] Sustained Biochar


  Larry and All,

  I'm glad for your suggestion that we need to consider how to "frame" the new biochar technologies. The video segment about the "public relations" tactics of Edward Bernay is a great piece of history. The more recent discussion has given it a name -- "framing" -- and this has been widely discussed and commented on through the work of George Lakoff. 

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lakoff<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Lakoff>
  http://www.amazon.com/s/002-9134631-1583254?ie=UTF8&tag=mozilla-20&index=blended&link%5Fcode=qs&field-keywords=george%20lakoff&sourceid=Mozilla-search<http://www.amazon.com/s/002-9134631-1583254?ie=UTF8&tag=mozilla-20&index=blended&link%5Fcode=qs&field-keywords=george%20lakoff&sourceid=Mozilla-search>

  The essence of the argument is that the way we think is very much a function of our embodied mind, that there are deeply embedded desires already in us that trigger our responses for other-than-rational reasons. Bernay's association of female smoking with the inner urge toward freedom and empowerment is a classic example (independent of what you might think of Freud's penis theories). In other words, to be effective the framing language must trigger an inner bodily desire. 

  In this sense, I'm doubtful that either the Portuguese phrase "nova terra preta" or the recent scientific "neo terra preta" make the grade. The connection of "nova" with an "explosive stellar event" is interesting but who wants it in one's own body? I believe that what people want (almost universally) are health, wealth and abundance. The basic archetypal symbol across the age of materialism has been gold. The industrial age was founded on the use of the "old black gold" or fossil fuels. The new age will be founded on revitalized soils or the "new black gold",  a marvelous "hook phrase" that has already appeared in the journalistic treatments of terra preta. 

  "New black gold" seems to be a powerful meme.  Add the thought that black can yield green and we have linked wealth and health (something that the "old black gold" failed to do). Let's think about it. 

  lou





    May I suggest, that the situation that we are facing with GHG requires an radical explosion of activities. I use the term "nova" as with an explosive stellar event, in reference to burial of black carbon, Terra Preta, in the soil, rather than "Neo-" or renewed use. There is a sense of urgency conveyed  with "nova" that I don't feel with "Neo-". Our success, I feel, will depend on how many people who have a sense of urgency act on that sense. The adjective that describes the renewed use of Terra Preta will carry our feelings to others. 


    Consider the marketing impacts on advertising that Edward Bernay had. For example, getting woman to smoke. His techniques are used on us daily so it seems that it is an effective tool, especially if your unaware that it is being used on you. For a view of his influence see:  The Century Of The Self - Part 1 of 4 - By Adam Curtis @  http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8953172273825999151 <http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8953172273825999151> .



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