[Terrapreta] Post for Breakthrough Institute

[lou gold]

Hi All,


The Breakthrough Institute is another blog where you might want to comment.
http://thebreakthrough.org/blog/


I just posted this:

Yes, yes, YES. Technology was always the key to the relationship between
humans and nature. But now, with so many people, it holds the key to the
relationship between the human race and the planet. There can be much much
good -- what we view as progress. And there can be problems -- terrible
ones. Much depends on the positive feedback loops. Warming means there will
be a longer growing season in Canada and thawing permafrost will release
even more greenhouse gases.

The question is not really to have technology or not, but whether a
particular technological approach gives us new and larger problems or new
and larger solutions? A positive feedback loop for solutions? Hmmmm, I hope
that got your attention. But is such a thing possible? I believe the answer
is YES and it takes the form of an ancient-future soil technology called
Terra Preta do Indio (Portuguese for Indian Black Earth).

Recent research emerging from the Amazon basin is locating large deposits of
an extremely fertile and resilent soil called terra preta. Examinations of
it are revealing both pottery sherds and charcoal which suggests that it was
made by the indians long ago (carbon dating says much of it is 2500 to 4000
years old). Amending soils with charcoal has long been known as a way to
increase crop yields. The soil is so productive (up to 800% increased plant
growth) that it could have easily supported an agriculture capable of
feeding hundreds of thousand (perhaps millions)of people living in great
cities along the river, which is the legend of El Dorado.

But do we have to embrace a mythic vision, a conquistador's dream of gold?
Is there some solid science involved? Might there actually be a modern soil
technolgy whereby faster growing plants would draw more CO2 out of the
atmosphere and the unused plant waste turned into charcoal (through
pyrolisis) to be returned to the soil for increased productiviity, more
carbon capture and long term sequestration, more food and fuel for
increasing populations, and more. In other words, might there be a positive
feedback loop for healing ourselves and the earth? A technologically
supported relationship for bringing human beings and nature into a mutually
supportive marriage? A sustainable technology of abundance?

The data are not in but the research is being conducted and the hopes are
great.

Please check out the following links to discover more about this exciting
possibility.

The ABC 11 minute video about the the modern version of terra preta
called "Agrichar"
is here <http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s2012892.htm>.

A lay person's introduction to terra preta is
here<http://www.biochar-international.org/images/Joyful_Liiving_Terra_Preta_Sept-Oct_0207.pdf>
.

Research confirms that char added to soil boosts crop productivity -- discussed
here <http://biopact.com/2007/06/research-confirms-biochar-in-soils.html>.

The BBC transcript of TheSecret of El Dorado" is
here<http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2002/eldorado.shtml>
".

Ken Salazar has introduced a bill in the US Senate that would fund research
on agrichar (the modern name for terra preta). It is discussed
here<http://biopact.com/2007/10/towards-carbon-negative-bioenergy-us.html>
.

I report the story unfolding from Brazil here <http://lougold.blogspot.com/>
.
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