[Terrapreta] Ponder the Maunder

[Kevin Chisholm]

Dear Lou

lou gold wrote:
> Hi Mark,
>
> It will make it simple.
>
> I also am concerned about increasing soil productivity. I notice soil 
> productivity was often lost because best practices were not the most 
> profitable practices. So I am looking for a way to finance a very 
> large investment in returning carbon to the soil. I believe that the 
> link to global warming may be the necessary link to mobilize political 
> will for such an investment. I see that the mid-west farm lobby 
> already successfully used this argument to rationalize corn ethanol. I 
> don't like this way so I (we really) am trying to offer a better 
> carbon negative way that will both improve soil fertility and and 
> sequester carbon.
>
> Do you feel that I'm preaching?

Well, Preachers advocate action based on belief with no evidence. :-) 
What evidence do we have that the Global Climate Change that seems to be 
upon is is headed toward Global Warming, rather than Global Cooling? 
What evidence do we have that Terra Preta is worthwhile as an 
agricultural additive in temperate climate agriculture? What evidence do 
we have that the present Climate is being dominated by anthropogenic 
factors, and that the actions of Man can reverse the present GCC trend 
toward either Global Worming or Global Cooling?

Best wishes,

Kevin
>
> lou
>
> On Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 2:23 PM, Mark Ludlow <mark at ludlow.com 
> <mailto:mark at ludlow.com>> wrote:
>
>     Hi Lou,
>
>      
>
>     I can't speak for others, but I believe, personally, that framing
>     the discussion around carbon sequestration is a big mistake. Even
>     today, the world is experiencing rapidly escalating food prices
>     and the importance of making agriculture more sustainable and
>     productive may well affect more people in this century than GHG.
>
>      
>
>     My personal interest is sparked by the notion that char adds to or
>     at least helps to maintain soil fertility. It also will sequester
>     carbon and it may also immobilize certain toxic substances; all
>     positives, but all secondary to the improvement of soil fertility
>     and the virtual rebuilding of soils in many areas of the world.
>
>      
>
>     The discussion of late, seeming to imply some form of New World
>     Order as a solution for Global Warming, makes me at least a little
>     nervous and I can see that it has a similar effect on at least a
>     few others. Already, leaders of this way of viewing the future are
>     informing members of the list what ideas are politically correct
>     and which are anathematic. I don't remember being polled…
>
>      
>
>     If I want to be preached to, I'll try to find a preacher who's a
>     snake handler, not just a snake oil salesman, if for no other
>     reason than shear entertainment value. But actually, I would
>     rather believe that every man is his own best preacher and that
>     all of the jawboning, petty back-and-forth, and racing to gain the
>     moral high ground does little to further the "cause" of Terra Preta.
>
>      
>
>     Best regards,
>
>     Mark
>
>      
>
>      
>
>     ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>     *From:* terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org
>     <mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org>
>     [mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org
>     <mailto:terrapreta-bounces at bioenergylists.org>] *On Behalf Of *lou
>     gold
>     *Sent:* Tuesday, April 15, 2008 9:47 AM
>     *To:* Jim Joyner
>     *Cc:* Terra Preta
>     *Subject:* Re: [Terrapreta] Ponder the Maunder
>
>      
>
>     Fair enough. I'll try to elaborate.
>
>     Some of us believe that terra preta will make the world a better
>     place. That is why I am on this forum. I have no hard evidence to
>     prove that terra preta will make the world a better place but I
>     have both feeling and faith that it will. If I doubted it or if I
>     was skeptical I would not be here.
>
>     I guess that I'm asking a parallel question of you because I know
>     that there comes a time to put doubt aside and act. I _feel_ that
>     now is the time for terra preta and that the difference that makes
>     the difference between now and other times (when we could not have
>     cared less about terra preta) is our growing desire to remove CO2
>     from the atmosphere.
>
>     How does it work for you?
>
>     On Tue, Apr 15, 2008 at 1:34 PM, Jim Joyner <jimstoy at dtccom.net
>     <mailto:jimstoy at dtccom.net>> wrote:
>
>     lou gold wrote:
>
>      
>
>         lou gold wrote:
>
>         Please excuse my directness but I want to ask a personal
>         question. Do you think that we can make the world a better
>         place through endless doubt?
>
>         No, of course not.
>
>
>     Ok. Now, what is the good positive thing that you believe in for
>     making the world a better place?
>
>     I guess I don't know what you are looking for. Basically, I eat
>     when I'm hungry, sleep when I tired; raise my kids; grow my
>     garden. What else is there?
>
>     Not sure I have any such beliefs. We'll either get it right or we
>     won't.
>
>     Jim
>
>
>     _______________________________________________
>