[Terrapreta] What is so bad about global warming?

[Kevin Chisholm]

Dear Sean

Sean K. Barry wrote:
> Hi Kevin,
>  
> The key question is: "What business do you want to be in?"
>
> If you want to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, then that is one thing,
> but if you want grow things, than that is a different matter ...
>  
> Why should I be limited to only that line of sight?  I can walk and 
> chew gum at the same time.  I see the synergy of doing ALL of mining 
> CO2 from the atmosphere to make charcoal for TP style charcoal-in-soil 
> and growing things in TP-like soils attempts and helping others to do 
> the same.

Before you get into any Business, you must define that Business, and see 
a route to attaining the Business Goals. If my Business Objective is 
"Grow Turnips and Make Money", I might be able to do this, and I might 
proceed. If my Business Objective was "Grow Turnips, Sequester Carbon 
and Make Money", and if the actions of sequestering carbon were revenue 
neutral or revenue positive, then I would far prefer this route. If 
sequestering carbon was revenue negative to me, then I would not do it.

Perhaps you can find ways to make money sequestering carbon. Perhaps for 
philosophical reasons, you may even decide to include carbon 
sequestering in your Business Plan, even if it results in an incremental 
loss of profit. That is fine... it is up to you, because it is your 
business.
>  
> If your objective is to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, then OK. If my
> objective is to grow things more efficiently, with greater yields, and
> at lower cost, fossil carbon emissions are a secondary consideration.
>  
> What if past fossil carbon emissions and continuing present day fossil 
> carbon emissions begin to effect things like: reduced annual average 
> rainfall in your area, increased annual average temperature, longer 
> sustained droughts, climate migration, the cost of energy to run your 
> farming equipment, the cost and performance of fertilizers on your 
> farm, etc?    Then will fossil carbon emissions be more of a 
> consideration?

As a Small Grower, I cannot afford to be a Missionary. The above points 
would be a worry or a concern, but I would not spend money to alleviate 
them.
>  
> "What can Terra Preta do for my farm now?" sounds only like a greedy, 
> short sighted, only myself supporting approach. 

It would have sounded so much nicer if you said Small Growers must first 
stick to profitable business, so that they will still be around to do 
good over the long term. :-) Remember the very wise observation "The 
Second Mouse Gets the Cheese."
> Good for you and not necessarily good enough for the rest of us, perhaps?

Would you get into a Business that sequestered carbon, at a loss to the 
business?
> There isn't just one pie and surely you will get yourself a piece.  
> The world has more than enough to go around when we all learn to share 
> in it.  No one will take yours away.

When we learn how to make money from Terra Preta, then I am sure it will 
come into widespread acceptance. If the Person or Company making or 
using TP can't make money off it, TP will not get done.

Lets find ways to show the World how to make money off Terra Preta.

Best wishes,

Kevin


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