Biochar and Fertilization

Welcome to Biochar and Fertilization: Civilization’s Final Hope. Unchecked, global warming and pollution will destroy civilization as we know it. We are seeing the initial stages already. If we are lucky, it won’t happen fast — but no one is quite sure, since there have been no global-wide catastrophes in recorded history. We are standing on the edge of the abyss, and act as if we can just keep going on, so long as we don’t look down. We are not cartoon characters however, one or two more steps and we will begin plunging helplessly downward, and then it will be too late to do anything about it. This site is about getting people to look down, take a step aside, and begin the arduous task of building a bridge across the chasm.

Biochar is the only plausible solution to the global warming threat. That it also can replace fossil fuels without wasting food crops (as some biofuel options do); that it enriches soil so that more and bigger crops will grow on less land; that it remediates soil, so that currently unproductive land may be made to produce crops and biomass; that it reduces run-off of pollutants into rivers and lakes; that it conserves moisture and lessens the need for irrigation; that it can be produced profitably, instead of having a high-cost; that it reduces the need for fertilizer by making nutrients more available to plants; all these are merely miraculous side-effects. That it sequesters carbon, in many cases for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, is the feature that will make biochar civilization’s salvation.

Fertilization is a necessary adjunct to biochar use, since the biochar is not itself a fertilizer. It acts more as a catalyst, making fertilizer more effective and longer lasting. On this site, we emphasize the use of organic fertilizers, particularly compost, as the ideal solution to soil fertility problems. We realize the transition from unsustainable and polluting petro-chemical based fertilizers to sustainable organic methods will take some time — a shift in mindset — but it must be done if we are to ’save the Earth.’

That phrase, ’save the Earth’ is euphemistic of course. The Earth will go on just fine whatever we do — it is mankind, and civilization that are really at stake. The growing rift between haves and have-nots can only lead to more global unrest. The constant growth of population amid declining resources can only lead to fatal crises. Add the effects of global warming into the mix, and massive starvation will likely follow.

Biochar offers a solution to many of these problems at once. If we have the foresight to combine organic fertilization with the biochar solution, we can support the world’s current population without destroying the rain forests, and stop global warming from wreaking havoc on the environment at the same time.

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