As many of my long-term readers know, rather than trying to speak only about topical issues that seem important in this moment, I try to record messages and information that will remain important for all time. That is why I have gone back into human history, further back than the development of written language, to recapture and rediscover the art and science of biochar. It is why I felt compelled to share it with my readers. My six posts from over two years ago, each one indicated by a one word title beginning with the letter "M", have taught many people the nearly lost technology that we call biochar today. If all that we are familiar with passes, there is, perhaps, one thing that could be the most important to understand, it is how to make and use this ancient material. Human ancestors thought it was important enough to share over seven thousand years ago and there are few things humans can do that make as much difference to our quality of life and health as improving the quality of our soils. Even though the majority of life on our planet is microscopic, that does not mean that it is any less important than the creatures we can see. Learning to revere that which we cannot see though, that presents a challenge for some.
I guess I never thought about it but there does seem to be a sizeable contingent that places their faith in an unseen force, but there is still no science that can prove the existence of "god". Soil microbes on the other hand can bee seen with the right equipment. We can also document such changes as biochar can make. At the application rate of just one tonne per hectare, a little less than (900 pounds per acre) we know that it doubles crop production, reduces the need for both fertilizer and irrigation by 1/3 to 1/2, protects both surface and groundwater quality and greatly expands habitat for the soil microbes that are responsible for feeding plants and ameliorating the effects of global climate destabilization. An interesting side benefit for our unusual times is that it sequesters carbon in soil, for geologic time, not just in the form of pyrolized carbon itself, but the myriad of organisms who coat the surfaces of the material which has fourteen acres of surface area in each and every handful. There are many things that have been around forever that are not just serviceable, but either reflect enduring qualities that we consider human or essential to understanding who we are and those that can give us hints about our "purpose" here on Earth. Although we often gloss over some of them, I try to tease out the salient parts for today or intricately weave them into the more topical discussions that inform the avant garde. I also try to tease out those aspects which may have value hundreds of lifetimes hence. Under our current covid-19 crisis, there are things in our past that we can remember or call to mind that can help us deal with the situation we find ourselves in now. There are also things that I come across in day-to-day life that may be of service thousands of years from now and I do not want to claim to know the difference. In a perfect world, I would be an equal opportunity chronicler. Knowing not just that history repeats, but that the human species has come up against other, similarly challenging times can often give us strength and confidence that there will be light at the end of these dark times. Just as when walking, putting one foot in front of the other is typically necessary, laying out these ideas not only allows us to get a sense of where we are, but how all of our parts are cooperating (or not) to achieve efficient locomotion. With a bit of luck, when I find things that are out of place or not working at all, it will give readers impetus to make changes necessary for confronting our issues, meeting new challenges and facing who we, sometimes unwittingly, have become. If my words help us to determine who we want to be, all the better.
Rest assured, there were people claiming the end was near since we were still lived in caves and there were people who warned against the use of fire because it was seen as a new, dangerous and seductive force among us. Today, we have the same sorts of reactions to 5G and microchipping individuals to constantly monitor their location or physical attributes. It is well to remember that as we stand on the threshold of this brave new world, there are great applications for even the scariest technologies. A friend, compelled by love and wracked with compassion, is worried to death about his wife and her health issues, so she wears a continuous blood glucose monitor that sends real time updates and alerts to his phone if she gets either too much or too little sugar in her blood. Without ever having to prick her finger, this technology aids the two of them to plan and adjust to changing conditions, just like we bring everything up from our basement every time the flood warnings sound. From one perspective, it all makes sense but from another perspective, it is very scary also. Just knowing that the closeness to a situation can change your perspective is something that I consider to be a timeless treasure.
I guess I never thought about it but there does seem to be a sizeable contingent that places their faith in an unseen force, but there is still no science that can prove the existence of "god". Soil microbes on the other hand can bee seen with the right equipment. We can also document such changes as biochar can make. At the application rate of just one tonne per hectare, a little less than (900 pounds per acre) we know that it doubles crop production, reduces the need for both fertilizer and irrigation by 1/3 to 1/2, protects both surface and groundwater quality and greatly expands habitat for the soil microbes that are responsible for feeding plants and ameliorating the effects of global climate destabilization. An interesting side benefit for our unusual times is that it sequesters carbon in soil, for geologic time, not just in the form of pyrolized carbon itself, but the myriad of organisms who coat the surfaces of the material which has fourteen acres of surface area in each and every handful. There are many things that have been around forever that are not just serviceable, but either reflect enduring qualities that we consider human or essential to understanding who we are and those that can give us hints about our "purpose" here on Earth. Although we often gloss over some of them, I try to tease out the salient parts for today or intricately weave them into the more topical discussions that inform the avant garde. I also try to tease out those aspects which may have value hundreds of lifetimes hence. Under our current covid-19 crisis, there are things in our past that we can remember or call to mind that can help us deal with the situation we find ourselves in now. There are also things that I come across in day-to-day life that may be of service thousands of years from now and I do not want to claim to know the difference. In a perfect world, I would be an equal opportunity chronicler. Knowing not just that history repeats, but that the human species has come up against other, similarly challenging times can often give us strength and confidence that there will be light at the end of these dark times. Just as when walking, putting one foot in front of the other is typically necessary, laying out these ideas not only allows us to get a sense of where we are, but how all of our parts are cooperating (or not) to achieve efficient locomotion. With a bit of luck, when I find things that are out of place or not working at all, it will give readers impetus to make changes necessary for confronting our issues, meeting new challenges and facing who we, sometimes unwittingly, have become. If my words help us to determine who we want to be, all the better.
Rest assured, there were people claiming the end was near since we were still lived in caves and there were people who warned against the use of fire because it was seen as a new, dangerous and seductive force among us. Today, we have the same sorts of reactions to 5G and microchipping individuals to constantly monitor their location or physical attributes. It is well to remember that as we stand on the threshold of this brave new world, there are great applications for even the scariest technologies. A friend, compelled by love and wracked with compassion, is worried to death about his wife and her health issues, so she wears a continuous blood glucose monitor that sends real time updates and alerts to his phone if she gets either too much or too little sugar in her blood. Without ever having to prick her finger, this technology aids the two of them to plan and adjust to changing conditions, just like we bring everything up from our basement every time the flood warnings sound. From one perspective, it all makes sense but from another perspective, it is very scary also. Just knowing that the closeness to a situation can change your perspective is something that I consider to be a timeless treasure.
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