RE: [Biochar] Added Explanations of the word "biochar"

[Anderson, Paul]

To author H Simmens and others who are writing or making materials  to inform about biochar, especially in relation to carbon dioxide removal (CDR), I call your attention to my effort last  year as a document and then as a video “summary”.   Here are the title and links:

 

·  Understanding Carbon Dioxide Removal and Storage (CDRS) [2021-02-18]   Video   |   Paper

 

Both are on my website    www.woodgas.energy/resources     I hope that this is useful.    I think that the video could be pitched to school teachers and their students.   Probably with a revision for the different grade levels.  

 

If someone (or some “communication-minded CDR entity”) wants to get into improved presentations, I can provide the originals of the PowerPoint graphics so that they could  be edited (and enlivened for children with some animation / visuals / etc.).

 

To Ron:  I think that the true relationship of BECCS to the other CDR methods is clearly shown in these graphics .   Clearly vastly different from Biochar.   I tried to NOT show bias toward or against any CDR type in these graphics.    (and to clearly state my bias in the written  document.)  

 

Paul

 

Doc / Dr TLUD / Paul S. Anderson, PhD --- Website:   www.drtlud.com

         Email:  psan...@ilstu.edu       Skype:   paultlud

         Phone:  Office: 309-452-7072    Mobile & WhatsApp: 309-531-4434

Exec. Dir. of Juntos Energy Solutions NFP    Go to: www.JuntosNFP.org 

Inventor of RoCC kilns and author of Biochar white paper :  See  www.woodgas.energy/resources  

Author of “A Capitalist Carol” (free digital copies at www.capitalism21.org)

         with pages 88 – 94 about solving the world crisis for clean cookstoves.

 

From: ma...@Biochar.groups.io <ma...@Biochar.groups.io> On Behalf Of Ron Larson via groups.io
Sent: Saturday, January 8, 2022 6:08 PM
To: Biochar.groups.io <ma...@biochar.groups.io>
Cc: H simmens <hsim...@gmail.com>; Ron Swenson <r...@solarquest.com>; Albert Bates <alb...@thefarm.org>
Subject: Re: [Biochar] Added Explanations of the word "biochar"

 

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List, with 3 ccs

 

This is the first in a new biochar.io list thread - but based on two earlier today - both within the last hour.  The subject follows a small (25-30 people?) zoom call today. - where the participants were all climate knowledgeable  The invited speaker was the author of the first note below - author of a 5-year old “vocabulary” book shown below.  I bought today for less than $10 via Amazon.  

` More intro below

On Jan 8, 2022, at 4:32 PM, H simmens <hsim...@gmail.com> wrote:

 

Hi Ron,

 

Thank you so much for looking carefully at my book and providing me with additional perspective and information. I’m relieved to see that you have no objection to what I wrote five years ago about bio char!

 

[RWL:  I assume a typo here.  biochar much preferred over bio char.

 

I have since learned a fair amount more about it partly from reading your posts on the CDR list. And also because I got to know Albert Bates.   I read his weekly commentary and his other work including his book Burn. 

 

He’s a good friend of a good friend of mine and as a result I had a chance to spend some time with him in person in Madrid on the sidelines of COP 25 two years ago. 

[RWL:  Albert and I met at the second biochar conference in Newcastle UK in 3008.  At least 5-6 similar biochar conferences since.  A good friend.

 

I’ve been meaning to alert this list to a 2-year old podcast featuring Albert - 

 

https://anchor.fm/reversingclimatechange/episodes/79-Biochar-or-Using-Fire-to-Cool-the-Earthwith-Albert-Bates-eenvav

 

   That I think is the best pitch for biochar I have yet heard.

 

Why - I am now guessing it is because he was a successful lawyer (as explained in the podcast).  This note being about words - it is great to bring Albert into the story.

 

I look forward to reviewing your note more closely , to learning more about bio char and to giving it a more prominent position in the second edition. 

 

[RWL:  I said an hour ago, i would be sending something soon; this is unexpectedly soon - and with no more new thoughts.  But quite likely we’ll (and you’ll) hear more.  I repeat to the 1000+ persons receiving this - this could be an important chance to get biochar better known - and for us to learn what not to do (and maybe how to emulate Albert.)

 

Ron

 

Thanks again!

 

Herb

Herb Simmens

Author A Climate Vocabulary of the Future

@herbsimmens

On Jan 8, 2022, at 6:10 PM, Ronal Larson <rongre...@comcast.net> wrote:



Herb:  cc Ron

 

[RWL:   I now have your book - and find no objection to your 4-5 uses of “biochar" and "Terra Preta". I have only done a few quick searches.(You might find it interesting to talk about biochar replacing “agrichar”.).  This was a trade-name - and there are several hundred biochar trade names now that might be interesting to analyze (example”black gold”)

 

   I intend to give this a bit more thought and soon go to the list “Biochar.io”.  I'll ask for additions quickly - given your 5 month deadline.  

I am one of two coordinators for that list - and possibly the biochar person spending the most time on CDR lists and discussions of today’s type.  I only know about 10% of those on today’s call.

 

I came to biochar from a concern about 3-stone fires, which can be much improved by making char rather than consuming it while cooking.  So you may later hear of “TLUDs" also.  (A common word in biochar circles.  Some even using it as a synonym.)

 

My (strongly biased) opinion is that biochar is now leading the CDR field.  But, being the newest and fastest-growing CDR approach, still often handled badly - even saying it is part of BECCS.

 

 

Here are my contributions today - with a little clarification:

 

1.  From Me to Everyone: (12:37 PM)


"Can you comment on the importance of climate language in a George Lakoff( partisanship) sense.
"

RWL1:  This picked up by Ron Swenson (a friend from 40 years ago, and being cc'd) later.  Obviously, he and I urge adding this sort of political addition to your next book. Can be down without picking sides.  Just to add to the importance of words and framing.  I am unaware of any unfair word for biochar - but am sure they will be forthcoming

 

 

2.  From Me to Everyone: (12:56 PM)

"
CDR=NET=GGR
"

[RWL2:

GGR = Greenhouse Gas Removals

NET = Negative Emissions Technologies 

 

You’ll find plenty on these topics - which are must additions to your 2nd edition.   They are treated by most everyone as synonyms - but obviously shouldn’t be.

 

Not quite the same - but also look for PYCCS.

 

 

3.  From Me to Everyone: (12:58 PM)


"Bio-Char is missed in most word searches
"

[RWL3: Hyphenation of biochar is still happening, but much less often.  Maybe fits within your book,  We have to kill this word.

 

 

4.  From Me to Everyone: (1:03 PM)


I haven’t heard the topic of what is happening in other languages.  There are fascinating different analogs in the hundreds (?) of translations.


[RWL4:  Let me know if you want to hear more along theee lines.  I think relatively easy to get this list from Google - but let me know if this is worth pursuing.  Probably can add several hundred more words - and a dozen scripts.  By far China is now leading biochar.  Lots of papers in Japanese and Korean - so there are both words and scripts to discuss.

 

 

Thanks for being on the webinar - and feel free to call on the biochar community.  More coming.   Ron

 

 

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[Ronal Larson]

Lists and Herb:  (with apologies to the CDR list who didn’t know I sent it to “biochar.io"), with emphasis on talking below to Herb:

I don’t believe this below is yet helpful.   Herb has to stay far away from endorsing biochar or any specific CDR approach.  What he is looking for ONLY is our suggestions on areas where the English language has not yet caught up with what is happening in science (all types including social sciences), business, ethics, etc - in every aspect of climate.  

The title of Herb’s book is "A Climate Vocabulary of the Future”.  Maybe in a year - add “Second edition”.    We should keep our discussion to all three words:  Only climate; only vocabulary; only future

Are there concepts any of us have wanted to get across and not found the right words?

One example that would help biochar is that there could/should be a new word for all those CDR approaches with three favorable attributes:  carbon negative, energy supplying, and soil improving (income generating).    I don’t believe such a word now exists.  I think Herb is willing to offer a suggestion here (and below)

Or, is there one word that separates biochar from BECCS?

I am bummed that NASEM put out a big report including biochar - with NO chapter for biochar, but more biochar words than BECCS received, because they had to talk about biochar in two chapters

Or is there a word that separates biochar and HTC from all the others?    Herb has yet to mention HTC = Hydrothermal Carbonization.  and I think likely to now have more peer-reviewed papers per annum than BECCS

Or are there two words that capture the similarities and distinctions between biochar and PYCCS?  (PYCCS not yet in)

I’m bothered regularly when hearing that biochar costs $X - and there is no mention of biochar being an investment - with a short payback period or a very high rate of return.  What word do we want to make our economic discussions of biochar go more easily?

Or how to tie time savings into economic arguments - and especially how differently time is valued in different countries or parts of countries (and biochar being favored because of time - not $ values).  I don’t know of the right word here for CDR - but I do know this is not a new theme in economics.

See four other examples i gave during Herb's talk yesterday.  Example 3 was on CDR vs NETs vs GGR.   Should biochar prefer one of these?  In the past, I have taken them all to be enough similar that it didn’t matter to biochar progress.  Maybe that is dead wrong.  Herb has not yet taken this matter up - but likely will in the revision.

Biochar is one of the few climate relevant removal technologies that covers CO2, CH4 and N2O.  Maybe we should be arguing against CDR as the best umbrella term?  I’ve never seen anything like that argument in print.

I’ll keep thinking on this, but bet I’ve just scratched the surface - especially when/if Herb includes the technical climate literature.  (At least half of biochar’s 300-400 papers per month are very hard for me to read - and might not be in 5 years)

Ron

On Jan 9, 2022, at 11:45 AM, Anderson, Paul <psan...@ilstu.edu> wrote:

To author H Simmens and others who are writing or making materials  to inform about biochar, especially in relation to carbon dioxide removal (CDR), I call your attention to my effort last  year as a document and then as a video “summary”.   Here are the title and links:

``<snip>