[Stoves] Fwd: [biochar] First of series about small-scale biochar to stop crop waste burning
Ronal W. Larson
rongretlarson at comcast.net
Thu Aug 23 00:42:21 CDT 2018
List: cc Michael
Michael - a very strong supporter of biochar has asked that I give some rationale for my belief that there is a future for stoves that can make biochar. I have chosen to give a partial response with a promise to look up a few more sources.
If you are also a member of the biochar list, ignore this message. If only a member of the stoves list, keep your reply here - or go to Michael and/or me if you would prefer.
Michael is doing some fantastic work with biochar in Northern Thailand, which you can learn more about at this site (and nearby): https://warmheartworldwide.org/biochar-presentation-leads-to-action/ <https://warmheartworldwide.org/biochar-presentation-leads-to-action/>
Michael has recently provided a first part of a five part series on biochar. If that is of importance to you, you should join that (Yahoo) biochar list.
Ron
ps. There is also a long thread below on Michael's Part 1 (little on stoves).
> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: "Ronal W. Larson" <rongretlarson at comcast.net>
> Subject: Re: [biochar] First of series about small-scale biochar to stop crop waste burning
> Date: August 22, 2018 at 11:26:08 PM MDT
> To: Michael Shafer <d.michael.shafer at gmail.com>, biochar <biochar at yahoogroups.com>
>
> Michael and biochar list (and I will send a copy later to the stove list - so that later responders need not cross list)
>
> This is to provide a first response to your 2 questions below from a few hours ago
>
> 1. I presume by "clean stove project as a whole", you mean GACC - the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves. I think they have done some commendable work, but not much on charcoal-making stoves. All the leaders there who I came to know have left. GACC has been moving in a direction not helpful to char-making stoves. But they have been supportive of a new ISO test procedure, which I predict will be helpful - as char-making stoves so clearly will have the highest Tier ratings.
>
> 2. Re "biochar stove component specifically", I have to break this into three parts: a) those that do emphasize biochar and b) those that can make char, but don't -and could and should, and c) those having success with biochar, and have some stove-like characteristics.
>
> a) Those that make char specifically from cookstoves include:
> 1) World stove (Nat Mulcahy). Is NOT a TLUD, but instead a clever employment of Venturi principles. Has the equipment to produce orders of magnitude more parts - because of his background in large scale manufacture. Ships flat. Has been effectively making pellets in I think Uganda and several other countries, for 3-4 years (?) ALL the produced char goes into the ground I think. Has support from voluntary carbon credits. Certainly needs more financial support.
> 2) Julien Winter working with a $25 locally built unit in Bangladesh. I believe there is an insistence on char going into the ground. Good results in 2nd year I believe. Not many sales yet, but strong local support in one area. Very interesting design. Sales are growing because of money being earned while cooking.
> 3) Paul Anderson with Champion stove in northern India (produced in Chennai). Char being exclusively collected from 35,000 (?) stove owners, for non soil use - but soil application coming along I believe. I expect Paul will want answer your question.
> 4) Work of Kirk Harris of Bay Area, California. Has been the TLUD side of Approvecho (Oregon) - one of the major NGO stove developers. Reported to be Tier five in all regards; I think no stove has scored better. Recently has disclosed to a few that he has achieved a turndown ratio of about 4. Never consumes the char,I think
> 5) I have visited Bill Knauss and Gordon West who have installed small cookstove units in both New Mexico and Mexico with emphasis on soil application
> .
> 6) I will look up the records of the ETHOS meetings (14?). Several stoves available there from South Africa, I believe.
>
> b) Those that make char and then consume it (but need not)
> 1) The Phillips stove did/does this. The inventor is reported to have often made char when personally using his device. When the large Phillips firm bowed out, they passed the design on - and it still is producing stoves. I don't know enough - but this was a large corporate effort that did continue for some years - and we should thank them for that.
> 2). The Mimi Moto stove seems to be in first place now - produced also in the Netherlands. Being promoted by Inyenyeri (in Kenya and Uganda (?). . There might be some biochar applications somewhere.
> 3) Being late, I will look up more at the GACC site and also the nice collection and report prepared for GIZ by Christa Roth; see - stoves.bioenergylists.org/taxonomy/term/139 <http://stoves.bioenergylists.org/taxonomy/term/139>
>
> c) Those that make char and have a little cook-stove operation - but with emphasis on soil application
> 1). I'm thinking especially of Norm Baker of Seattle - who is on his 19th design and getting great soil results in 5th or 6th year. Open source plans for 7 and 55 gallon systems.
> 2) I have seen reference to using systems of the "flame cap" type you employ with food preservations. Definitely not answering your question - but not much needs change to show growth of a combined cookstove-biochar community.
>
> 3. Not answering your question on stoves specifically, but there is an amazing number of videos with do-it-yourself camping units that employ TLUD principles. Maybe some char gets into the ground, although most probably consume the char.
>
> Sorry I don't have more off the top of my head - but this is a start that I hope others on the biochar or stoves list can amplify.
>
> I am not claiming this is an impressive list of commercial successes. But there are many more now than ten years ago, when the biochar list got started. The adoption curve and its derivative for combined cooking and char-production have the right slopes. Apologies to those who I have failed to list.
>
> To repeat why I think there is a bright future for TLUD cookstoves: the cook can make money while cooking. I know of no other stove that can make that claim. It will not be health reasons. It will not be for carbon sequestration reasons (at least until such funds appear). We need the marketing and financial skills you have correctly noted have been missing. But the combined stove/biochar potential is there and most of the persons named above have recognized it.
>
> I still owe you lists from GACC, ETHOS, and Christa Roth/GIZ (and hopefully other readers on the two lists can think of other sources).
>
> Ron
>
>
>> On Aug 22, 2018, at 9:44 PM, d.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Ron,
>>
>> For the sake of all of us, can you tell us (1) about the successes of the clean stove project as a whole and (2) the biochar stove component specifically?
>>
>> M
>>
>> Michael Shafer
>> www.warmheartworldwide.org <http://www.warmheartworldwide.org/>
>> www.twitter.com/warmheartorg <http://www.twitter.com/warmheartorg>
>> http://www.facebook.com/warmheartworldwide <http://www.youtube.com/warmheartvideo>
>>
>>
>>
>> Dr. D. Michael Shafer
>> Founder and Director, Warm Heart
>> +1 732-745-9295 <tel:+1 732-745-9295> | +66 (0)85 199-2958 <tel:+66 (0)85 199-2958> | d.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com>
>> www.warmhearworldwide.org <http://www.warmhearworldwide.org/> | Skype: d.michael.shafer53 <x-msg://419/#>
>> 61 M.8 T.Maepang A.Phrao 50190 Chiang Mai Thailand
>> <http://www.facebook.com/d.michael.shafer> <http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelshaferwarmheart?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile> <http://twitter.com/warmheartorg>
>> <https://www.facebook.com/warmheartworldwide/>
>>
>> Latest Tweet: <https://twitter.com/WarmHeartOrg> Let’s Smoke Again! - The following blog comes from Stéphane Gnakalé who just spent his second summer at... https://t.co/zjJII6bP8R <https://t.co/zjJII6bP8R> Read More <https://twitter.com/WarmHeartOrg/statuses/1031054909523808256>
>> Get your own email signature <https://www.wisestamp.com/signature-in-email?utm_source=promotion&utm_medium=signature&utm_campaign=get_your_own>
>>
>> On Thu, Aug 23, 2018 at 10:38 AM Ronal W. Larson <rongretlarson at comcast.net <mailto:rongretlarson at comcast.net>> wrote:
>> Michael and list
>>
>> We better agree to disagree on char-making stoves. I see some good things happening.
>>
>> We seem to agree completely re China.
>>
>> Ron
>>
>>
>>
>>> On Aug 22, 2018, at 1:17 AM, 'd.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com>' d.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com> [biochar] <biochar at yahoogroups.com <mailto:biochar at yahoogroups.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Ron, you don't quit, do you?
>>>
>>> OK, a few thoughts.
>>>
>>> I am obviously not a big clean stove guy. My problem is not with the idea but with the execution. i think that the entire endeavor has been a disaster from the start because, lord save me, there has been no market driver. What's my view of the problem?
>>> Lots and lots of cheap money for lots and lots of academic scientists and engineers to fiddle and twiddle without ever having to think about the reality of the women who will actually use the stoves. (Consider how many are 3 feet tall. One woman I know squatted down in front of me and held her arms over her head and asked, "How long do they think I can cook like this?" Another put a full pot of water on top of a stove, brought it to a boil and tipped the whole thing over. She looked at me and her toddler.)
>>> Little or no considerable of manufacturability.
>>> No marketing.
>>> No loss-leading investment in distribution.
>>>
>>> Consider the whole project. Dude A invents his own stove. He gets some NGO to give 25 of them to a village. The villagers use them and say they like them. Victory is declared.. Nothing is accomplished.
>>>
>>> Is this the way that P&G rolls out a new version of a product as familiar as toothpaste? No. They focus group it to death. Then they advertise it to death targeting what they learned from their focus groups. Then the distribute it to every single wholesaler, retailer, market stall holder, whomever across the entire territory is huge quantities. They make sure that everyone - everyone - knows that this stuff is the best stuff since the chewing stick - and they make absolutely sure that you know where to buy it at a competitive price.
>>>
>>> Has anyone considered anything like this for clean stoves?
>>>
>>> No.
>>>
>>> Has anyone tried to manufacture a stove en masse?
>>>
>>> No.
>>>
>>> Has anyone focus grouped the hell out of clean stoves in a market?
>>>
>>> No.
>>>
>>> Has anyone flooded a market with sales materials and sales reps and product?
>>>
>>> No.
>>>
>>> Has anyone considered taking an upfront loss to build market share, a user base and brand loyalty?
>>>
>>> No.
>>>
>>> Bottom line: I think that saving people from PM2.5 inhalation is a great idea. It just drives me crazy that with all of this money no one bothered to think about this critical, life-saving proposition as a basic business problem.
>>>
>>> M
>>>
>>> PS. Re the Chinese. Yes, they produce a huge amount of eCO2 and other bad stuff. But you need to look at the big picture. They install more wind and solar every year than the rest of the world possesses. They have shut down an amazing number of power plants, steel mills and other high emissions factories. Perfect? Absolutely not. But trying hard. Remember all the talk about how proud everyone was about almost accomplishing the Millennium Development Goal on Poverty Reduction? Consider that 95% of the reduction was accomplished by China and 5% by the rest of the world combined.
>>>
>>> PPS. As for it being easier some places, yes, absolutely - and all the more reason that people ought to spend more time looking at their feet instead of walking around with their heads in the clouds. Of course, climate change is a monumental problem, but that does not mean that its solutions are to be found in the stratosphere. Problems start with people on the ground. They are generally best served by changing people's behaviors on the ground. Developing successful behavior change strategies may involve changing the macro-environment (maybe we could eventually make carbon reduction "valuable"), but even when they do, it is individuals who respond to the changed incentives.
>>>
>>> This is the heart of my argument for small-scale biochar social enterprises. Sure, I would love to be able to build 3 tonne per hour machines out there, but they won't work. What is necessary is providing an incentive to the individual small farmer to change his behavior. The big boys could help. Creating demand would be easy and cheap. For example, the cost of buying say a million tonnes of smallholder biochar would be insignificant relative to the climate change damage averted or the health care costs avoided.. But think about something so simple? Absolutely not. You can call that whatever you like. I will bite my tongue.
>>>
>>> Michael Shafer
>>> www.warmheartworldwide.org <http://www.warmheartworldwide.org/>
>>> www.twitter.com/warmheartorg <http://www.twitter.com/warmheartorg>
>>> http://www.facebook.com/warmheartworldwide <http://www.youtube.com/warmheartvideo>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Dr. D. Michael Shafer
>>> Founder and Director, Warm Heart
>>> +1 732-745-9295 <tel:+1%20732-745-9295> | +66 (0)85 199-2958 <tel:+66%20(0)85%20199-2958> | d.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com>
>>> www.warmhearworldwide.org <http://www.warmhearworldwide.org/> | Skype: d.michael.shafer53 <>
>>> 61 M.8 T.Maepang A.Phrao 50190 Chiang Mai Thailand
>>> <http://www.facebook.com/d.michael.shafer> <http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelshaferwarmheart?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile> <http://twitter.com/warmheartorg>
>>> <https://www.facebook.com/warmheartworldwide/>
>>>
>>> Latest Tweet: <https://twitter.com/WarmHeartOrg> Let’s Smoke Again! - The following blog comes from Stéphane Gnakalé who just spent his second summer at... https://t.co/zjJII6bP8R <https://t.co/zjJII6bP8R> Read More <https://twitter.com/WarmHeartOrg/statuses/1031054909523808256>
>>> Get your own email signature <https://www.wisestamp.com/signature-in-email?utm_source=promotion&utm_medium=signature&utm_campaign=get_your_own>
>>> On Wed, Aug 22, 2018 at 12:33 PM 'Ronal W. Larson' rongretlarson at comcast.net <mailto:rongretlarson at comcast.net> [biochar] <biochar at yahoogroups.com <mailto:biochar at yahoogroups.com>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Michael and list:
>>>
>>> Whew! Lots new below. I vote for more polemics (see last line below).
>>>
>>> I'll mostly wait for the next 4 postings, but will also try to look for:
>>>
>>> a. ways to prove that the poorest Thai farmers can make char in their own stoves as well as (not instead of) your flame cap approaches. I'm communicating with some stove developers who are developing improved char-making stoves. I think the driver will be earning money rather than spending it for most (all?) cooking tasks. Cooking with charcoal is often preferred over wood, but I believe we can proves that char-making (not char-using) stoves are better for their users (and of course for society). The char still goes in the ground mostly but maybe sold for cooking; the important thing is raising family income.
>>>
>>> b. ways to help your efforts via donations - as found at https://warmheartworldwide.org/donate/ <https://warmheartworldwide.org/donate/>
>>>
>>> c. time to look at your many videos I somehow suddenly found tonight at: https://www.youtube.com/warmheartvideo <https://www.youtube.com/warmheartvideo>
>>>
>>> d. topics that are below and not covered enough for me in the next four. There is a lot of important information below about China I did not know - including that China has it easier than those you are helping (but both can be helped a lot by biochar).
>>>
>>> Ron
>>>
>>>
>>>> On Aug 21, 2018, at 9:28 PM, 'd.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com>' d.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com> [biochar] <biochar at yahoogroups.com <mailto:biochar at yahoogroups.com>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Dear Ron,
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for the support. With enthusiasm like this, I may release the articles faster, although they are still getting stuff added.
>>>>
>>>> You have asked a lot of important questions and it is important that i be honest about framing who and what i am. I am not a scientist and do not have access to lab facilities. Therefore, I simply cannot answer questions that require truly scientific data driven answers from me. On the other hand, I appear to be one of the few people who spends a lot of time with small farmers trying this and that biochar solution to fix as many problems in combination as possible. This means, for example, that I cannot answer questions about the impact of this project on enteric methane, but that I can tell you a lot about haze/smoke reduction and a bit more about Pan's work.
>>>>
>>>> To keep things straight, let me descend to your email below and comment on specific sections in ALL CAPS to make clear my additions.
>>>>
>>>> Thanks again for you interest. My thoughts on many of the issues you raise will be "revealed" at the other articles appear.
>>>>
>>>> M
>>>>
>>>> Michael Shafer
>>>> www.warmheartworldwide.org <http://www.warmheartworldwide.org/>
>>>> www.twitter.com/warmheartorg <http://www.twitter.com/warmheartorg>
>>>> http://www.facebook.com/warmheartworldwide <http://www.youtube.com/warmheartvideo>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Dr. D. Michael Shafer
>>>> Founder and Director, Warm Heart
>>>> +1 732-745-9295 <tel:+1%20732-745-9295> | +66 (0)85 199-2958 <tel:+66%20(0)85%20199-2958> | d.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com>
>>>> www.warmhearworldwide.org <http://www.warmhearworldwide.org/> | Skype: d.michael.shafer53 <>
>>>> 61 M.8 T.Maepang A.Phrao 50190 Chiang Mai Thailand
>>>> <http://www.facebook.com/d.michael.shafer> <http://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelshaferwarmheart?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile> <http://twitter.com/warmheartorg>
>>>> <https://www.facebook.com/warmheartworldwide/>
>>>>
>>>> Latest Tweet: <https://twitter.com/WarmHeartOrg> Let’s Smoke Again! - The following blog comes from Stéphane Gnakalé who just spent his second summer at.... https://t.co/zjJII6bP8R <https://t.co/zjJII6bP8R> Read More <https://twitter.com/WarmHeartOrg/statuses/1031054909523808256>
>>>> Get your own email signature <https://www.wisestamp.com/signature-in-email?utm_source=promotion&utm_medium=signature&utm_campaign=get_your_own>
>>>> On Tue, Aug 21, 2018 at 11:49 PM Ronal W. Larson <rongretlarson at comcast.net <mailto:rongretlarson at comcast.net>> wrote:
>>>> Michael and list:
>>>>
>>>> This looks to be a fascinating series. I wish the remaining four parts were available in days, not weeks. I especially look forward to being able to see the last section which appears to support the idea that ONLY biochar is available to solve the growing problems associated with corn production. Your first article has many statistics on corn of which I was unaware.
>>>>
>>>> NOTE: THE CONTENTION IS NOT THAT IT ALONE CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM, BUT THAT SMALL-SCALE (FARM-SCALE) PRODUCTION IS THE ONLY MEANS AVAILABLE TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM OF CROP BURNING BY SMALL RURAL FARMERS IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD. (FARMERS IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD DO NO BURN AND, BY AND LARGE, THE BIGGER THE FARM IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD, THE MORE LIKELY THE (RICHER) FARMER IS TO HAVE A TRACTOR AND TO PLOW CROP WASTE UNDER.)
>>>>
>>>> It doesn't seem sensible to ask questions yet, but I hope you will include a lot of your own work on increased soil productivity, and maybe include enteric methane release as another driver.
>>>>
>>>> WARM HEART HAS CONDUCTED EXPERIMENTAL PLOT (RANDOMIZED, 3 REPLICATE) COMPARISONS OF VARIOUS MIXES OF BIOCHAR AND ORGANICS V. NPK AT DIFFERENT APPLICATION LEVELS FOR FOUR YEARS. THE ONLY MEASURE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE RELIGIOUSLY IS YIELD. THERE WE HAVE FOUND THAT THE BEST BIOCHAR YIELD IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN NPK APPLIED AS LOCAL FARMERS APPLY IT.
>>>> A YEAR AGO, WARM HEART HAD LOCAL FARMERS RUN A SIMPLER, TWO PLOT TEST WHERE THEY COMMITTED TWO, TRADITIONALLY SIMILARLY YIELDING PLOTS LOCATED IMMEDIATELY NEXT TO EACH OTHER AND BY A MAIN ROAD. ONE THEY FERTILIZED WITH THEIR NORMAL NPK MIX AND APPLIED ON THEIR NORMAL SCHEDULE. THE OTHER WE FERTILIZED WITH A SINGLE APPLICATION OF A BIOCHAR MIX OF NEVER MORE THAN 250 G/M2. WE HAD A LOT OF DROPOUTS BECAUSE OF PEST INFESTATIONS AND FLOODING, BUT AMONG THE REMAINING 10 PLOTS, BIOCHAR OUTPERFORMED NPK BY 10.8% ON AVERAGE. WHAT IMPRESSED FARMERS MUCH MORE THAN THEIR IMPROVED YIELDS, HOWEVER, WAS (1) THAT THEIR SOIL NOTICEABLY IMPROVED ("THE WORMS CAME BACK!") AND (2) THAT THEIR CROPS WERE NOTICEABLY HEALTHIER.
>>>> NOTE: THESE SHOULD NOT BE DEEMED SCIENTIFIC EXPERIMENTS. THIS YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO SOIL TESTS OF PLOTS PRE-APPLICATION AND HAVE A PROMISE THAT THE TESTERS WILL RETURN POST-HARVEST. THIS PRE-/POST- WILL GIVE US THE FIRST "SCIENTIFIC" DATA ABOUT THE IMPACT OF BIOCHAR ON THE SOIL.
>>>> NOTE: ALTHOUGH PH 4.5 ON AVERAGE, RICE PADDIES ARE THE BEST LAND IN THE REGION BECAUSE STUBBLE AND ROOTS ARE TURNED UNDER IN FIELD PREPARATION. MOUNTAIN CORN FIELDS HAVE FAR WORSE SOIL, OFTEN SHOWING NO SOIL LIFE AND ESSENTIALLY NO OM.
>>>>
>>>> There are few papers associating biochar with smoke reduction as the motivator, so your series can be very valuable (we have a heavy haze today in Colorado from many wildfires). I hear that smoke minimization is a/the main rationale for China's own rapid/extensive growth in biochar production. I have not been able to find much on that, and so was surprised to view a short video by Dr. Genxing Pan, one of China's leading biochar authorities. See https://vimeo.com/266025971 <https://vimeo.com/266025971>
>>>>
>>>> I HAVE NOT SEEN THE VIDEO, BUT I HAVE SPOKEN TO AND CORRESPONDED WITH PAN FOR SEVERAL YEARS.. THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT HAS A HUGE INTEREST IN THREE THINGS RELATED TO BIOCHAR AND IS PURSUING ALL THREE AGGRESSIVELY: SMOKE REDUCTION, FERTILIZER USE REDUCTION AND HEAVY METAL DECONTAMINATION. PAN'S LAB STARTED WITH HEAVY METALS AND REALLY LED THE WAY THERE. (SEE THE IBI BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR THE MANY ARTICLES THEY PUBLISHED ON THE SUBJECT). NEXT, WITH STEVE JOSEPH, THEY WORKED ON BIOCHAR-MINERAL COMPLEX FERTILIZERS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF HYBRIDS INCLUDING NPK. (THIS IS MORE RECENT. STEVE WILL SURELY BE WILLING TO SHARE PAPERS.) FINALLY, PAN DEVELOPED A DISTRIBUTED, LARGE-SCALE BIOCHAR PRODUCTION SYSTEM FOR THE LARGE CENTRAL AND NORTHERN PLAINS OF CHINA WHERE STRAW COLLECTION IS EASY. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING OUT A SYSTEM OF 300+ PYROLYZER STATIONS FED BY MORE LOCAL STRAW STORAGE DEPOTS. THE BIOCHAR FEEDS INTO A LARGE-SCALE BIOCHAR-BASED FERTILIZER PRODUCTION SYSTEM THAT DISTRIBUTES BACK TO FARMERS. THE CIRCULAR SYSTEM SHOULD (1) DRAMATICALLY REDUCE SMOKE (IN JULY 50% OF THE SMOKE OVER BEIJING IS "VISITING" RICE STRAW BURNING SMOKE), (2) CUT THE DEMAND FOR COSTLY AND PETRO-HEAVY SYNTHETICS, AND (3) BEGIN A STEADY PROCESS OF REDUCING CHRONIC HEAVY METAL POISONING.
>>>> PAN'S SYSTEM WOULD, I THINK, APPLY WELL IN THE GREAT WHEAT PRODUCTION AREAS OF INDIAN AND PAKISTANI PUNJAB, IRAN, PROBABLY UKRAINE AND SO ON. UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS NOT APPLICABLE TO SMALL HOUSEHOLDS BECAUSE THE COST AND CARBON FOOTPRINT OF CROP WASTE COLLECTION ARE TOO HIGH. THIS IS WHY I FOCUS ON SMALL-SCALE BIOCHAR.
>>>> WARM HEART HAS DEVELOPED THE TECHNOLOGY AND TRAINING CAPACITY TO SET THESE UP.
>>>> WARM HEART HAS OPERATED ONE FULL-BORE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE AND KNOWS THAT FARMERS WILL PARTICIPATE HAPPILY.
>>>> WARM HEART IS NOW OPERATING IS OWN SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPING PRODUCTION BASED ON BRANCHES PRUNED FROM LOCAL ORCHARD TREES..
>>>> THIS MODEL WORKS - PROVIDED IT IS POSSIBLE TO MAKE A MARKET.. AS I WILL DISCUSS IN A LATER ARTICLE, DEMAND CREATION IS A HUGE ISSUE, NOT LEAST BECAUSE OF THE INDIFFERENCE OR ACTUAL HOSTILITY OF THE BIG DEVELOPMENT NGOS AND ORGANIZATIONS, TO SAY NOTHING OF THE LARGE NATIONAL FERTILIZER MONOPOLIES.
>>>> THE BEST BET FOR DEVELOPING WORLD BIOCHAR RIGHT NOW IS BIOCHAR BRIQUETTES. I KNOW THAT THIS VIOLATES THE GREATEST VIRTUE OF BIOCHAR, ITS ABILITY TO SEQUESTER CO2, BUT IT MAY BE THE ONLY WAY TO CREATE A VIABLE MARKET.
>>>> WHEN YOU MAKE BIOCHAR, YOU GET RID OF ALMOST ALL OF THE NH3, CH4, NOx, SOx AND SO ON.
>>>> WHEN YOU MAKE A GOOD BIOCHAR BRIQUETTE, YOU MAKE A BRIQUETTE THAT IS ENTIRELY AROMATIC FREE (DOESN'T SMELL)
>>>> WHEN YOU MAKE A GOOD BIOCHAR BRIQUETTE, IT LIGHTS FASTER, AND BURNS LONGER AND HOTTER (THEREFORE DOES NOT SMOKE) THAN TRADITIONAL CHARCOAL/CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES.
>>>> BIOCHAR BRIQUETTES ARE IMMENSELY POPULAR AND PEOPLE BUY THEM BY PREFERENCE OVER WOOD, CHARCOAL, AND CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES BECAUSE OF THEIR BETTER PERFORMANCE
>>>> BIOCHAR BRIQUETTES DO RELEASE CO AND MAY BE LESS GOOD THAN WELL DESIGNED "CLEAN STOVES"
>>>> HOWEVER, CLEAN STOVES ARE A NON-STARTED EVERYWHERE I HAVE BEEN IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD AND IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT IT WILL TAKE DECADES FOR THEM TO REACH THE 3 BILLION PEOPLE CURRENTLY DEEMED AT RISK
>>>> BIOCHAR BRIQUETTES, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE CHEAP, A LOCALLY MANUFACTURED, REQUIRE NO OUTSIDE INTERVENTION, DO AN OK JOB - AND PEOPLE WANT TO USE THEM!
>>>> FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH RISK REDUCTION POINT OF VIEW, WHY ARE WE NOT SUPPORTING BIOCHAR IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD?
>>>>
>>>> THIS SET OF ARTICLES ADDRESSES SMOKE/HAZE FROM CROP BURNING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SMALL-SCALE BIOCHAR - BIOCHAR MADE BY THE FARMERS WHO BURN. i FOCUSED ON CROP BURNING LARGELY FOR STRATEGIC REASONS: CLIMATE CHANGE AFFECTS PEOPLE IN THE NORTH AND I FELT THAT CROP BURNING'S BIG CONTRIBUTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE MIGHT MOVE SOME TO ACTION. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF WIDESPREAD BIOCHAR MAKING AND USE IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD, HOWEVER, YOU MUST LOOK FURTHER.
>>>> ENVIRONMENT: AIR POLLUTION IS OBVIOUS, BUT THE DEVELOPING WORLD IS A CESSPOOL OF SOIL AND WATER POLLUTION. THE WIDESPREAD APPLICATION OF BIOCHAR IS THE ONLY MEANS AVAILABLE TO BEGIN TO ADDRESS DECONTAMINATION OF HUGE AREAS.
>>>> PUBLIC HEALTH: BECAUSE SO MUCH ARABLE LAND IS POLLUTED AND SO MUCH WATER IS POLLUTED, THE ENTIRE FOOD CHAIN IS AT RISK. AS CHINA'S EFFORTS DEMONSTRATE, THE WIDESPREAD USE OF BIOCHAR REPRESENTS THE BEST AVAILABLE MEANS TO PROTECT THE FOOD CHAIN FROM CONTAMINATION.
>>>> RURAL POVERTY: SUSTAINABILITY, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE REFER, NOT LEAST, TO THE CAPACITY OF PEOPLE TO FEED THEMSELVES. INCREASINGLY, RURAL, SMALL FARMERS ARE THE FOOD INSECURE NOT ONLY FOR THE TRADITIONAL REASONS, BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE GIVING UP FOOD FARMING FOR THE EXPANSION OF LOW-VALUE CASH CROPS LIKE CORN. CONVERTING THE WASTE FROM THEIR CASH CROPS TO BIOCHAR AND USING IT TO IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO FEED THEMSELVES AND TO EARN ADDITIONAL INCOME IS AMONG THE ONLY MEANS AVAILABLE TO MANY (ALL THE TALK ABOUT ELIMINATING POVERTY BY 2030 NOTWITHSTANDING)..
>>>>
>>>> I think this is new, produced by (list member) Stephen Joseph for the very recent ANZBC conference. Dr. Pan may also be speaking about now at the USBI2018 conference in Wilmington. The reason for mentioning this Vimeo is its likely support of your series: the mention of crop-waste smoke early and then the last part (after minute 9) describes the (non-corporate-sale) dissemination of their biochar back to the source. (I don't claim to understand this yet, but your proposed part-5 approach may be similar.). I believe he mentions a quadrupling of biochar production in the next 2 years!
>>>>
>>>> I AM NOT SURE ABOUT A "NON-CORPORATE-SALE" IN THE CHINESE CASE. AS FAR AS I KNOW, PAN'S FERTILIZER IS MADE AND DISTRIBUTED BY A COMMERCIAL FERTILIZER COMPANY.
>>>> THE SOCIAL ENTERPRISE APPROACH THAT I TAKE IS THE RESULT OF THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE SITUATION IN CHINA.. CHINA IS BLESSED BY HUGE EXPANSES OF EASILY "HARVESTED" STRAW AND A GOVERNMENT ABLE TO MOBILIZE CAPITAL IN SUPPORT OF SOCIALLY VALUABLE PROJECTS WHERE PRIVATE CAPITAL MIGHT NOT GO. THERE IS NO REASONABLE CORPORATE INTEREST IN THE VERY SMALL FARMERS WHO ARE THE 475 MILLION POOR FARMER HOUSEHOLDS THAT INTEREST ME EXCEPT THAT THEY REPRESENT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST PRODUCERS OF ANIMAL FEED.
>>>> INTERESTINGLY, I STARTED THIS PROJECT BY TRYING TO CONVINCE THE LARGEST ANIMAL FEED PRODUCER/CONSUMER IN THAILAND TO CREATE ITS OWN CIRCULAR ECONOMY FOR ITS OWN CORPORATE PROFIT. THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED. HERE'S THE STORY:
>>>> THEY AND MANY OTHERS LIKE THEM DEPEND ON "CONTRACT CORN." THEY PROVIDE FARMERS WITH SEED, FERTILIZER, PESTICIDES AND A GUARANTEED - IF EXTREMELY LOW - PRICE FOR 100% OF THEIR PRODUCTION. FARMERS LOVE IT BECAUSE IT IS A GUARANTEED RETURN WITH NO UP-FRONT.
>>>> MOST OF THESE COMPANIES ARE VERTICALLY INTEGRATED PRODUCERS OF CHICKENS, COWS, DAIRY AND PIGS. THEY THEREFORE HAVE A HUGE DEMAND FOR ANIMAL BEDDING, CONCERN ABOUT DISEASE AND WORRIES ABOUT MANURE MANAGEMENT.
>>>> WHAT I PROPOSED IS THAT THE COMPANIES INCLUDE IN THEIR CONTRACTS BOTH THE CORN AND THE BIOCHAR MADE FROM THE CORN CROP WASTE. THEY THEN USE THE BIOCHAR IN ANIMAL FEED OR FOR ANIMAL BEDDING OR TO TAME MANURE PONDS. AFTER THIS USE, THE FULLY CHARGED BIOCHAR CAN REPLACE THE NPK FERTILIZER THE COMPANIES PURCHASE TO PROVIDE TO FARMERS.
>>>> WHY DIDN'T IT WORK? TOO MANY UNKNOWNS TO BE SURE. THE COMPANY IS OFF-SHORING PRODUCTION TO MYANMAR. THERE ARE NO LOCAL REGULATION REGARDING MANURE. THE COMPANY IS A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE NPK MARKET. WHO KNOWS.
>>>> BOTTOM LINE: WITHOUT ANY CORPORATE INTEREST, IT WAS NECESSARY TO FIND A LOCALLY-BASED, SOCIAL ENTERPRISE SOLUTION THAT WOULD ACTIVELY ENGAGE SMALL FARMERS AS SELF-INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS.
>>>>
>>>> APOLOGIES FOR THE LENGTHY RANT. MUCH OF THIS IS COVERED IN THE COMING ARTICLES IN A MUCH LESS POLEMICAL MODE!
>>>>
>>>> Ron
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On Aug 21, 2018, at 4:04 AM, 'd.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com>' d.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com> [biochar] <biochar at yahoogroups.com <mailto:biochar at yahoogroups.com>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I live in North Thailand where smoke from burning corn and rice fields blocks the sun a couple of months a year. Burning wheat straw smoke closes Delhi every year, too.
>>>>>
>>>>> Because most of the farmers who burn are poor and small, collecting their crop waste for central processing is uneconomical and their fields are too small, too steep, too rocky to plow, even if they could afford a tractor.
>>>>>
>>>>> They are so poor, however, that converting their crop waste to biochar makes lots of sense. Establishing village-scale social enterprises to process local biochar into value added products is also not only appealing to farmers but a replicable way to solve the crop waste burning problem where it starts - in small farmers' fields.
>>>>>
>>>>> This is the first of a five part series in which I make the case for a small-scale biochar social enterprise business model for addressing the problem.. The remaining four will appear over the next few weeks.
>>>>>
>>>>> https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cool-climate-clean-environment-improve-public-health-reduce-shafer/ <https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/cool-climate-clean-environment-improve-public-health-reduce-shafer/>
>>>>>
>>>>> I would welcome any comments, suggestions, corrections or criticisms.
>>>>>
>>>>> Michael Shafer
>>>>> www.warmheartworldwide.org <http://www.warmheartworldwide.org/>
>>>>> www.twitter.com/warmheartorg <http://www.twitter.com/warmheartorg>
>>>>> http://www.facebook.com/warmheartworldwide <http://www.youtube.com/warmheartvideo>
>>>>>
>>>>> Dr. D. Michael Shafer
>>>>> Founder and Director, Warm Heart
>>>>> +1 732-745-9295 <tel:+1%20732-745-9295> | +66 (0)85 199-2958 <tel:+66%20(0)85%20199-2958> | d.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com>
>>>>> www.warmhearworldwide.org <http://www.warmhearworldwide.org/> | Skype: d.michael.shafer53 <>
>>>>> 61 M.8 T.Maepang A.Phrao 50190 Chiang Mai Thailand
>>>>> <http://www.facebook.com/d.michael.shafer> <http://www.linkedin..com/in/michaelshaferwarmheart?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile> <http://twitter.com/warmheartorg>
>>>>> <https://www..facebook.com/warmheartworldwide/>
>>>>>
>>>>> Latest Tweet: <https://twitter.com/WarmHeartOrg> Let’s Smoke Again! - The following blog comes from Stéphane Gnakalé who just spent his second summer at.... https://t.co/zjJII6bP8R <https://t.co/zjJII6bP8R> Read More <https://twitter.com/WarmHeartOrg/statuses/1031054909523808256>
>>>>> Get your own email signature <https://www.wisestamp.com/signature-in-email?utm_source=promotion&utm_medium=signature&utm_campaign=get_your_own>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> __._,_.___
>>> Posted by: "d.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com>" <d.michael.shafer at gmail.com <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com>>
>>> Reply via web post <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/biochar/conversations/messages/23510;_ylc=X3oDMTJyYzlkZHZmBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIyNDM4MDUyBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNzQxODYxMgRtc2dJZAMyMzUxMARzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNycGx5BHN0aW1lAzE1MzQ5MjIyNjY-?act=reply&messageNum=23510> • Reply to sender <mailto:d.michael.shafer at gmail.com?subject=Re%3A%20%5Bbiochar%5D%20First%20of%20series%20about%20small-scale%20biochar%20to%20stop%20crop%20waste%20burning> • Reply to group <mailto:biochar at yahoogroups.com?subject=Re%3A%20%5Bbiochar%5D%20First%20of%20series%20about%20small-scale%20biochar%20to%20stop%20crop%20waste%20burning> • Start a New Topic <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/biochar/conversations/newtopic;_ylc=X3oDMTJmNTlvdHFiBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIyNDM4MDUyBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNzQxODYxMgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNudHBjBHN0aW1lAzE1MzQ5MjIyNjY-> • Messages in this topic <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/biochar/conversations/topics/23502;_ylc=X3oDMTM3c2ZzZGQzBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIyNDM4MDUyBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNzQxODYxMgRtc2dJZAMyMzUxMARzZWMDZnRyBHNsawN2dHBjBHN0aW1lAzE1MzQ5MjIyNjYEdHBjSWQDMjM1MDI-> (9)
>>> Have you tried the highest rated email app?
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>>> VISIT YOUR GROUP <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/biochar/info;_ylc=X3oDMTJmM2g5a2dwBF9TAzk3MzU5NzE0BGdycElkAzIyNDM4MDUyBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNzQxODYxMgRzZWMDdnRsBHNsawN2Z2hwBHN0aW1lAzE1MzQ5MjIyNjY->
>>> <https://groups.yahoo.com/neo;_ylc=X3oDMTJlbGdlYTV1BF9TAzk3NDc2NTkwBGdycElkAzIyNDM4MDUyBGdycHNwSWQDMTcwNzQxODYxMgRzZWMDZnRyBHNsawNnZnAEc3RpbWUDMTUzNDkyMjI2Ng-->• Privacy <https://info.yahoo.com/privacy/us/yahoo/groups/details.html> • Unsubscribe <mailto:biochar-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com?subject=Unsubscribe> • Terms of Use <https://info.yahoo.com/legal/us/yahoo/utos/terms/>
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