30 Fairmont Park Lane S
Lethbridge, AB
T1K 7H7
Phone: (403) 328-1804
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
The Editor
The Lethbridge Herald
P.O. Box 670
Lethbridge
AB, T1J 3Z7
Making soil from fossil fuels
Dear Editor:
I’m disappointed that David Suzuki’s column was not available to the Herald on Sunday, June 20th. It was published in other newspapers (i.e. - “Soils and atmosphere intricately linked”, Simcoe Reformer, 04/06/17, pp.8).
He points out that atmospheric carbon dioxide is absorbed by growing plants and some carbon could be returned to the soil by modifying agricultural techniques. Dr. Suzuki may be understating the possibilities.
I just returned from an exciting conference at the University of Georgia. It focused on a synthesis of science concepts applying human ingenuity to enhance nature’s methods of making soil. It is proposed that some plant material be converted to charcoal based fertilizer, simultaneously establishing a long-lasting store of carbon in the soil.
Humans control so much of earth’s growing plants that it is conceivable conversion of “waste” material to charcoal could remove the carbon dioxide discharged to the atmosphere from fossil fuel combustion. At the same time humans could be rebuilding and building earth’s soils. The implications for greenhouse gas management, control of climate change, and food production are enormous.
Access to more information on this developing concept can be found at; http://www.computare.org/commentary.htm.
Yours truly,
Duane Pendergast