saibhaskar

http://geobiocharstove.blogspot.com/

* About 30% biochar production
* 3 to 4 days for a batch of charcoal production
* Continuous hot water access (pot 1)
* Highly suitable for institutional cooking and as well making biochar
* Additional heat generated by flaring the pyrolysis gases, used for cooking
* Mitigation of the emissions during the pyrolysis by flaring
* Costs about Rs. 3000 for a 2’ width x 5’ depth x 6’ hight (in feet) “GEO Biochar pit stove”. (cost including, tin sheet for cover, digging the pit, three pot stove and chimney.)
*_"GEO BIOCHAR STOVE" is designed by Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy, CEO, GEO. Demonstrated to farmers under the project Good Stoves and Biochar Communities Project, being supported by GoodPlanet.org, France

http://www.biochar-international.org/Sustainability_Biochar_Systems_DevelopingCountries SUSTAINABILITY OF BIOCHAR SYSTEMS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy CEO, GEO http://e-geo.org | http://biocharindia.com; saibhaskarnakka@gmail.com Although the term “biochar” is a recent adoption, biochar is a very well known substance; it has been part of some of the best practices in traditional agriculture in different parts of the world. Farmers have used it for many purposes including soil fertility management. Recently it has attained greater importance because of ongoing scientific research and discoveries. Biochar is identified as one of the means for adaptation and mitigation for climate change. In Andhra Pradesh, India, my project "Good Stoves and Biochar Communities" is developing new open source technologies for biochar production from crop residue and other waste biomass, and exploring methods of biochar application for improving fertility of soil and addressing carbon sequestration. We are specifically addressing the needs of the poorest farmers, to explore how biochar can help improve their livelihoods. In this article I would like to share some important lessons we have learned as a result of our experimentation, and make some recommendations for better progress. First, biochar should not be viewed as a specialized product for soil amendment alone. As “Biocharculture” the scope of biochar is manifold. The broad areas of biochar use include soil management, livestock, biomass energy, water purification, green habitats, sanitation, health, etc. The value of biochar increases due to its reuse integrating with the above aspects where, for example, biochar used in sanitation is then re-used as a fertilizer. There is a need for mass awareness of biochar, including the pros and cons, among various stakeholders. The main challenges are the availability of sustainable sources of biomass and the accessibility of efficient biomass-to-biochar conversion technologies. Sustainability Must be Carefully Considered Sustainable sources of biomass are not always available for conversion into biochar, although biomass is available from various sources in large quantities. Soil organic matter is required as a regular input for soil management, a majority of which comes from crop residue, mulch, composts, etc. In the world the amount of crop residues produced is ~4x109 Mg/year. In India alone about 800 million tones of crop residue is produced annually. For the management of crop residue there are no stringent rules. Some part of this crop residue is burnt by farmers. In the process lots of smoke is generated and the valuable biomass is wasted. But, for recommended biochar application of up to 8 to 20 tonnes per hectare, and for large scale applications by millions of farmers, presently available biomass may not be sustainable, particularly as this new demand for biochar as a soil amendment adds to the existing demands on biomass resources for feed and fuel. The approach of having captive lands for biomass production for large scale commercial production of biochar should not be encouraged, because this approach competes with the limited land resources. To import biochar from any other country is also non-sustainable and non-justifiable. The major concern in developing countries like India is that 60 percent of the farmers live on less than one hectare of land. The farming is not sustainable for a majority of small and marginal farmers in parts of India. Over the years they have been dependent on government policies and subsidies for power, water, seeds, fertilizers, minimum support price for the produce, etc. There is a need to liberate the farmers from the dependency systems. Biochar application reduces the burden of farmers in several ways: less fertilizer is needed because biochar absorbs and slowly releases nutrients to plants; biochar improves soil moisture retention and conserves water, securing the crops against drought; farmers spend less on seeds as germination percentage increases; biochar reduces the methane emissions from paddy fields and farm yard manures; it increases the soil microbes and other soil-life density; it lessens the hardening of soils; it supports better growth of roots and helps in reclaiming degraded soils. Another advantage of biochar is that it can be used in all types of agricultural systems (organic, chemical, permaculture, mixed farming, natural farming, etc). Biochar application in small amounts into the soil would not burden the farmer. A farmer could produce about 100 to 200 kgs of biochar from crop residue annually from one hectare of land, that would otherwise be burned in the field. This is apart from using some part of the crop residue for mulching, composting and fuel. Biochar added to soil in large quantities reduces available nutrients to the crops initially, unless it is added along with extra compost and fertilizers. But by adding biochar in small quantities the farmer need not worry much about the high costs for extra compost and fertilizers that would have been needed if large quantities of biochar are added at once. Over a period of time, biochar matures and gets adapted to the local soil conditions. Biochar will remain in the soil for more than 1000 years, so one need not be in a hurry to get maximum yields immediately. Poor Farmers Need Open Source Biochar Production Technologies and Standards Although farmers in our project are happy with the biochar compost application results during the field trials, it is difficult for them to adopt on a large scale because of the high cost of biochar production technologies. Because of the complexity of biomass (types, values, size, shape, density, etc.) converting into biochar is difficult by any single design, so there is a need for many different biochar production designs that are suited to specific feedstocks and project circumstances. Most of the charcoal production from wood is made by earth mound kilns, but for conversion of crop residue this technology is not convenient, and not all types of biomass are easily convertible into biochar. Presently with the traditional systems for the crop residue conversions into biochar, the efforts in procuring the biomass and converting into biochar is higher than the cost of buying the same quantity of charcoal made from wood in earth mound kilns. The technologies are also inefficient: from every 100 kgs of biomass with the existing traditional technologies on an average the yield is only 20 to 30% of biochar. Moreover, the type of biomass, process and the temperature at which the biochar is produced is important to qualify it as a biochar product. Agriculture has become a high input and dependent system, which is hardly sustainable for small and marginal farmers. The biochar products and technologies available in the market are not accessible to farmers as they are patented and come at a high cost. Therefore the industrial approach to biochar production is not a highly feasible option in many developing and poor countries. Biochar production technology designs for small farmers should be cheap, efficient, mobile and convenient for in-situ production. Having found a new opportunity in biochar, many private companies have emerged to sell it as a product. Companies are doing research on biochar compounds and they are publishing the results of the product application on crops. The results are very encouraging. But the ingredients of biochar products that are available are often proprietary and not divulged. The efforts of all the companies and organizations involved in research should be compensated by either national or international agencies, and the components of biochar products should be revealed in the common interest. The biochar products (blends) being promoted in different names by various companies are very confusing. There is a need to standardize the biochar products for application to different types of soils and crops in different geographic regions and conditions. Recommendations for Moving Forward Integrating biochar production and application locally is likely to be a more sustainable practice than large scale centralized production and dissemination. There is a need for greater research and development on biochar. All the biochar production technologies and application techniques should be under open knowledge. Large scale awareness of the pros and cons of biochar production and application should be created. And also ongoing traditional biochar practices should be recognized and improved. Some of the immediate actions required are: Study all of the traditional biochar/Terra Preta practices in different parts of the world. We need to find ways to improve these existing practices for sustainability and adoption. While facilitating the low-cost efficient adoptable technologies for conversion of biomass into biochar, stringent laws can be brought to prevent open burning of crop residue. Inefficient biochar production technologies should be replaced in a phased manner. All the biochar technologies should be declared as open knowledge, and the people or agencies invested in developing such technologies should be compensated. Similarly all the biochar products/blends should be made open along with the results. Standardization of terms should be made by a common agency. Biochar as a byproduct should be given top priority for usage, rather than producing biochar exclusively. There are many sources, including stoves, gasifiers, biomass to energy etc. that can produce both biochar and energy. In-situ biochar production and application should be encouraged and given top priority. Dr. Sai Bhaskar Reddy Nakka is the Founder and CEO of Geoecology Energy Organisation [GEO], an initiative to mitigate climate change through adaptation. Dr. Sai has a double masters in Applied Geology and Geography from Indian Institute of Technology. For his PhD he pursued “Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Studies of the Polluted Water at Patancheru Industrial Area, Medak Dist., A.P., India. He is also a qualified as CDM/Lead Verifier, and a specialist of Information Visualization and Graphics, GIS/RS, ICTs, and Participatory Monitoring tools.

WOMEN AND CLIMATE CHANGE
________________________________________
Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy,
Founder and CEO
Geoecology Energy Organisation [GEO], India
http://e-geo.org
________________________________________
Climate Change, the term sometimes is used to refer specifically to climate change caused by human activity; for example, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change defines climate change as "a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods." Climate Change includes regional or global temperature changes and the increased prevalence of extreme weather conditions. Resulting effects and evidence of climate change include melting glaciers and permafrost; elevated water levels in oceans; forest fires; fatal heat waves, prolonged droughts; water shortages; desertification; soil erosion; erratic rain fall; and severe cyclones, hurricanes and floods.

Climate change is experienced by all people, but the impact of the causes, effects and solutions is gendered. Women are particularly affected by climate change because they generally do not have secure, affordable access to and control over land, water, livestock and trees; thus, they are forced to make do with limited resources and alternatives when their subsistence needs and livelihoods are threatened. Elderly women, disabled women, women widows and indigenous women often face the most acute challenges related to climate change whilst having fewer resources to compensate for and adjust to changes. Those who will ultimately pay the highest price for climate change are also the most invisible, the most voiceless, the least informed – in sum, the most powerless.

Women are particularly vulnerable to climate change because they are more prone to the adverse impacts from climate change. Their limited adaptive capacities arise from prevailing social inequalities and ascribed social and economic roles that manifest itself in differences in property rights, access to information, lack of employment and inequal access to resources. "Women are very immediately affected, and usually women and children can't run away," said Maathai, who won the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize for her work on sustainable development. "Men can trek and go looking for greener pastures in other areas in other countries ... but for women, they're usually left on site to face the consequences," she said. "So when there is deforestation, when there is drought, when there is crop failure, it is the women and children who are the most adversely affected." The Women’s Environment and Development Organization’s (WEDO) 2007 report on Changing the Climate: Why Women’s Perspectives Matter stated that women are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. According to WEDO, women’s historic disadvantages – their restricted access to resources and information and their limited power in decision-making – make them most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) 2001 State of World Population Report found that deforestation or contamination increased the time women spent looking for fuel wood or safe, clean water and also women’s risk of water-borne disease. In Gender and Environment (2000), author Susan Buckingham-Hatfield found that women in the state of Gujarat, India now spend four or five hours each day collecting fuel wood, where previously they would have done this only every four to five days.

Studies showed that while women are responsible for managing household resources, they typically don’t have a say in the use and management of environmental resources integral to their households and communities. Governments and other stakeholders should ensure gender equality is at the forefront of climate change initiatives, according to the Women’s Environment and Development Organization (WEDO). The UNFPA 2001 State of the World Population Report also stated that sustainable development demands recognition and value for the multitude of ways in which women’s live intertwine with environmental realities. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) published a book about the state of the world’s population in 2009 entitled, Facing a Changing World: Women, Population and Climate. This publication explores the critical connections among population dynamics, reproductive health, women’s lives and climate change as they relate to greenhouse gas emissions and societies’ resilience against the impacts of climate change. According to the report, international climate change agreements and national policies are more likely to succeed in the long run if they take into account population dynamics, family planning, gender relations, reproductive health care, women’s well-being and access to services and opportunities as these elements could influence the future course of climate change and affect how humanity adapts to rising seas, worsening storms and severe droughts. The report shows that women have the power to mobilize against climate change, but this potential can only be realized through policies empowering women.

Women are indeed among the most vulnerable to climate change, partly because in many countries they make up a larger share of the agricultural workforce and partly because they tend to have less access to income-earning opportunities than men. Women manage households and care for family members, which often limits their mobility and increases their vulnerability to sudden weather-related natural disasters. Drought and erratic rainfall force women to work harder to secure food, water and energy for their homes. Girls drop out of school to help their mothers with these tasks. Such a cycle of deprivation, poverty and inequality undermines the social capital needed to deal effectively with climate change.
Women are currently suffering disproportionately as a consequence of climate change. Environmentalists estimate that 70 percent of the poor, who are more vulnerable to environmental damage, are women. Women die in greater numbers in disasters than men, and they tend to die at younger ages, but there are few reliable studies to document this phenomena, largely because there has so far been little focus by the international community on the gender impact of natural disasters. Localized case studies associated with a devastating 1991 cyclone in Bangladesh, the 2003 European heat wave, and the 2004 Asian tsunami nonetheless affirm the greater vulnerability of women. Through sampling data from natural disasters in 141 countries between 1981 and 2002, economists Eric Neumayer and Thomas Plümper confirmed that natural disasters and their subsequent impact on average kill more women than men. Furthermore, the condition of women surviving from disaster could be no better as they still have to stay at shelters with more problems such as sexual harassment, discrimination, violence and they have limited access related to their reproductive health rights. At the same time, women in developing countries have the power to reject the consumption pattern modeled on more affluent countries and to craft their own alternatives. And women everywhere have the power to teach the next generation about the importance of sustainability.

As global temperatures rise, so do the challenge’s for the world’s poorest citizens — women, especially those living in developing countries. Women are living on the frontlines of climate change, and are ready to be active partners in dealing with climate change. From food shortages to forest degradation and new and more complex health risks, as well as an increased likelihood of conflict over resources, the impacts of climate change threaten to further jeopardise the lives of women and girls. But just as many women are bearing the greatest burden of climate change because of their role as providers for their families; it is women who are developing the solutions that will save our world from the impacts of global warming. In some drought prone vulnerable regions, women are prone to aids too, due to multiplier affects. In regions where women are able to be decision-makers over land use and resources, they are proving to be a positive force for sustainable change.

Yet despite their willingness to take political and individual action, entrenched inequality between men and women continues to pose a critical obstacle to global efforts to address climate change. The most fuel-efficient stove ever produced will do little to bring an end to deforestation or reduce carbon emissions if women do not have access to the training required to use it, the micro-credit needed to buy it, or the financial freedom to control household expenditure. Globally 1.6 million people get killed due to indoor air pollution mostly from inefficient cook stoves use, most of them are women and children. These stoves are also responsible for Global warming through CO2 emissions. There is an immediate need to facilitate half a billion good stoves globally.

In many parts of the world women do not own collective or individual title to the land from which they live. This lack of control means they are less able to implement sustainable agriculture or adapt forest management strategies that contribute to climate change mitigation as their voices are not heard when decisions are made. It also impedes their ability to participate effectively in programmes such as REDD+, which offers financial incentives for reducing emissions from deforestation.Every effort possible must also be made to ensure that women have access to the education, training, and finances needed to adopt sustainable technologies and participate in the green economy. Women and girls also need the land and resource rights to implement progressive forestry or agricultural practices.

The climate change impacts has been the cause for people to sell personal assets and savings built up painstakingly over generations and added to growing inequalities and disparities. It has created serious health crisis of various kinds in regions where health care delivery is almost non-existent. It has made the daily grind of getting water and keeping home fires burning an even more fatiguing and vexatious task for rural women everywhere and has pulled children, especially girls, out of schools. The HDR also highlighted micro-level studies which had revealed that Indian women born during floods in the 1970s were 19 per cent less likely to have attended primary school. So clearly the vagaries of climate change have the potential to make life a high-risk venture for those whose capacity to manage these risks, in terms of both personal choice and personal income is minimal.

For instance, the women of Reni village in Chamoli district who took on the forest mafia through their Chipko movement in the mid-70s, or the Bhil tribal women of Madhya Pradesh's Sondwa Block, who are today patrolling their forests to defeat the designs of those intent on denuding them. With able-bodied men searching for livelihood opportunities in the cities, more women than ever are left to do low paying agricultural jobs, including activity earlier prohibited to them, like ploughing. Yet, they are not given the status and benefits of farmers. Given this, it was felt that women's voices must feed into policies on climate change, agriculture, food sovereignty and the management of forest and water resources. Women have so far battled the impact of climate change on their own. Therefore, it was argued, the time had come for the whole country to build on this legacy, both scientifically and strategically.

There was also a felt need for aggregating local knowledge and recent breakthroughs in agricultural and environmental R&D, and using the insights so gained for better management of natural resources. The sharing of information as efficiently as possible emerged as an urgent and pressing requirement, whether it was in the form of advance bulletins on weather patterns or timely data on market trends. Climate change is a huge challenge for India. It should force us to revisit traditional practices and re-imagine radical new solutions.

References:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/01/05/women-and-climate-change.html
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/118900/involve-women-climate-change.html
http://southasia.oneworld.net/opinioncomment/climate-change-indias-women-say-save-our-future
http://e-geo.org
http://search.informit.com.au/documentSummary;dn=981237566766564;res=IELHEA
http://www.suite101.com/content/women-and-climate-change-a44375
http://goodstove.com
http://www.disasterwatch.net/climatechange/gndr_climt07.pdf
http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/05/07/us-climate-women-idUSN0633990420080507
http://www.awid.org/eng/Issues-and-Analysis/Library/How-are-Women-Impacted-by-Climate-Change
http://biocharindia.com
http://www.populationaction.org/blog/2008/07/global-climate-change-what-doe.html

 Biochar for Green Buildings

Sai Bhaskar Reddy Nakka1,*

1Geoecology Energy Organisation [GEO], Hyderabad, India
http://e-geo.org

*email: saibhaskarnakka@gmail.com

Keywords: Charcoal, Material, Construction, Carbon, Sequestration


1 Introduction
Biochar is the charcoal produced from biomass used for good purpose. Biochar is produced from the thermal decomposition of biomass in a low- or zero-oxygen environment, at relatively low temperatures (<700°C) (Lehmann and Joseph, 2009). The highly porous surfaces of Biochars have been shown to adsorb N2O, CO2 and CH4 (Hitoshi, et al, 2002). There are many advantages of using the Biochar as a component in Green Buildings for clean indoor air and carbon sequestration. The half-life of Biochar carbon in soil is in excess of 1000 years (Laird, 2008). Biochar is found in earth walls of over 100 years old, is still intact. Biochar can be mixed in different proportions with sand / cement / earth / other suitable material to produce bricks / panels / blocks for construction.

2 Materials/Methods
The percentage of Biochar for use in construction of buildings can be decided based on the purpose and product properties. Biochar use makes the building walls light and insulate. The Biochar produced from different biomasses, temperatures and processes have different properties. Some types of Biochar properties are that Coconut shell Biochar is hard, rice-husk Biochar having high silica content, etc.

Life cycle assessment was used to estimate the energy and climate change impacts and the economics of biochar systems. The feedstocks analyzed represent agricultural residues (corn stover), yard waste, and switchgrass energy crops. The net energy of the system is greatest with switchgrass (4899 MJ t−1 dry feedstock). The net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for both stover and yard waste are negative, at −864 and −885 kg CO2 equivalent (CO2e) emissions reductions per tonne dry feedstock, respectively. Of these total reductions, 62−66% are realized from C sequestration in the biochar. (Kelli G et al, 2010)

Every 1 ton of Biomass yields 1/3 ton Charcoal for soil Sequestration (= to 1 Ton CO2e) + Bio-Gas & Bio-oil fuels = to 1MWh exported electricity, so is a totally virtuous, carbon negative energy cycle. (Erich J. Knight, 2009)

Char micropores are filled with variable amounts of volatile matter which carries most of biochar’s acidity, negative charge, and cation complexation ability. (Zimmerman et.al. 2010). Micropores contribute most to surface area and are responsible for the high absorptive capacity; mesopores are important for liquid solid adsorption processes; and macropores are important for aeration (Kolb, 2007).

Table 1 Biochar components as a percentage of total weight. Source: Verheijen et al (2010)
Component Proportion (%)
Fixed carbon 50-90
Volatile matter 0-40
Moisture 1-15
Ash (mineral matter) 0.5-5

Table 2 Biochar properties from a variety of feedstocks and pyrolysis conditions. Source: Chan and Xu (2009)
From to Mean
ph 6.2 9.6 -
C (g/kg) 172 905 543
N (g/kg) 1.7 78.2 22.3
NO-3, NH4+ (mg/kg) 0.0 2.0
P (g/kg) 0.2 73 23.7
Pa (g/kg) 0.015 11.6 -
K (g/kg) 1.0 58 24.3

3 Results
The Biochar when used in green buildings some of these green house gasses are sorptioned (adsorption and absorption). The Biochar in the debris when used in green buildings, after reaching landfill sites reduce the GHGs emissions from landfill sites and prevent leachets. Biochar can be used as screen for purification of air entering into buildings. Biochar regulates humidity indoors; the emissions from indoor toilets are absorbed. The Biochar urinals reduce NOx emissions as well tap urea from urine for later use as soil amendment. It can be applied to the soil for indoor plants / gardens, as air purifier in refrigerator, for water filtration in aquariums, etc., for reducing emissions from various sources.

4 Conclusions
Considering the life, source and property of Biochar, it is a means for carbon sequestration. It also brings other benefits; temperature is regulated through insulation, as a light weight material suitable for high raise buildings and reduces cost of construction. Biochar is resistant and repels termites and ants. Biochar is the source of negative ions, emit far infrared radiation. These characteristics of Biochar improve the living conditions in a house. Biochar improves the indoor air and benefits the user and environment, can be used in all the green buildings as per the need.

5 References
Chan, K.Y. and Xu, Z., 2009. Biochar: nutrient properties and their enhancement. IN Lehmann J. and Joseph, S. (Eds.) Biochar for environmental management: Science and Technology. London, Earthscan.
Erich J. Knight, 2009 Biochar and Biofuels, Sustainability Summit, Location: Dave’s Taverna
Hitoshi, T., Ai, F and Haruo, H, 2002. Development of advaced utilization technologies for organic waste: (Part 1) Greenhouse gas and nutrient salt adsorption properties of wood-based charcoal, Denryoku Chuo Kenkyujo Abiko Kenkyujo Hokoku, Research Report of Abiko Research laboratory, no U02010
Kelli G. Roberts, Brent A. Gloy, Stephen Joseph, Norman R. Scott and Johannes Lehmann, 2010.Life Cycle Assessment of Biochar Systems: Estimating the Energetic, Economic, and Climate Change Potential, Environ. Sci. Technol., 44 (2), pp 827–833
Kolb, S., 2007. Understanding the mechanisms by which a manure-based charcoal product affects microbial biomass and activity (doctoral dissertation). University of Wisconsin.
Laird, D. 2008. The Charcoal Vision: A win-win-win scenario for simultaneously for producing bioenergy, permanently sequestrating carbon while improving soil and water quality. Agronomy Journal 100: 178-181
Lehmann, J. and Joseph, S. 2009 Introduction. In Lehmann, J. and Joseph, S. (Eds.) Biochar for environmental management, Science and technology. London: Earthscan.
Tom Miles, 2007. Charcoal Use in Japan, Japanese Market News: Charcoal 2000,
IBPC Osaka Network Center. http://terrapreta.bioenergylists.org/japancharcoal2000
Verheijen, F., Jeffery, S., Bastos, A.C., van der Velde, M. and Diafas, I., 2010. Biochar application to soils - A critical scientific review of effects on soil properties, processes and functions. Scientific and Technical Reports. Ispra (Italy): European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability
Zimmerman, Andrew R., Mukherjee, Atanu, and Kasonzi, Gabriel N., 2010. Variations in the properties of laboratory produced Biochars : Surface Chemistry, Lability and interaction with soil organic matter, GSA Denver Annual Meeting (31 October–3 November 2010), Paper No. 62-4

BIOCHARCULTURE
Production and use of Charcoal for the common good


Biocharculture is the production and use of charcoal. This charcoal used for purposes other than as fuel is called Biochar. Biochar is the carbonaceous matter formed from pyrolysis of biomass that is under less oxygen conditions the combustion of biomass leads to formation of Biochar. Biomass includes – wood / sticks / leaves / seeds / fruits / cow dung / bones / chitin / etc. During natural / accidental / incidental fires in forests, grass lands, crop residue burning in fields, etc., Biochar is one of the important byproducts. The quality and quantity of Biochar formed in controlled systems depends on the type of biomass, humidity, temperature of the fire, air availability, etc.

Biochar formed as by-product in cook stoves is the common accessible source in rural areas. This Biochar formed around 300 to 600 degrees centigrade has the maximum benefits. Biochar because of its physical and chemical property imparts value for various applications for the present and future challenges on earth. Due to exploitation of fossil fuels and many other ongoing practices there is accumulation of green house gases leading to Global warming and climate change. To sustain life and livelihoods on earth Biocharculture is one of the means.

Biocharculture is not new, it is as old as the first fire from biomass and the charcoal formed as a result. Human beings used charcoal since ancient times and even during civilizations existed on earth. Many such uses are still ongoing and / or yet to be discovered. In the first art forms charcoal was used for expression in the caves. Charcoal benefited many life forms on earth.

Biochar application to the degraded infertile / acidic / alkaline soils improves the soil condition. It is observed that there is 150 to 200% increased crop yields after application of Biochar plus amendments. Biochar also reduces the green house gas emissions from soil, lessens the impact of pesticides and complex fertilizers residue in soils, prevents leaching of nitrogen and phosphorous in soil, enhances the soil microbial activity, increases the soil moisture retention capacity, improves soil aeration, and regulates the soil temperature. Overall it improves the physical, chemical and biological environment of the soil. The application of Biochar not only benefits the farmer, but also addresses the carbon sequestration, because of its recalcitrant nature of remaining in soil, even up to 1000 years and more.

Biocharculture is also to understand the production and use of charcoal for many purposes. Evidences of charcoal use are observed in almost all parts of the world. Biochar application to the soil after its use for many purposes is better than direct application as a product. Considering applications of Biochar by humans, the day starts with cleaning teeth with Biochar of wood / cow-dung cakes in rural areas. The teeth are usually white, stronger and the mouths are free from bad breath. The charcoal has the capacity to absorb all the bad breath. Even if small amounts of charcoal is swallowed while cleaning it is good for health. This charcoal plus saliva spit after cleaning teeth is more beneficial to the soil. For kitchen gardens everyday spitting with Biochar while cleaning the teeth in them has more value. When stoves are used always some charcoal is formed at the end, by quenching / with earth spilled on embers more charcoal can be retained. This charcoal plus ash has multiple values, it can be dumped into the farm yard manure pits or can be used for cleaning utensils, applied in the kitchen gardens and most often used for cleaning utensils. Very little water is required for cleaning utensils if Biochar is used and no chemicals need be used to clean even the non-veg / oily utensils. The plates become just like new plates, without traces of oil and any odor. This Biochar after washing eaten plates has more value as a soil amendment, because of pre-charging with food material / oil etc., a source of food for soil microbes. For preserving the non-vegetarian food, fruits and any other food from fast purification, some addition of Biochar always helps.

The Biochar is a common component formed in the preparation of foods especially during roasting / frying / barbeques etc i.e., making rotis, preparation of kababs / chicken tikkas, roasting peanuts, double toasted bread, etc. Eating some Biochar along with food, keeps health good, even if oily, high calories and other junk food are consumed. Biochar if taken as part of food or separately will lessen the impact. For the food poisoning, dysentery and even if poison is consumed impacts are reduced if Biochar is consumed immediately along with first aid and while on the way to the hospital. Even for snake / scorpion / insect bites along with recommended first aid measures, Biochar can be applied a the bitten parts for reducing the impacts of poison.

At household level to repel ants and termites Biochar powder can be used. To keep the indoor air fresh and reduce the CO2 and methane emissions, charcoal pieces can be kept in the house – in windows, near air coolers / air conditioners, in fridges, toilets, etc. Charcoal can be used in pillows and mattresses to reduce the impact of our own emissions. Biochar in diapers and sanitary napkins benefits a lot. The Biochar in the form of terrapreta nuggets / Biochar can be applied in the aquariums / terrariums / flower pots for multiple benefits for clean water, improving soil and removing the emissions in the immediate milieu. Important place to use Biochar is in urinals for removing the bad odor as well tapping the useful nitrogen and other components for application to the plants. Within septic tanks application of Biochar helps in reducing the CO2 and methane emissions. The Biochar bricks if used in construction of buildings make them breathing walls, lessen the weight on the structure and at the end of life-cycle does not burden on the waste dumps and contribute positively as carbon sink. The far infrared radiation emitted form Biochar keeps the health of the people better. It is observed that the presence of Biochar repels many insects. In urban areas for light weight roof gardens Biochar is an ideal material. For soak pits the Biochar addition in the pit at the bottom would remove the bad odor and also purify the water.

Biochar is used in poulty sheds to reduce the methane emissions and as well in the eggs storage areas. As medicine it is fed to many domestic animals intentionally. In nurseries as a media along with other material Biochar is used most often. The presence of Biochar in soil helps in higher germination of seeds. Many orchids can be best grown in a mix of Biochar, gravel, brick pieces and tree barks. Pottery shards and Biochar mix is the best possible media for soil amendments. For managing the livestock sheds, to keep the place clean and reduce the emissions, Biochar addition as a spread every day, helps in absorbing the urine and dung. The addition of Biochar in the compost pits also helps in overall reduction of emissions and taps nitrogen. Biochar as activated carbon is an important media used for purification of water. The application in soils too helps in purification of the water in soil, the pure water will help in accessing more minerals and nutrients to the plants.

Traditionally the holy altars and rituals Biochar and ash was a common product. In many Indian festivals burning of biomass is one of the activities, this always generated Biochar and ash. The fire, smoke, Biochar and ash are the four important aspects in all almost all the religions and spiritual practices. They always brought sanctity and purity to the environment. During cremation of the bodies, Biochar from wood and bones is a very good source. Often cremations are done in the fields or along the banks of rivers which fertigated the fields with the Biochar and ash matter. The immersion of bones and ash in the places where rivers meet had been traditionally observed in Hindu culture.

Biocharculture is simple, easily adoptable and a panacea for many challenges on Earth. It can be accessed from many sources easily. Discovering and appreciating the traditional and cultural uses in different parts of the world and through scientific studies it can be brought to innumerable applications for multiplier effects including mitigation of climate change and global warming. Biochar is simple to understand and adoptable by all as Biocharculture.


About the Author :
Dr. N. Sai Bhaskar Reddy, he is the founder and CEO of Geoecology Energy Organisation [GEO] http://e-geo.org , since last 15 years contributing to Environment and Development in parts of India and Abroad. He is presently working on one million good stoves mission http://goodstove.com and Biochar production and uses http://biocharindia.com , doing research on good stoves and Biochar applications. An ardent supporter of Open Knowledge and is against patents for the common good.
saibhaskarnakka@gmail.com