The Biochar Machine

On my seemingly endless quest to get the biochar story, I traveled back to my alma mater, The University of Georgia, to interview a few experts. I also went to see a machine that scientists, in collaboration with biotech entrepreneurs, invented to produce biochar without releasing greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. The contraption slowly burns biomass and uses the byproduct gasses as an energy source for the machine. The development of the machine was sponsored by Eprida- a biotech business collective. It sits out in a remote rural area, a few miles from campus, surrounded by pastures of cows and pigs.







This machine is great because one of the biggest criticisms of biochar is that the process releases carbon into the atmosphere so it's not as Earth-friendly as it's portrayed. But this technology is a solution to that problem; and while this immense and complicated-looking machine seems a little impractical for widespread use, scientists have already developed more compact models. In China there is a model of this machine that's a cookstove meant for use in the home!



This little guy not only cooks your food, but helps you grow it too- assuming you use the charcoal it produces in your garden soil. It was developed by Robert Flanagan, an Irish scientist who does most of his work in Australia. He's at the forefront of the biochar phenomenon.

As an editorial comment, this reporter thinks that's pretty cool.

Victory Garden Victory at White House

Advocates at The WHO Farm are enjoying a sweet victory in their push for an organic farm on the White House lawn. According to a New York Times article today, the First Lady has laid plans for an 1,100 square foot garden. Following Elenor Roosevelt's legacy, Michelle Obama will get her hands dirty when she digs up the first shovel-full of White House soil today.

A map of the future garden ran with the article today.




A close look at the vegetable selections reveals blocks of flowers, leafy veggies and herbs. I wonder what a permaculturist would have to say about the biodiversity of the garden and the sustainability of the White House gardening practices. But the primary purpose of the garden is to teach young Americans the value of eating local and organic foods. It is truly a step in that direction. Perhaps next year's agenda could involve a more diverse selection of vegetables and maybe even a rain water catchment system!

Recession Gardening

One of my upcoming pieces will be about recession gardens- similar to victory gardens but with a 21st century twist. 

 The idea came to me a few nights ago while I was scrounging around the bodega for a snack.  The owner had the radio playing on a soft rock station.  In between songs the DJ- you might have heard of her- came on and gave a heart-felt speech about how to get through the recession.  She ended by encouraging everyone to make use of any extra soil space to grow food for their families... wow.

So, where to start?  Community Gardens!

Since I've been hanging around the permaculture crowd on my beat I've met quite a few gardeners.  One such is Greg Todd who works with the Imani garden (Imani means "hope" in Swahili) in North Crown Heights Brooklyn.  I went to check it out today, and Todd was happy to show me around.  It's half an acre- maybe even less- with an enormous willow tree swathing more than half the area with its drooping limbs.  There are mulch paths and planting beds lined with rocks.  Wooden benches and a couple of picnic tables are spread around.  Of course the planting season does not start for another month or so and all was quiet among the leafless trees and empty garden boxes; but soon enough the garden will be bustling.  Last year the garden produced beans, squash, peppers, and other vegetables.  This year the garden leaders hope to add a rain water catchment system to irrigate the garden.  Here are a few pictures:

Planting boxes for vegetables- over the winter they're planted with grasses to hold minerals in the soil.


Stepping stones


Compost box.

The Locals

This past week saw several meetings and panels on sustainability.  Green Phoenix, a permaculture non-profit, met on Tuesday to discuss prospective projects.  On the agenda was a plan to bring an organic garden to the White House.  The WhoFarm (White House Organic Farm Project) is an initiative to encourage President Obama to oversee the planting of such a garden.

The meet-up allowed members and newbies to network and exchange ideas- even get tips on how to get mold off a shower curtain organically (cedar).

ABOVE: Alice Lo and Sean Maley (left) facilitate a Green Phoenix meet-up at Earth Matters on the Lower East Side

On Thursday, the NYU Sustainability Task Force hosted a panel on bioregional retrofitting.  Andrew Faust, an environmental design expert, and Jean Pfifer, an architect, spoke about energy efficiency by design and transforming existing buildings into mean, green Earth saving machines.

(Photo coming soon)

The Blog, The Beat

Sustainable development, urban permaculture, and human rights-

All three are deeply intertwined with the future of the United States and the world.  In an economic slump with looming environmental problems, people are working every day to combine these ideas to create a stable future that not only lasts but also benefits more than just the economic elite.

The goal of this blog is to unpack these terms and bring them to life through photos and reports of people working to create a sustainable way of life.