What is Biochar?

Anaerobically burning organic materials such as wood and nut shells lock their carbon in a stable form for time periods ranging to 100,000+ years. This can be done with affordable technology at small-farm scale and applied directly to agricultural lands. Besides cutting CO2 emissions by storing the carbon from organic waste, biochar increases soil fertility, improves plant growth, promotes microbial life, increases water retention, and attracts heavy metals thereby filtering water runoff. Biochar can also be used to augment urban low-impact development such as green roofs, bioswales, and green space to manage stormwater and rebuild degraded soils.