Staff

Terra Preta: black is the new green

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Amazonian Dark Earth, or terra preta do indio, has mystified science for the last hundred years. Three times richer in nitrogen and phosphorous, and twenty times the carbon of normal soils, terra preta is the legacy of ancient Amazonians who predate Western civilization…Claims for biochar’s capacity to capture carbon sound almost audacious.

Interview with Chris Cook, originator of the Iranian oil bourse

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“We were looking at a truly international solution, it was never an Iranian solution in the first place, it was a middle-eastern solution, and we see that in the context of a global market, which has got worse than in June 2001, it has become more volatile, more risky and is leading to more profits at the expense of the producers and consumers, the trouble is that none of these profits are really visible to producers and consumers because of the opaque nature of the market operation.”

Solar cells change electricity distribution

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In separate announcements over the past few months, researchers at the University of Johannesburg and at Nanosolar, a private company in Palo Alto, have announced major breakthroughs in reducing the cost of solar electric cells. While trade journals are abuzz with the news, analysis of the potential implications has been sparse.

Peak oil – Aug 13

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UK organisations that recognise peak oil / Designing the future (PO & systems engineering) / Ripe for revolution / The real price of oil / “400,000 barrels here, 400,000 barrels there. Pretty soon, you’re talking about a lot of oil.”

Climate change – Aug 11

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How global warming will hit British Columbia (series) / Greenland’s ice cap is melting at a frighteningly fast rate / In warmer world, even Inuit buy air conditioners (not a joke)