Scattering compost on rangelands could take gigatonnes of carbon out of the atmosphere, according to research at the UC Berkeley Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management.
“If a quarter-inch to one-half inch layer of compost were applied to 5% of California’s rangelands, it would sequester 28 million tons of carbon from the atmosphere—the equivalent to the annual emissions of six million cars,” Martin writes for the UC Berkeley Alumni Association.
- The climate news you need. Subscribe now to our engaging new weekly digest.
- You’ll receive exclusive, never-before-seen-content, distilled and delivered to your inbox every weekend.
- The Weekender: Succinct, solutions-focused, and designed with the discerning reader in mind.
“This is fantastic science with proven benefits,” wrote Paul Wright, director of UC Berkeley’s Energy and Climate Institute. “Not only for carbon reduction, but soil quality, grazing land quality, and water retention” in soil.
“It isn’t just about stopping global warming,” said John Wick, co-owner of Nicasio Native Grass Ranch, where the research took place. “We can reverse it.”
“Well, yes and no,” Martin responds. “Compost alone won’t save the world. Our salvation also depends on civilization cutting back on fossil fuel consumption. It’s not either/or. It’s both/and.” (h/t to Environment News Bits for pointing us to this story)
