NBI Blog
Inspired by the carbon-rich soils of Amazonia
Transforming plant matter into biochar and using it as a soil amendment could store that carbon for hundreds if not thousands of years, and is a path to actually reducing atmospheric carbon. New standards for sustainable biochar production have just been approved.
Guest blog: Partnering with Nature: How one city’s growth could be greened
Practices and frameworks for working with nature to improve ecosystem functions, increase flows of services, and bolster the resilience of coupled human-natural systems include permaculture, agroecology, ecological forest management, ecological design, and green infrastructure.
Guest blog: Cedar Grove’s solution story is composting and energy
Putting compost out into the environment sequesters carbon in the soil, creates more robust plants that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and significantly decrease our regional carbon footprint by diverting the material from landfill.
On the road with the Northwest Biocarbon Intiative team
Climate Solutions' Northwest Biocarbon Initiative team is taking it on the road with presentations to groups around the Northwest. Patrick Mazza's latest talk was to educators assembled at Washington State University-Vancouver on April 20. Check it out.
Creating markets for nature's goods and services
The recent BioCycle Conference in Portland focused on the new economics of materials and natural services – harnessing organic wastes with processes that make valuable goods, and valuing ecological services to send the right signals on the use of nature in general.
Talking waters
With very little resources, the city of Albany-Millersburg, OR developed a fantastic example of a successful biocarbon project that is helping a local ecosystem thrive.
Organic residues provide a vital link to solving the climate crisis
Ultimately, the concept of “organic wastes” must be rendered obsolete. Organic residues are too valuable not to re-use, and the climate crisis makes it imperative we make the most out of organic carbon streams.
Reality TV may be unreal, but these innovators tackle a bigger problem with bona fide zeal
I want to draw your attention to a handful of them now. The Northwest Biocarbon Initiative is unveiling our first set of Innovation Partners: companies and non-profit agencies whose projects increase the capacity of the planet to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in plant life and soils.
Cascadia world green leader, but who leads Cascadia?
There are different ways to lead. One is by compulsion. Another is by attraction, and nothing is more attractive than providing solutions to critical challenges. That is Cascadia’s bid for global leadership, and Portland might be the capital.
REACCH-ing for farming’s future
REACCH asks two critical questions: How can farming in the region become more economically and environmentally sustainable under anticipated climate changes, and how can farming help stem climate change by reducing and soaking greenhouse gas emissions?
Protecting shrinking farmlands
Beyond maintaining local food production and reducing energy-gobbling sprawl, farmland preservation is about public interests including habitat, water quality, aquifer recharge, and flood protection benefits. A new report outlines steps for protecting fertile ground.
Super-cool biocarbon tracking tool
This cool, new map-based web tool illustrates biocarbon resources around the world.
Unpave paradise, get rid of the parking lots
There are thousands of square miles in our country that we might convert from lifeless pavement to something better.
Mapping carbon sequestration potential across the nation
“This is truly groundbreaking research that, for the first time, takes a landscape-level look at how our lands naturally store carbon and explores how we can encourage this capability in ways that enhance our stewardship of natural resources,” said Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes.
Guest blog: We all must suck more!
Even if we choked off the smokestacks and exhaust pipes today (if only we could!), we would still need action to suck some of that carbon out of the atmosphere to return it to safe levels.
Guest blog: Working with nature to help clean water
When Clean Water Services in Oregon needed to reduce water temperature in the environmentally-sensitive Tualatin River, we were faced with a decision: Install expensive, energy-intensive cooling units at all four wastewater treatment facilities or find an alternative.
The home run we need: Biocarbon
A clean energy technology revolution is necessary – but it’s not sufficient – to solve the global climate crisis we face. We also need Biocarbon, “the Second Solution”, to scale up the capacity of Earth’s living systems to soak up carbon and successfully reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) in our planet’s atmosphere
Biocarbon solutions: Green Infrastructure
Kick-start the economy, create jobs, use less energy, beautify our cities and pull carbon pollution in the atmosphere back to earth – the best solutions make sense from multiple angles.
Portland’s Grey to Green Initiative: A Biocarbon Innovation
What in the world do sewers have to do with climate change? Well, it turns out that one of the solutions to cleaning up the run off from Portland’s streets, parking lots and roofs has a great benefit for the climate as well.
Biocarbon: The Second Solution
Our natural landscapes serve as carbon sponges. Scaling up biocarbon is essential to solving the climate crisis.
