NBI Blog
The 400 ppm threshold
We’ve got to get busy on biocarbon, the second climate solution, globally restoring nature’s capacity to absorb CO2 from the air and store it in living soils, plants and trees.
More livestock to save the climate?
Allan Savory claims in his recent TED talk, which has garnered over 1 million views, that increasing livestock herds on arid grasslands and managing them to better mimic nature’s wild grazing herds can have an enormous climate benefit.
Eco triptych: compost giveaway, corporate breakaway, and climate rideaway, in a day around the Bay
There was a certain artistry and synergy in the sequence of the three places that were calling me that I couldn’t help but think of my day as a triptych, the 3-paneled format often used in photography, stringing together separate images that are variants on a theme.
Guest blog: Sticky business: glomalin provides the ties that bind
Often described as “soil superglue,” this protein helps bind soil particles together in aggregates, the structures that protect organic matter, hold moisture, and improve soil tilth. The presence of glomalin is also an indicator of a vibrant and vital underground ecosystem.
Biocarbon in forest soils: A lot more than meets the eye
Knowing exactly how carbon is stored in forests can help inform decisions by those tasked with forest management in terms of climate change.
Oregon BEST funds solar-activated stormwater treatment technology
"This project is a great example of Oregon's leadership in applying cleantech innovation to water technologies," said David Kenney, President and Executive Director of Oregon BEST. "As clean water becomes more of an issue, companies like Puralytics will play a greater role, so we're pleased our Commercialization Program is helping this company develop a new product that has such potential."
Building natural carbon: five policy principles
The biocarbon imperative to begin drawing down CO2 from the atmosphere calls for efforts that will take decades. What is most important is to begin taking the steps that can be accomplished now.
Biocarbon Innovators: Converge at the Northwest Biocarbon Summit!
On June 10, we will host the first Northwest Biocarbon Summit, a special opportunity to connect, collaborate, learn from each other, and hatch plans to help build the Northwest into a leading laboratory and incubator of biocarbon solutions.
The City of Medford's restoration solution
The $7 million project in the Rogue River Basin of southern Oregon will restore nearly 30 miles of stream, infuse millions of dollars in the local economy, and plant thousands of native plants that will pull carbon pollution from the air for decades. Here’s how.
Urban ecosystem services: the promise of green infrastructure
Some of the benefits of urban green infrastructure include significant contributions to the livability of our metropolitan regions, and in the case of carbon storage, help in responding to the urgent need to drive down CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere.
Sweating global warming? Northwest Biocarbon Initiative might just cool you down
Enlisting Nature to Stem Climate Change, was the first major public event for the Northwest Biocarbon Initiative, an effort which seeks to demonstrate the essential role that plants and soils play in reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide to levels that ensure long-term climate stability.
Conservation Works – a proposal to supercharge green infrastructure in Washington State
The best ways to reduce polluted runoff are also excellent biocarbon solutions, directly in line with local ways to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Restoring tidal wetlands: pioneering a biocarbon solution at the Snohomish River Delta
The goal of EarthCorps’ effort is to assist locally with Restore America’s Estuaries national effort to develop new market- and policy-based incentives that leverage carbon offsets to fund the conservation and restoration of coastal wetlands.
Watershed restoration, the new job growth sector
The long-term benefits that result from restoring natural capital — improved water and air quality, fish populations, and overall biodiversity — all continue to accrue and pay out over time, providing natural advantages for local, regional, and national economies.
Blue carbon goes big Down Under
Blue carbon is the capture and storage of carbon pollution from the atmosphere in ocean plants and sediments on the seabed. Once captured and stored, carbon is usually stable and can stay there thousands of years.
Meet the "Queen of the Forest Canopy"
Dr. Nadkarni is a forest ecologist, sometimes known as “Queen of the Forest Canopy” for her pioneering work in understanding the ecological dynamics up in the treetops. She is also incredibly creative and committed to fostering public understanding of science and nature.
Local soil
Sourcing “local soil” for your garden and for local farms closes the carbon loop, so it’s not only an important part of building a locavore economy, but also contributes to biocarbon, the second solution to climate change.
Financing biocarbon investments: The key is getting natural assets on the books
Getting biocarbon on the books will pave the way for more sustained investments in natural assets, on the order of billions of dollars, save money for ratepayers, and help to secure the nation’s drinking water supply for many years to come.
Enlisting nature to stem climate change
Increasingly it is becoming obvious we urgently need coordinated actions to reduce both current carbon emissions and the carbon concentrations that have built up in the atmosphere. For the latter, we can make a powerful ally of nature’s carbon-soaking ability.
The Elwha River Restoration Living Laboratory biocarbon project
We believe biochar can help address the challenges of this very unique restoration project. Biochar is a charcoal-like material that helps build healthy soil, retains nutrients, supports biological activity, and assists plant growth.
