"'Busy, busy, busy...' is what a Bokononist whispers whenever he thinks about how complicated and unpredictable the machinery of life really is." From CAT'S CRADLE, by Kurt Vonnegut
My name is Josh Kearns and I hold bachelor’s degrees in chemistry and environmental engineering from Clemson University and a master’s degree in environmental biogeochemistry from the University of California-Berkeley. I am currently a PhD Candidate at the University of Colorado-Boulder in environmental engineering, and a visiting researcher at North Carolina State University. My research explores the applicability of locally produced biomass char (biochar) as a low-cost adsorbent for drinking water treatment in developing communities.
I have previously studied and worked in the fields of ecological economics and sustainability science, both within academia and in the non-profit/NGO sector. A desire to promote health, livelihood security, environmental and economic sustainability, and local self-reliance led me to found Aqueous Solutions in 2007 – a non-profit organization dedicated to research, development and deployment of appropriate technologies in water and sanitation. As a founder's prerogative, I gave myself the vaguely important-sounding title, "Director of Science."
My work allows me to learn from-and-with elite level University research scientists on the one hand, as well as dedicated, creative, and brilliantly competent field practitioners of public health, rural livelihood security, sustainability and social justice, on the other. For this I am inexpressibly fortunate and grateful.
As far as hobbies go, I enjoy trail running, cycling, swimming, backpacking and bicycle touring. I am an enthusiastic beer homebrewer, and an equally enthusiastic craft beer drinker. Rumor has it that I am also a fair-to-middlin' bluegrass mandolin player.
Most of all, I like to spend time with my wife, Rachael, who is training to be a farm animal veterinarian.
If you like, you can follow me on Facebook.
2 comments:
The Biochar Fund is doing the most important work saving our world.
(your link is not working however)
Last year there were no biochar studies at the ACS conference, this
year several dozen.
Biochar at ACS;
Most all this work corroborates char dynamics we have seen so far .
The soil GHG emissions work showing increased CO2 , also speculates
that this CO2 has to get through the hungry plants above before
becoming a GHG.
The SOM, MYC & Microbes, N2O (soil structure), CH4 , nutrient holding
, Nitrogen shock, humic compound conditioning, absorbing of herbicides
all pretty much what we expected to hear.
Biochar Studies at ACS Huston meeting;
578-I: http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Session4231.html
579-II http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Session4496.html
665 - III.
http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Session4497.html
666-IV http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Session4498.html
Total CO2 Equivalence:
Even before the total CO2 equivalent credits are validated they should
be on the product label. Once a commercial bagged soil amendment
product, every suburban household can do it,
The label can tell them of their contribution, a 40# bag = 150# CO2 =
160 bags / year to cover my personal CO2 emissions.( 20,000 #/yr ,
1/2 average)
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html
Full carbon credit validation should easily follow the path that has
gained carbon credits for no-till practices.
But that is just the Carbon!
I have yet to find a total CO2 equivalent number taking consideration
against some average field N2O & CH4 emissions. The New Zealand work
shows 10X reductions.
If biochar also proves to be effective at reducing nutrient run-off
from agricultural soils, then there will also be a reduction in
downstream N2O emissions .
This ACS study implicates soil structure / N2O connection;
http://a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Paper41955.html
One aspect of Biochar systems are Cheap, clean biomass stoves that produce biochar and no respiratory disease. At scale, the health benefits are greater than ending Malaria.
A great example;
http://www.unccd.int/publicinfo/poznanclimatetalks/docs/Natural%20Draft%20Stove.pdf
The biochar Fund is also doing amazing work in the developing world;
http://terrapretapot.org/
Also , I would like Rebut the BioFuelWatch folk's recent criticisms with the petition of 1500 Cameroon Farmers;
The Biochar Fund
http://biocharfund.org/
and to explain their program;
http://biocharfund.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=26&Itemid=46
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