In the quest to decrease the world’s greenhouse gases, Cornell scientists have discovered that biochar – a charcoal-like substance – reduces the nemesis nitrous oxide from agricultural soil on average by about 55 percent and stanches emissions into the atmosphere. The research is reported in the journal from Nature, Scientific Reports, April 25. Read the…Continue Reading Biochar reduces nasty nitrous oxide emissions on farms
Soil as a Foundation for Health & Resilience – April 30, 2013
Following up on the Foundations of Food in Community film series, this panel presentation and discussion will explore the role of soil as a source of health and renewal, supporting life affirming processes from the microscopic to planetary scale, connecting people, place and community. Panelists David Wolfe, Bianca Moebius-Clune and Dorn Cox –representing research, outreach and…Continue Reading Soil as a Foundation for Health & Resilience – April 30, 2013
CSS students compete in National Sustainable Design Expo, Washington, DC
Presenting their research project: “Pyrolytic Cookstoves and Biochar Production in Kenya” Today’s cooking methods in the developing world cause substantial greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation and diseases. Cornell University students are designing and evaluating a cookstove that uses pyrolysis, a process that scorches solid fuel without oxygen to produce heat for cooking in rural Kenyan homes….Continue Reading CSS students compete in National Sustainable Design Expo, Washington, DC
The Leonard Lopate Show: Please Explain: Fertilizer
Fertilizer is crucial for food—plants need it in order to grow and thrive. Harold Van Es, professor in the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences at Cornell University, explains what fertilizer is made of, why it’s so important, and how to manage it. To listen to a recording (April 12, 2013) of this show, please…Continue Reading The Leonard Lopate Show: Please Explain: Fertilizer
Compost helps restore soil in arid region of China
Parched land in China has prompted Cornell environmental experts to come up with a simple solution to restore soils in arid areas, using wood chips and compost. Led by Rebecca Schneider, associate professor of natural resources, researchers have shown that a method they developed to restore agricultural land by adding components into the upper soil…Continue Reading Compost helps restore soil in arid region of China