Emporia
Emporia Classic Level 2 48 AMP EV Charger UL Listed
The Emporia Classic Level 2 48 AMP EV Charger UL Listed is a home charging solution designed for electric vehicle owners seeking efficiency, safety, and smar...
$429
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What Can Be Used To Make Biochar?
One of the most beneficial aspects of biochar is that it is possible to make it from virtually any leftover organic matter. In rural areas around the country, burning crop residues is a severe problem that negatively affects air quality and releases enormous greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Instead of burning leftover wheat straw, corn stalks, coffee pulp, and pruned orchard branches, turning that organic matter into biochar is a win-win solution. We can convert a problematic waste product into a carbon-sequestering and soil-improving material with a minimum amount of work.
On a household level, the fallen autumn leaves that hundreds of thousands of homeowners either burn or send to the landfill could also be an excellent source of biochar. Fallen tree branches, wood scraps, and virtually anything burnable is other potential sources for homemade biochar.
What Is the Difference between Charcoal and Biochar?
After explaining how biochar is made, many people might assume that it is the same thing as charcoal used for grilling out. Unfortunately, most charcoal sold commercially today is a mix of biomass (mostly wood) and other chemical components, including limestone and some chemical fire starter agents. Charcoal is generally produced from different types of hardwood trees, and the end product is large chunks of wood useful for cooking and grilling.
On the other hand, biochar is entirely derived from biomass (not just trees) heated in a limited oxygen environment. Because biochar is an agricultural and soil amendment product, it is usually crushed or made into smaller-sized pellets. This powder or pellet material can then added to soil to improve its physical properties and water retention capabilities.
Charcoal and biochar are made similarly. However, one of the sustainability drawbacks of charcoal is that large areas of standing forest are often cut down for charcoal production. On the other hand, biochar can be made from the byproducts of farms and other industries that rely on biomass. However, if you live near a campground, leftover charcoal is often a great (and free) source of biochar that you can use to improve your soil.
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Article by
Tobias Roberts
Tobias runs an agroecology farm and a natural building collective in the mountains of El Salvador. He specializes in earthen construction methods and uses permaculture design methods to integrate structures into the sustainability of the landscape.
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