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THE PROPOSAL |
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THE
FIGURES In the
atmosphere at the moment there are 800 milliard of tons of CO2 which divided
for the total of the earth surface result in 5.5 of CO2 for each square
meters and 2 kg of carbon. As one can see in my section dedicated to the
humus, in one square meter of earth we have 3 kg of humus, which correspond
to 1.5 kg of carbon, that is to say that 75% of carbon in the atmosphere is
in the form of humus as CO2. These figures, although theoretical, give an
idea of the actual measurements. These figures do not take into account the
carbon which forms the biosphere (plants, animals, insects, mushrooms,
bacteria and so on) from which through natural processes we obtain humus. Men
have intervened heavily in these natural processes by increasing processes of
mineralization (that is the transformation in CO2, water, and minerals)
through desertification, deforestation, urban development and wrong
agricultural practices. |
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CO2
TRANSFORMED INTO HUMUS I
propose therefore to invert the process and to transform a significant part
of CO2 in humus through appropriate agricultural practices. In this
perspective we have to consider the earth as a planetary eco-system which
interacts not only with the biosphere but also with the atmosphere and on
which men can intervene to modify also the atmosphere. This general principle
has to be adapted to the local climatic realities. My examples refer to some
cultivations in a continental temperate climate in which all the proper
agricultural techniques are used. |
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THE
TECHNIQUES In
agriculture cultivations are aimed at obtaining products which can be sold. On
the other hand, if these are aimed at the production of green manure (vegetation
is triturate and is left to dry for some days and then is buried) fertility
is improved and as a consequence future production will also be improved. The
same technique can be used with the primary aim to "store" CO2 in
the form of humus in the earth, improving in this way its fertility. Besides
improving the amount of humus in the ground this will also maintain the
amount that is already available. For this purposes processes which aim at
keeping the index of mineralization and erosion as low as possible will be
used. For example, one should avoid to leave the ground bare and at the same
time intercalary and/or consociate cultivations should be employed). Cultivations
that have the greatest mass should be employed; these should be triturate
when the ratio between mass and lignification is at its best (from lignin we
obtain in fact the best humus)and then buried. After this new species should
be sown even if this will not reach complete maturation. This will form a
bio-mass which will keep the ground covered during winter and summer. For
example one could sow corn in May and produce green mature at the end of
September. In this way a 70 tons vegetation mass will be obtained. This will
contain 30% per cent of organic substances (corresponding to 21 tons) and an
index K1 (which measures the quantity of humus which one can obtain from
substances) of 20% and 4,2 tons of humus. Then one could sow a vegetable
garden which will produce green manure in April, a bio-mass of 43 tons which
corresponds to 12% of organic substance and a K1 of 25% and 1,3 ton of humus.
The total will be of 5,5 tons which correspond to 2,75 tons of carbon per
year which correspond to 0,275 Kg of carbon for each square meter. If on the
other hand one wants to keep the main cultivation (like in the previous
example where corn reaches maturation) from the buried remaining of the
cultivation, one will obtain between 0,5 and 1,5 tons of humus depending on
the species cultivated. The intercalary cultivations, such as vegetable
gardens, which will be sown in autumn or in spring, depending on the main
cultivation, will produce 1-1,5 tons/ha which correspond to 1,25 ton of
carbon per year. In case there was no main cultivation and only production of
green manure from the intercalary cultivation one would obtain an average of
1 ton/ha which corresponds to 0,5 tons of carbon. From these examples it is
clear that agricultural production influences the cycle of carbon. The
importance of this project will be determined by the amount of surface which
will be used for this project. If for example one would aim at transforming
one milliard of tons of carbon every year (the 30% per cent of the emission
in the atmosphere) using grounds finalised to the production of humus we will
have 1:2,75=364 million of hectares (9% of the cultivated grounds): for those
grounds which will maintain the main cultivation 1:1,25=800 million hectares
(19% of the cultivated grounds); for grounds in which only intercalary
cultivations are used 1:0,5=2 milliard of hectares (47% of the cultivated
grounds). It is obvious that what is proposed here is a change of
agricultural methods in the whole world, which will have positive effects on
agriculture and territory in general. |