Comments on: What is one tonne of carbon dioxide http://blog.runforoneplanet.com/?p=113 Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:19:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: tony http://blog.runforoneplanet.com/?p=113&cpage=1#comment-3617 tony Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:25:35 +0000 http://delta/r41p/blog/?p=113#comment-3617 are you actually doing nothing but talking all you people do is talk are you actually doing nothing but talking all you people do is talk

]]> By: Mike http://blog.runforoneplanet.com/?p=113&cpage=1#comment-2909 Mike Sat, 26 Sep 2009 13:37:16 +0000 http://delta/r41p/blog/?p=113#comment-2909 48lbs of Carbon dioxide may be what a mature tree absorbs, but young fast growing species, such as those used in short cycle coppice systems can be far more effective at producing tonnage of woody organic matter. While people like to see mature trees in their environment they are not necessarily the most effective way to offset carbon, nor the most economically viable. <a>Short Rotation Willow Coppice</a> is one such wood crop which produces useful fuel products on a time-scale that makes it appealing for conventional farmers. When combined with technology that produces biochar as a by-product then we have a completely different scenario (biochar sequesters carbon permanently in soil) and the overall system is carbon negative. You calculations also seem to imply that the woody mass of the trees planted is simply removed from the carbon cycle at the end of its life cycle. In reality while some of that carbon will be trapped in building timber the majority of it will return to the atmosphere, either burnt as firewood or through decomposition. So, basing your calculation on a number of mature trees seems fundamentally flawed - they do not remove that carbon from the atmosphere permanently, and are not equivalent to not emitting the CO2 in the first place. At the very best planting trees delays the impact that your one tonne of carbon would have. Oh, and we would have to plant the same number of new trees next year too, and the year after that... At best this is over simplified. 48lbs of Carbon dioxide may be what a mature tree absorbs, but young fast growing species, such as those used in short cycle coppice systems can be far more effective at producing tonnage of woody organic matter. While people like to see mature trees in their environment they are not necessarily the most effective way to offset carbon, nor the most economically viable.

Short Rotation Willow Coppice is one such wood crop which produces useful fuel products on a time-scale that makes it appealing for conventional farmers. When combined with technology that produces biochar as a by-product then we have a completely different scenario (biochar sequesters carbon permanently in soil) and the overall system is carbon negative.

You calculations also seem to imply that the woody mass of the trees planted is simply removed from the carbon cycle at the end of its life cycle. In reality while some of that carbon will be trapped in building timber the majority of it will return to the atmosphere, either burnt as firewood or through decomposition.

So, basing your calculation on a number of mature trees seems fundamentally flawed - they do not remove that carbon from the atmosphere permanently, and are not equivalent to not emitting the CO2 in the first place. At the very best planting trees delays the impact that your one tonne of carbon would have. Oh, and we would have to plant the same number of new trees next year too, and the year after that…

At best this is over simplified.

]]> By: Run For One Planet Blog » Bio Fuel http://blog.runforoneplanet.com/?p=113&cpage=1#comment-1839 Run For One Planet Blog » Bio Fuel Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:07:22 +0000 http://delta/r41p/blog/?p=113#comment-1839 [...] deceased biological material. Now this is a carbon based fuel. Like we talked about back in ‘What is One Tonne of Carbon?‘ plants take in water sunlight carbon dioxide and using photosynthesis produce sugar. That [...] [...] deceased biological material. Now this is a carbon based fuel. Like we talked about back in ‘What is One Tonne of Carbon?‘ plants take in water sunlight carbon dioxide and using photosynthesis produce sugar. That [...]

]]> By: Candy http://blog.runforoneplanet.com/?p=113&cpage=1#comment-63 Candy Wed, 30 Jul 2008 18:36:37 +0000 http://delta/r41p/blog/?p=113#comment-63 I'll tell you who got whistled at!!! It was meant for that hot guy in the van with the great cheek-bones! His name is MATT! No offence to you gals - I'm sure you are whislte-worthy, when you're cleaned up! But we all know: Grungy guys - HOT, Grungy girs - NOT! I’ll tell you who got whistled at!!! It was meant for that hot guy in the van with the great cheek-bones! His name is MATT!

No offence to you gals - I’m sure you are whislte-worthy, when you’re cleaned up! But we all know: Grungy guys - HOT, Grungy girs - NOT!

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