"....We have a breakdown in the Carbon cycle as much of the Carbon in our soils has be excised to the air and seas. Generations of farmers have found that their biggest crop – topsoil, has been lost, more recently due to the manipulation of soil carbon levels by artificial nitrogen application. Our entire land-based systems are becoming Carbon poor. Yet, we have a unique opportunity to revitalize our communities and societies through the building of a Carbon rich landscape. We have the technical means to do so, we just need support. Largely that support comes from localization: marketing & value-adding our products locally and directly to gain the support for building Carbon rich systems and be paid to do so.
Waiting for Carbon Trading payments or other 'money from thin air' schemes will not build a Carbon rich economy: people and communities doing it ourselves will...
What would a
Carbon Economy look like? What would Carbon rich landscapes and farms
look like? These answers and more will be found at the upcoming Carbon
Economy Course in Santa Barbara which pulls together the world's
leading Carbon Economy practitioners: people who are devoting their
lives to building Carbon rich agricultural systems and economic
structures and who have the proven and practical know-how to have
producers and their advisors do the same in an economically robust
manner. We look forward to your participation in this important event
this Fall 2009 in the Santa Barbara area....."
- Darren Doherty, Carbon Economy Courses originator
The Carbon Economy Courses offer approaches that not only benefit the environment – yet also materially and financially benefit the farmer, rancher, land manager, citizen and community. October 19 thru December 11, 2009 brings an all-star lineup of instructors, farmers, scientists, and land managers to the Santa Barbara area to share their experience and knowledge with fellow farmers, ranchers, business people and citizens from around the region and nation.
"We've been growing 100% organic pistachios for 18 years in Santa Barbara County and selling them in local farmers' markets and throughout the U.S. Our business depends on the health of our soils and environment. These courses... offer an important opportunity for the farming and agricultural community to stay on the cutting edge of the quickly evolving world of soil health, environmental protection and financial health of family farms." - Gail and Gene Zannon, Santa Barbara Pistachio Company, California
"The funny thing is that many people
still don't know that livestock are the best tool we have to manage
these rangelands...We've see riparian areas (creek and river bankds) on
every single ranch grow in health as measured by vegetation cover,
cleanliness of the water, perennial plants...so now we have a beautiful
expanding wetland; we have oak trees that were not there...we have lots
of diverse vegetation and perennial grasses." - Joe Morris, TO
Cattle Company, California
READ MORE...
http://www.carboneconomysb.com