Simon, M. (n.d.). Startups aim to turn plant waste into concentrated carbon—and bury it. Mother Jones. https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2024/01/biomass-biochar-carbon-capture-storage-startups/

This article talks about the technology from a company called Carba, and others trying the same thing, where they are essentially trying to put coal back in the ground. Coal is created over millions of years under extreme pressure and temperatures. Eventually we found some of it, mined it, and burn it. The carbon in coal is sent up into the atmosphere and is obviously a big part of pollution and climate change. The startup, based in Minnesota, is capturing carbon in order to bury it underground so that it will undergo the same process again. The challenge lies in getting the right combination of microbes so that it doesn’t create the wrong types of gas as it breaks down. These technologies are smart because they allow nature to do the hard part and can help make an impact in carbon in the atmosphere.

I thought this was another interesting article, and it was good to see that several companies are trying to do similar techniques. The implications for the US are huge because there is so much plant waste created and capturing and returning it to the soil in a package that eventually will create coal again is a great idea. It’s not just burying waste in the ground, it’s creating a recipe that is environmentally friendly and something that can be done anywhere. It’s this kind of solution that we need lots of, in addition to ways to reduce emissions themselves. The article brought up this fact, and reminded the authors that capturing carbon is not an excuse to just keep polluting. Emissions levels need to be focused on too.