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Old trees don’t capture much CO2. It’s only young, growing trees that have a meaningful impact. Need a lot more than fewer corps
by jncfhnb 2y ago
Old trees don’t capture much CO2. It’s only young, growing trees that have a meaningful impact. Need a lot more than fewer corps
- acc_297 2y agoAnd any operation of planting and cutting to drawdown CO2 must bury or properly process the biomass to actually put co2 somewhere Else it is an open cycle where co2 in == co2 out
- cmrdporcupine 2y agoGreat thing about wood is you can build almost-permanent structures with it? And the remaining biomass (leaves, bark, etc.) is fine to compost and re-enter the carbon cycle. Also it's clearly not an open cycle, not in temperate climates. The accumulation of carbon in top soils etc. is one of the things that kept CO2 in balance for millions of years prior to us pulling it out of the ground. Peat bogs being another key one. Yes, it can't keep up with us. But it's not an open cycle. (It is in the tropics, though)
- pfdietz 2y agoYou can build permanent structures from wood, but consider the sheer volume of wood that would be needed to counter current CO2 increase.
- jncfhnb 2y agoBest thing we can do is stop pulling it out of the ground. Best way we can do that is to build out renewables. Best way to do that is to create a profit incentive for an oversupply of power that sucks up carbon.
- cmrdporcupine 2y agoIt's crazy how fast poplars grow in temperate climates. And absorb excess nutrients and contaminants. Would love to see huge fields of them grown, then harvested, and the product turned to lumber and other longer-term carbon storage. Even composted or biocharred and the carbon amended into top soils (yes it won't stay there forever, but...) Assuming the process can be done without emitting more CO2 than is captured.
- edhelas 2y ago2/3 of the CO2 is stored in the soil, cutting "old trees" is the best way to release all that CO2.