#122: The Dirt-Simple Power of Biochar with USBI

Aug 12, 2025

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In this episode of Earthlings 2.0, we sit down with Myles Gray, Executive Director of the U.S. Biochar Initiative (USBI), to explore how the ancient technique of biochar is making a modern comeback. He unpacks the science, market momentum, and growing demand around biochar — from vineyards and urban forests to concrete and stormwater management. With Microsoft and Google recently signing record-setting biochar carbon removal deals, it’s clear this is more than just a niche soil amendment — it’s a technology whose time has come once again.

Key Points:

Triple Climate Win: Biochar is a rare climate solution that checks three boxes at once — sequestering carbon, improving soil health, and generating renewable energy. It’s made by heating waste biomass without oxygen, creating a stable material that stores carbon for centuries.
Biochar’s Ancient Roots, Modern Applications: Indigenous cultures, especially in the Amazon, used biochar to create rich, fertile soils known as terra preta. Today, it’s being rediscovered as a climate solution with wide-ranging applications in agriculture, infrastructure, and industry.
Big Tech Buys In: Microsoft and Google have committed to the world’s largest biochar-based carbon removal purchases, signaling a turning point in how biochar is valued in carbon markets. The deals reflect a growing preference for durable, measurable, and scalable climate solutions.
Myles Gray, Executive Director at the U.S. Biochar Initiative
LinkedIn
North American Biochar Conference

Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability, LinkedIn

Previous episodes discussing PFAS:
#31: Carbon Price, Power, and Politics with Neal Dikeman- Part 1
#33: Carbon Price, Power, and Politics with Neal Dikeman- Part 2
#44: Ending the Timeline for PFAS Forever Chemicals

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Q3 End Credits

Greenlane, Ampion, Tigo, USBI, 247 Solar