Proactive Steps vs Confrontation - OUR CHOICE

Climate campers on Common face charges appeared on the Boston Globe's :"Green Blog".  The Pioneer Valley

Biochar Initiative hosted a Biochar Symposium at UMASS Amherst on Nov. 13 and a field Demonstration on Nov. 14 at the New England Small Farm Institute in Belchertown.  These two events demonstrate the potential poles of activity.  We need to support both.  The following is an email trail of efforts to expand the PROACTIVE part of this potential.  We need to recognize the extreme danger that the participants in the other pole are exposing themselves to and we ought to defuse the situation if possible.  Note: John Olver is our local US Representative who can be reached at 413-532-7010. 

Alan Page

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Hello Drs. Hansen and McKibben,
Thank you for your courageous action!   If you ever need protection give me a call, 413-883-9642.

In the mean time the Pioneer Valley Biochar Initiative has some good news.  On Nov. 14th, Frank Jeffers demonstrated a retort style biochar processor with a simple gas reformer that delivered clean producer (or water gas) and perfect biochar plus some condensed extractives and waste heat.  We are asking for the establishment of at least one long term demonstration site where this kind of technology can be supported and demonstrated to show how various combinations of technology and feed stocks fare both production wise and economically.  We would like to take this request for assistance to as many sources as we can locate so that the load can be shared.  Do you have any suggestions?
Alan Page

--- On Thu, 11/19/09, ALAN PAGE <alan@greendiamondsystems.com> wrote:

From: ALAN PAGE <alan@greendiamondsystems.com>
Subject: Fw: Proactive Steps
> Hi Jon,
> Several weeks ago I told John of Bill McKibbens' warning of
> significant actions about to be taken to limit carbon
> emissions.  These two files portray the opposite sides
> of this action.  I would like to highlight the
> possibility for proactive steps that Frank Jeffers and I
> took on November, 17th when we visited Jay Healy and were
> asked to submit a request for a feasibility study for the
> incorporation of biochar into the MA USDA Rural Development
> portfolio.
>
> It should be clear that these demonstrations are going to
> continue. Through the Biochar Symposium, which John
> attended, and Frank's successful operation of a small biogas
> powered generator (in front of many observers at the Nov.
> 14th demonstration), we have demonstrated the feasibility of
> rapid transition to a much more local energy economy. 
> There are other possible venues for this proactive process
> and we need to explore them as fast as possible.  I
> have waited until now for making this request for help
> because we did not have publicly demonstrated technology
> that provided a complete linkage from wet biomass to clean
> odorless and particulate free gas production and use. 
> The fact that this technology is ALL in the public domain
> will limit the use of venture capital to promote it. 
> It is essential that we take this immediate opportunity to
> move forward with the next step by providing a local long
> term demonstration site for the presentation of existing
>  and evolving technologies in this new arena.  NESFI
> is one of the most logical sites for this kind of
> demonstration.  Judy's work to get local regulators to
> accept such activity must not be wasted!
>
> PVBI is going to consider this request for funding of a
> Feasibility Study.  The outline has been sent to Jay
> for his critique.  This will not stop it is just a
> matter of who is on board and how rapidly we can move.
> Al