The International Biochar Initiative has gone from strength to strength in the past year, and TEPUI are delighted to see (and occasionally contribute to) that progress.

I am completely sure we are born creative, otherwise we would have not arrived this far.

However I am also convinced that our mainstream education systems are killing this gift. We are taught to be afraid of mistake, and to do everything according to tradition.

There are big changes coming in the next few years: oil and other mineral resources are peaking, and climate change might reach a tipping point soon. In that scenario, our books and university degrees might not suit our needs, and we will need our creativity back.

Thanks, Sir Ken Robinson, for pointing this out at TED talks.

Biochar is a fine-grained, highly porous charcoal that helps soils retain nutrients and water.

"Biochar is found in soils around the world as a result of vegetation fires and historic soil management practices. Intensive study of biochar-rich dark earths in the Amazon (terra preta), has led to a wider appreciation of biochar’s unique properties as a soil conditioner. "Biochar can be an important tool to increase sustainable food production in areas with severely depleted soils, scarce organic resources, and inadequate water and chemical fertilizer supplies.

"Biochar also improves water quality and quantity by increasing soil retention of nutrients and agrochemicals for plant and crop utilization. More nutrients stay in the soil instead of leaching into groundwater and causing pollution.

TEPUI, with IT Carlow, Cultivate, Design Core and the Design Ireland Skillsnet are once again offering an Irish certificate in Sustainable Design Innovation.

This module is an ECTS 10 credit Level 9 module.

Introduction:
This course offers an opportunity for practicing design professionals to "up-skill" themselves in the rapidly evolving area of Sustainable Design Practice (SDP).

Students on this programme typically come from a range of backgrounds:

Industrial and Product Designers, Architects, Landscape Architects, Materials specialists, Graphic Designers, Fashion and Textile Designers, design managers, marketing managers and other business managers with responsibility for new product development (NPD), and company strategy.

Duration:
14 weeks; Alternate Saturdays 10:00 –13:00
12 x 3 hour workshop/lectures/ mentoring sessions and independent applied research project (with remote mentoring).

Starting Date:31 October 2009

Programme

The Ecodesign Centre in Cardiff is seeking to recruit an ecodesign researcher for a 6 month fixed term contract.

The successful candidate will be involved in the day-to-day implementation of research projects within the Centre, as well as providing support in liaison with clients and project partners.

 The closing date for applications is 7th Aug 2009.

Job description here (pdf).

"There is one way we could save ourselves..." 
In a recent interview in New Scientist James Lovelock, originator of the Gaia theory, cited biochar as the one chance we have left to save humankind.

Finally, the long-awaited “biochar bible” has been published. I have been reading and reviewing Lehmann and Joseph’s textbook on biochar for the past month, and I am thoroughly impressed. The edited collection of articles treads the difficult line between

The 16th of May, Erik van Lennep will again be teaching on organic food growing at Cultivate Centre in Temple Bar, Dublin. This one day workshop is designed to get even the most inexperienced beginners as well as seasoned gardeners growing to kick start their food garden.