While you’re waiting for more episodes of The Carbon Removal Show, we wanted to introduce you to another project that our very own Tom Previte has been busy on…
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey
This is the story of a startup that wants to remove carbon from the atmosphere and help reshape our relationship with the planet. Ideally without burning to the ground in the process.
It was a good few years back when Tom stumbled across biochar. That was during the first season of The Carbon Removal Show. And it turns out that this biochar stuff… it's not just an ancient technology but also a cutting-edge solution for today’s climate problems.
Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey captures the highs and lows of a green startup - from sharp learning curves to unlikely breakthroughs. Listen in as Tom digs deep into the realities and complexities of setting up a carbon removal project, and gets to grips with the science, the money, and everything it takes to build an environmentally (and financially) sustainable business.
Because if we’re going to save the planet, we’re going to need a lot more businesses like this one.
Search for ‘Grounded: A Climate Startup Journey’ in your favourite podcast player, or click here for all the links.
[00:00:00] Hi Carbon Removal fans, it's me, Tom.
[00:00:03] If you're missing the Carbon Removal Show right now, I'm afraid you're going to have
[00:00:07] to wait a little longer for more episodes.
[00:00:09] But in the meantime, I'd love to share a new project that I've been working on.
[00:00:16] Here's something you may or may not know.
[00:00:19] Every analyzed pathway to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees involves not just decarbonization
[00:00:25] but actually removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
[00:00:29] That's not just me saying that.
[00:00:30] That's the IPCC.
[00:00:33] I'm Tom and three years ago, I learned about one exciting tool to help us do this.
[00:00:38] Biochar.
[00:00:39] Biochar.
[00:00:40] Biochar.
[00:00:41] Biochar.
[00:00:42] Biochar is a carbon rich charcoal like material.
[00:00:46] You've got the specific purpose to be storing as much carbon as you can in that material.
[00:00:51] I discovered that making biochar not only helps us remove CO2 from the atmosphere but
[00:00:56] there were also indications that this charcoal like material might have a ton of other useful
[00:01:01] benefits, particularly for soil and agriculture.
[00:01:04] There was beetroot.
[00:01:05] The sort of goes relatively good beetroot as well.
[00:01:07] That's an absolutely massive beetroot.
[00:01:09] That's organic.
[00:01:10] There's no nothing.
[00:01:11] Absolutely fully organic.
[00:01:12] My goodness.
[00:01:13] But I realized that this is about more than just carbon and soil.
[00:01:19] It's also about our future and the many livelihoods that depend on the land.
[00:01:24] Farming is not farming though.
[00:01:25] Farming is a business but farming used to be a way of life and that's the difference.
[00:01:30] So I set out on a mission to create a business that made biochar, explore the benefits it
[00:01:35] might have and document the journey.
[00:01:38] But I'm learning that making a small change involves big challenges.
[00:01:43] Is the UK the wrong place to be doing biochar?
[00:01:46] I don't think so.
[00:01:47] But why does it matter if it's the juicer or not?
[00:01:49] It doesn't.
[00:01:51] From where to do it to proving the business model.
[00:01:54] This is my very honest story of starting a climate business and everything I've discovered
[00:01:59] along the way.
[00:02:00] You know it may take a lot longer than you think and there's a lot of other moving parts
[00:02:05] so I wouldn't put all your eggs in one basket.
[00:02:08] Find out how it goes by subscribing to Grounded, a climate start-up journey.
[00:02:13] Wherever you get your podcasts.
[00:02:14] I don't know why it's so difficult to talk about.
[00:02:17] Maybe it makes it more real.
[00:02:20] Which in some ways is very scary.
[00:02:23] And I think hopefully in other ways I can find to be quite exciting.
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