Carbon dioxide, a main driver of climate change, is naturally drawn into oceans, trees, soil, and other carbon sinks. This week, we spoke with Dr. Sabbie Miller, a researcher at UC Davis, who’s working to sequester carbon in buildings with a material called biochar.
As cities and communities around the world grapple with the need for affordable housing while also addressing climate change, sustainable wood provides a promising solution. Able to replace carbon-intensive traditional building materials, sequester carbon, and lower emissions, sustainable wood has the potential to redefine the future of low-carbon building. On this week’s Climate Break, UC Berkeley Professor Dr. Paul Mayencourt, explains how sustainable wood from mass timber could help mitigate the impact of climate change and transform the construction industry.
Dr. Omar Yaghi has recently led research in developing “Covalent organic framework number 999,” or COF 999, a yellow, powder-like material that has the potential to change make great steps forward in limiting carbon dioxide emissions. Just half a pound of the powder can absorb as much carbon dioxide in a year as a full grown tree. This week, we spoke with Dr. Yaghi about COF 999 and what it can do.
Over the past few centuries, the carbon levels in our soils have significantly decreased as a result of agricultural practices exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Despite this loss, stable carbon storage remains crucial for healthy soil and climate resilience. On this week’s Climate Break, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Loam Bio, Tegan Nock explains a new way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it underground.