Learning how to make a carbon sink at home

Adding biochar to your garden is a way to have a positive effect on climate change by creating your own carbon sink.

Biochar, which is charcoal made from untreated sawdust that would normally be burned or put into the landfill, is now available by the bucket load from Whangaparāoa Community Recycling Centre’s Ecoshop at 637 Whangaparāoa Road.

Biochar holds onto water and nutrients like compost does. However, it does not break down in the soil, so it needs to be sprinkled into a compost bin or worm farm, or placed in a layer in a Bokashi bin. 

Sustainable North Trust trustee Betsy Kettle says recent evidence suggests that biochar acts as a catalyst to remove and store atmospheric carbon in the soil.

More about this is explained at the free Compost Collective workshops held at the recycling centre.

The next workshop at Whangaparāoa Community Recycling Centre is on April 16. Info and bookings at the Recycling Centre or www.compost collective.org.nz

More recycling options
The Whangaparāoa Community Recycling Centre recently joined the Terracycle NZ recycling programme, which means that a lot more items can be taken there for recycling. These include: dental floss containers, toothpaste tubes, toothbrushes, razors, razor blades, L’affare coffee capsules, snaplock and zip slide bags and clingwrap. Betsy Kettle of Sustainable North says while it’s positive to see businesses that make these products start this process, the real test will be seeing them manufacture more sustainable products.