Using Local Policy to Rebuild the Soil and Sequester Carbon
Track
Policy
Session Description
Carbon sequestration can actually reverse the impacts of climate change. According to some experts like 4p1000, The Rodale Institute and Rattan Lal, soil carbon sequestration could potentially more than offset all global emissions.
This panel will present the concepts and practices of carbon sequestration and regenerative agriculture and describe what communities can do next to implement these strategies locally. Fundamentally changing land management on millions or billions of acres will require a concerted effort spanning policy and the food economy and waste management systems currently in place. The good news is that whether it’s 50% or 100% of the solution, we can restore the climate and grow better food by taking collective action to systematically scale regenerative practices like compost application and cover crop planting.
The even better good news is that cities can use their SB 1383 procurement requirement to support regenerative agriculture and help to meet their climate goals. Beginning January 1, 2022, SB 1383 requires cities and counties to procure annually a quantity of recovered organic waste products to meet their annual procurement target (0.08 tons per capita per year). That's a lot of compost and many cities don't know where to put it. By partnering with farmers and ranchers outside of their boundaries, cities can meet the targets of SB 1383 and save the world from climate disaster.
Speakers
Anthony Myint, Zero Foodprint
Title
Executive Director
Speaker Abstract
California jurisdictions have a unique opportunity to using their procurement dollars to save the world from the threats of global warming.
SB1383 targets a 75% reduction in organic matter in landfill by 2025 as well as requiring jurisdictions to procure compost to bolster the expanding market.
● According to CalRecycle and leading bio-geo-chemists, the sequestration from the diversion of organic matter from SB1383 could sequester over 3M tons of CO2e per year via carbon farming.
● 75% of ZFP’s grant projects involve compost application. We are uniquely suited to direct capital to carbon farming.
● Not all compost or projects are created equal so optimization is a massive climate and fiscal opportunity.
● ZFP is in discussion to become a Direct Service Provider with 6 counties to facilitate procurement/carbon farming.
ZFP businesses send 1% of sales. Many restaurants accomplish this at $0 cost by
adding a simple opt-out fee. A 1% contribution from the CA restaurant industry
would generate $970M per year (pre-COVID).
Since January 2020, ZFP has awarded over $550K to 31 carbon farming projects, expected to remove 18,000 tons of CO2e from the atmosphere. This is equivalent to not burning 2M gallons of gas!
At this session you will learn how to move mountains of compost and reduce the impacts of climate change.
Shawn Rosenmoss, San Francisco Department of the Environment
Title
Manager of Development, Community Partnerships, and the SF Carbon Fund
Speaker Abstract
Shawn was co- author of the Carbon Sequestration Process Guide, funded by the Urban Sustainability Directors Network and sponsored by the cities of San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, Boulder, Fayetteville and Cleveland.
The Process Guide was developed to catalyze a fundamental shift in the way municipalities manage their “waste” – particularly valuable organic materials. The guide supports cities in creating and initiating processes to transition from a linear, top-down system of organics waste management to an integrated, regenerative system that enhances soil and water quality, food access, and community health and well-being. This guide helps cities transition from systems that direct organic materials to landfills, incinerators, or digesters, and creates systems that ensure their highest and best use, by re-visioning them as resources to sequester carbon, replenish soil, and strengthen communities.
The Process Guide has Six Sections that provide the basic data and processes necessary to redesigning organics processing systems:
1. Organic Materials, Types and Volumes
2. Processing Infrastructure, Locations and Capacity
3. Internal Team and Community Stakeholders
4. Related Policies, Plans, and Contracts
5. Assessing Application Potential
6. Articulating Community and Environmental Benefits
This presentation will introduce the guide and help to direct resources for redesigning municipal organic materials systems for climate & community resilience & equitable economic diversification.
Kevin Drew, San Francisco Department of the Environment
Title
Special Zero Waste Projects Coordinator
Speaker Abstract
San Francisco has spent the past 25 years pursuing its Zero Waste strategy for the climate emergency. A key component has been city mandated organics collection to create compost for carbon sequestration. San Francisco is pursuing compost use beyond urban landscapes for potential SB 1383 application. Zero Waste is the key to net zero emissions by increasing source separation, especially organics & shrinking trash. An early estimate of potential GHG reduction from SF’s use of compost for soil carbon sequestration suggests significant impact: 50% drawdown by 2035 and 180% by 2050. In 2035, the cumulative total of carbon dioxide sequestered by by applying compost to rangeland will drawdown 50% of the City's emissions. By 2040, the sequestration will get San Francisco to carbon neutrality and by 2050 it will exceed San Francisco's emissions by 80% and actually be an engine for reversing climate change. All this can be done by just using the kitchen compost pail and separating organics from trash. Simple!