There’s a reason we’re so interested in carbon. It didn’t take long after the industrial revolution for scientists to become concerned about pollution from carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide…
We’ve created a human race against time. Too much pollution in our air creates an (almost) invisible roof over the Earth that traps in our heat like a little glass garden greenhouse.
Until recently, much of the research has been on REDUCING annual atmospheric pollutants (air pollutants and greenhouse gases). Now, however, there is a shift towards implementing conservation measures (for example, using compost) to soils REVERSE the amounts of CO2 emissions and recycle more carbon back into the earth.
Managed agricultural lands reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon sequestration.
Sources: Implementing Conservation Practices that Increase Carbon Sequestration and Reduce GHG Emission.
Natural Resources Conservation Services USDA Air Quality and Atmospheric Change Team