Episode 210: Prehistory, Lost & Found

November 24, 2022

Central Thesis

The episode argues that historical accounts of the Amazon reveal sophisticated pre-Columbian civilizations that mastered sustainable agriculture via biochar technology, a solution potentially vital to combating climate change, but sidelined due to powerful interests and narrow ideological perspectives.

Key Arguments

• Historical Revisionism: Jim argues that historical narratives, like the naming of the Amazon River, are shaped by the conquerors' perspective, obscuring the advanced nature of indigenous societies. He attacks the idea that natives were primitive jungle-dwellers, claiming they had cities and advanced agricultural practices.
• Biochar's Potential: He presents biochar, derived from pyrolyzed organic matter, as a powerful soil amendment technology used by ancient Amazonians to create fertile land from poor soil. He emphasizes its potential to sequester carbon, improve crop yields, and address climate change.
• Systemic Obstacles: He claims that the widespread adoption of biochar is hampered by the "industrial complex," government incentives favoring unsustainable practices, and resistance from those advocating for a complete return to "simpler" agricultural methods. He implies a deliberate suppression of a viable climate solution.
• PBS Documentary Critique: Jim expresses frustration that a PBS documentary on climate change failed to mention biochar, highlighting what he perceives as a bias towards "whiz-bang energy-sucking gadgetry" rather than practical, sustainable solutions.

Notable Passages

• "That scholar that dismissed the possibility of babes with bows. Remember, back when I read it in high school, he said the women attacked from the jungle. According to Bates, To Father Gaspar, that is completely wrong. They attacked from where they lived, from the city where they lived."
• "The reforestation of land following the collapse drew so much carbon out of the atmosphere so rapidly that Europe literally froze. We went from what was called the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age, which was most intense from approximately 1500 to 1750."
• "This biochar shit is real. You might be asking, if it's so real, Jim, why don't we hear more about it, hmm? Simple. Some people think it's too real."
• "Essentially, removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sequestering it is called geoengineering. It is sneered upon by those who believe we should just go back to a simpler, more basic way of producing our soil and stop burning those silly fossil fuels entirely."

Rhetorical Approach

Jim uses a mix of historical narrative, personal anecdotes (his high school reading, his blog post), and scientific information to build his case. He employs a conversational, often sarcastic tone to express his outrage at what he sees as historical injustice and systemic obstruction of sustainable solutions. He presents himself as an outsider challenging conventional wisdom.

Connections

References Albert Bates' book, The Biochar Solution, Charles C. Mann's books 1491 and 1493, Wim Bombrouck's research on terra preta, Elaine Ingham's views on biochar, and Joel Salatin's farming practices. Also references a previous episode concerning a PBS documentary on climate change. The film Fitzcarraldo is referenced.