Suzanne Sajid - Burning Biomass


Biomass burning is the burning of dead or live vegetation such as crop residue. Burning organic matter releases carbon particulates into the atmosphere and greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, which warm the Earth, contributing to pollution and global warming. A Stanford study showed that eighteen percent of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions come from burning biomass, or an astounding 8.5 billion tons. In fact, ninety percent of all biomass burned is due to humans, with a very small percentage actually due to natural wildfires. However, computer calculations estimate that as the Earth gets warmer, fires will become larger and more frequent. This will increase their role in burning biomass and contribute to the detrimental cycle at hand.


The reason why burning biomass is so harmful is because carbon sinks are lost rapidly and hundreds of years worth of carbon buildup is released into the atmosphere all at once. The only way for the gas to be retained is by restoring vegetation, and this is not always an easy task. South Asia in particular, faces one of the largest epidemics concerning biomass burning. During fall and winter, it is estimated that the amount of pollutant particles in the air in New Delhi, India are ten times greater than the standards set by the World Health Organization. This is a scary thought for the citizens of this city and the surrounding metropolitan area, home to twenty - six million people. How will this pollution affect their daily lives and their future health? On a bigger scale, almost everyone living in cities around the world will be affected in some way or another, especially the older generations and pregnant women.

Image result for biomass burning
The highest burning biomass region of South Asia is located at the foothills of the Himalayas on the Tibetan Plateau. An additional effect of burning biomass is that the glaciers in this icy region become contaminated with pollutants, thus spoiling water resources for many who rely on it to sustain themselves. Also, when black carbon particulates land on the surface of glaciers, they accelerate the melting rates of the ice due to their low albedo, or reflectivity. Evidently, this is a very concerning issue as our planet is getting warmer and warmer by the day. Temperatures will continue to rise if we do not demand action to combat this epidemic.

Questions:
What are some ways black carbon emissions can be reduced in South Asia and all over the world?
What sustainable regulations should be imposed to limit burning biomass?
What are the long term effects of burning biomass on the planet?
What are the effects of bad air quality on individuals living in highly polluted areas, such as New Delhi?
Sources:


Comments

Anonymous said…
This blog post correlates well with our new unit on air pollution, giving a more in depth perspective and specific example. The numbers you provided are so surreal, creating a question in my mind of just how much of this do people breathe in? Especially in countries that have little power to regulating air pollutants to no regulations at all, and with milllions to billions of people! I have to imagine that in places like northern India that the people must notice how bad the quality of life must be turning into, what with the pollution in the Ganges and the air pollution from the sheer amount of people that just live there. I hope that the government in India and surrounding countries near the Himilayas take more action...
April 1, 2019 at 8:22 AM
Anonymous said…
Using biomass for energy has both positive and negative effects. Some experts aregue that while burning fossil fuels/biomass releases CO2, the plants that are the source of the biomass capture a nearly equivalent amount of CO2, thus making biomass a carbon neutral energy source. Examples of biomass burning for energy include wood, wood pellets, charcoal, municipal solid waste (garbage), wood waste, or even liquid biofuels, such as ethanol and biodiesel. Ultimately, biomass burning can result in thick smoke that doesn’t neccessarily cause health problems for everyone exposed. Right now, there are many initiatives to reduce the use of fire in agriculture.
April 1, 2019 at 3:46 PM
Anonymous said…
Great job on the blog post! I looked up some of the negative effects of bad pollution, especially in urban areas, and what I found was extremely shocking. It can irritate your eyes, nose, and throat, and cause shortness of breath. Some of the more serious symptoms are asthma that recurs more often, and also the fact that it can affect your respiratory and cardiovascular systems. I didn't realize that pollution could cause this many problems, but I guess the only thing that is meant to go into our lungs is clean unpolluted air, so I guess the fact that it is extremely hazardous is not very surprising.
April 2, 2019 at 4:34 PM
Anonymous said…
I found your blog post very interesting and liked how it related to our current unit in class. I did some research on the long term effects of burning biomass. I learned that burning biomass releases carbon which leads to greenhouse gases warming the Earth and which leads to more frequent and larger fires. Not only does biomass have negative effects on the Earth's environment but it also harms humans. It can cause major respiratory problems in humans.
April 2, 2019 at 8:23 PM
Anonymous said…
Once again, this problem is in a weird situation. Burning biomass is a problem most severe in developing countries, the areas that can least afford to change their practices, and the areas we have the least impact in. However, as we’ve been learning in class, air pollution in one country can cause drastic consequences in another. If the US does not step forward and diplomatically push for sustainable regulations on this practice in these nations, we might face drastic consequences ourselves, let alone the residents of those areas.
April 3, 2019 at 6:12 AM
Anonymous said…
This is a very relevant post for what we are learning in class right now. By burning biomass, we are releasing greenhouse gases at a much quicker rate than how it should naturally occur. As you pointed out, the recent influx of black carbon has caused a plethora of environmental problems including but not limited to global warming and decrease in albedo in the Arctic. The sad thing is most of the biomass burned are in developing countries, who cannot afford to live without it unless there’s severe financial intervention.
April 3, 2019 at 8:28 PM
Anonymous said…
Biomass burning tends to be one of the overlooked aspects of climate change. I think the best way to eliminate biomass emissions is to invest in renewable energy research. The goal should be to make renewable energy resources completely asscesible and affordable, especially in developing countries. With a significant investment in clean energy, I believe biomass emissions can be eliminated.
April 4, 2019 at 6:39 AM
Anonymous said…
When visiting India, and especially New Delhi, one can literally feel the quality of air being worse than elsewhere. If it is that bad when visiting, I can only imagine how bad it is while living there. Because the majority of this air pollution comes from burning biomass, it is imperative that an alternative needs to be found to burning biomass. However, the irony of the situation, something that Joji pointed out in his own comment, is that India, and the other countries that burn biomass, are the countries that most need to burn biomass. Regardless, if an alternative is not found, humans in all parts of the world could soon be affected.
April 4, 2019 at 6:44 AM
Anonymous said…
The prolonged debate on the subject of increasing temperature has resulted in the our attention to various sources that may cause the issue itself. Humans now have focused on numerous reasonings, starting from over usage of personal vehicles to burning biomass. As pointed out, burning biomass have contributed quite a portion to the increase in global temperature, which now have led us to resolve or mitigate such an issue to preserve or prevent from further damagaing our planet. One of the most viable solutions seems to be near the work of world wide organization. Personally, those type of groups ought to form unity to pressure each industrialized nations in order to lessen the impact of burning biomass.
April 5, 2019 at 6:40 AM
Anonymous said…
Biomass burning seems to be one of the lesser-known causes of climate change, as the burning of coal and oil specifically seems to take center stage. Reducing the magnitude of biomass burning in places like India is going to be tough, as there isn’t a developed enough infrastructure, especially in more rural areas, to both enforce policies that reduce biomass burning and provide sustainable, stable alternatives. Still, we need to address the issue, and perhaps we should do it through the efforts of a larger, international alliance, like the UN.
April 5, 2019 at 6:56 AM
Anonymous said…
That was a very informative post! There are numerous negative effects of biomass burning, and if we do not do anything to combat the rise in adverse effects, me might be headed for ruin. Some ways to reduce black carbon emissions include switching over to more sustainable energy practices, such as solar power. In more developed regions, working to reduce automobile emissions of black carbon is the big issue. In California, the amount of black carbon pollution has been cut by about 1/2 in the last two decades, largely due to legislation capping particulate emissions from heavy trucks and Diesel engines. If we put in a bit of effort, we too can help contribute to the cutdown of black carbon worldwide.
April 6, 2019 at 9:28 AM
Anonymous said…
This was a very interesting post! I looked further into black carbon emissions in South Asia because I found it particularly interesting. I found that reducing atmospheric concentrations of black carbon in South Asia could result in improved public health and a slowing of the rate of near-term climate change. Reductions in black carbon could prevent premature deaths. Regions taking action to reduce black carbon would also benefit significantly from reduced regional warming and less disruption of regional weather patterns such as the monsoons. There are numerous other benefits that could result from taking action to reduce black carbon emissions in South Asia, so something must be done.
April 6, 2019 at 11:20 AM
Meredith Miller said…
Biomass burning is a very undiscussed topic. I fount that theuncontrolled way in which most biomass burning happens means that the only real route to reducing emissions from this source is to reduce the amount of burning itself. Some biomass burning is required if environments such as the savanna are to be retained, but it is the large scale destruction of forest areas for cash crop agriculture and urban spread which stand out as areas to be tackled.
April 6, 2019 at 9:53 PM
Anonymous said…
After all that we have learned so much about air pollution and our environment, this blog post is very important and insightful. After doing more research on the burning of biomass in our environment, I have learned that the plants emit 150% the CO2 of coal, and 300-400% the CO2 of natural gas, per unit energy produced. After all the CO2 that is emitted in our atmosphere, this burning of biomasses hurts the environment and contributes to our climate change.
April 7, 2019 at 10:00 AM
Anonymous said…
This blog post was very interesting and opened my eyes to the fact that this issue is not well known across the globe. Burning biomass has many long term negative effects on the globe. First, when inhaled, biomass particles can lead to respiratory problems. Since fires produce carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, biomass burning emissions significantly influence the Earth's atmosphere and also the climate. Through additional research, I have learned that biomass burning has both short and long term impacts on the environment.
April 7, 2019 at 11:36 AM
Anonymous said…
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, black carbon is the second largest contributor to global warming, just behind carbon dioxide. It is therefore crucial to address. Some simple solutions involve encouraging governments to monitor air quality, which will enable them to respond more accurately. Vehicle emission requirements, though it may result in higher prices and constrained supply, can also hinder the effects of black carbon.
April 7, 2019 at 5:50 PM
Anonymous said…
This was a very helpful and applicable blog post, as it pertains to the information we are learning right now. One of the biggest problems with burning biomass is that it is a positive feedback loop. Burning biomass increases the carbon in the atmosphere, warming the Earth, which leads to more fires, and causes more biomass to be burned. Another problem we face with the burning of biomass is that habitats are being destroyed, leading to a loss of biodiversity. This is an anthropogenic problem we need to face to combat global warming and the destruction of habitats.
April 7, 2019 at 6:06 PM
Anonymous said…
While reading your post, I immediately thought of our class discussions and notes over air pollution. We always think of burning fossil fuels like coal and oil to be one of the primary contributors to the growing amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, which is still true, but we don't really consider other factors like biomass burning. These issues can all be minimized with more sustainable alternatives, like the use of solar, wind, or hydroelectric power.
April 7, 2019 at 7:59 PM
Anonymous said…
What an insightful post! I did not know that biomass burning was a factor to our air pollution. However, we are slowly turning towards more sustainable sources of electricity and power so hopefully things such as these issues aren’t a massive deal anymore. As inhabitants of our planet, we need to take better care of our own enviroment as we are the ones who will be the victims to our own habits. Along with us, plants and animals are what keeps our planet going, so we should help them out as well.
April 7, 2019 at 9:29 PM
Anonymous said…
This is an interesting post, in light of the recent units we have had over pollution and climate change. But it is a predicament that is not easily solved because of how prevalent the burning of biomass is in 3rd world countries, where there are few to no other options. I wonder how much of the pollution is caused by developing countries. As much as environmentalists in the US would like to solve every world problem, legislation that takes away a way of life will not succeed on any front.
April 8, 2019 at 6:09 AM
Anonymous said…
The pollution caused by burning biomass was unknown to me. There are many negative effects to burning biomass. If we do not combat these issues then we may face many issues in the future. Black carbon is found almost everywhere, but there is a high concentaration in asia. Black carbon consists of pure carbon in several forms. Black carbon warms the earth by absorbing sunlight and heating the atmosphere and by reducing albedo. The black carbon effects health, and climate, and overall life.
April 8, 2019 at 7:22 AM
Anonymous said…
I agree with several of our classmates, this was a very interesting topic that is representative of our unit. To answer your food for thought, I found that some long term effects of burning biomass include that when inhaled, the particulates lead to respiratory problems. The Earth’s vegetation naturally acts as a sink (a natural storage area) for carbon dioxide by storing it over time through the process of photosynthesis. As burning occurs, it can release hundreds of years worth of stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in a matter of hours. Burning biomass will permanently damage an important sink for carbon dioxide if the vegetation is not replaced. This phenomenon can greatly impact the environment in both minor and long term, lasting ways.
April 8, 2019 at 6:43 PM
Anonymous said…
I have always felt like burning biomass is one of the worst acts for harming the environment, since you release a lot of carbon into the atmosphere and simultaneously decrease the ability of nature to absorb atmospheric carbon. Even though I always thought this, your post really showed me that it actually was even more harmful than I thought. For example, the carbon darkening glaciers and decreases the albedo of them isn't something I would have thought would be a result of burning biomass. This just showed me that even small environmental impacts can snowball into truly dangerous effects.
April 8, 2019 at 7:03 PM
Anonymous said…
As you mentioned, burning biomass is a significant problem in South Asia. In fact, a large cloud of pollution, known as the 'Asian Brown Cloud', looms over eastern China and India, and is largely fueled by the combustion of biomass across the region. This cloud has caused notable issues, such as decreases in summer monsoon rainfall, declines in agricultural production, and increases in respiratory and cardiovascular problems in the people inhabiting the region. Air pollution can be caused by many natural-seeming ways and can lead to problems that surpass climate change and health issues.
April 8, 2019 at 9:05 PM
Anonymous said…
This was a veryy interesting blog post! I had not known previously about the implications of burning biomass. As inhabitants of the Earth, it is our duty to protect the environment. Burning biomass is extremely damaging to carbon sinks, and we must push for new solutions.
April 8, 2019 at 10:05 PM
Anonymous said…
This was a very interesting blog post since even though I have been educated about the potential harms and consequences of biomass burning, this blog post really highlighted just how disastrous it could be. Once we burn biomass, a lot of carbon is released into the environment, and this is only going to hurt humans in the future. Therefore, we need to start working to think of alternate solutions and stop burning biomass.
April 8, 2019 at 10:20 PM
Anonymous said…
You bring this point up at a very convenient point in this class as we begin to discuss air pollution and related topics. The burning of biomass (and other waste overall) is something that is just recently becoming discouraged. My mother says that, growing up on a farm, they used to burn lots of leftover organic matter; it’s just how people did it. I’m glad that this topic is receiving attention, we need to stop the burning of biomass ASAP!
April 9, 2019 at 7:11 AM
Anonymous said…
Much like the class has already mentioned but I think you posted this blog at such a relevant time when we’re learning about air pollution. I didn’t know that burning biomass was such a bad thing. When I went to mission trip with my church, the place where we stayed at didn’t have regular trash pick up and so we are very meticulous about separating plastic ware and foods. We would burn the trash that could be burned (food, paper and etc) and I thought that it was an okay thing to do. But now reading your post, this is a big issue that not a lot of people are aware about and should be addressed so that the further burning of biomass should be stopped.
April 9, 2019 at 8:34 AM
Anonymous said…
This post comes at a convenient time since we are currently learning about this subject in class. I knew the burning of biomass was harmful, but I wasn’t aware how it was harmful or the effects it may bring. When organic matter is burned, carbon dioxide is released. Being a greenhouse gas, the increase of CO2 in the atmosphere is extremely dangerous to the heating of the earth, leading to climate change. Climate change is an extremely important issue and must be addressed and dealt with quickly before it is too late.
April 9, 2019 at 3:25 PM
Anonymous said…
It is strange to think that the way that we see living as more efficient and easier is harmful to the environment. Often times, it is with new innovations that a problem surfaces and a solution is sought after, but the issue of burning biomass is one that has persisted for ages and still and solution is yet to be found. As conditions turn worse, it becomes a battle for the mere survival of future generations.
April 10, 2019 at 7:49 PM
Anonymous said…
This blog post was very interesting and correlates really well with the current unit! I had no idea about the possible harmful impacts of burning biomass. Burning biomass is extremely harmful when it comes to the preservation of carbon sinks. However, with the further raising of awareness of this problem it can be eradicated more efficiently.
April 16, 2019 at 10:31 PM
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