Carbon Sinking in Schools online educational platform 

This website was developed by Hibiscus Coast Zero Waste, in collaboration with Auckland Council and using funding from Foundation North.

The programme began in 2019 in Auckland Schools. The website materials and videos are intended to to inspire students to take on the challenge of carbon sinking for climate action (zero waste- zero carbon).
The website includes content about how to speed up topsoil formation using biochar, plants, gardens, and school food scraps. 

About carbon sinking

Carbon Sinking uses biological systems to naturally remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (where it shouldn’t be) and store it in the ground (where it should be).  This builds topsoil, improves drainage, increases nutrient and water holding capacity.  It helps turn cities into “Sponge Cities”, modifies clay soil into friable garden soil, and buffers against the extremes of drought and flooding.  Did you know that soil is the planet's second largest carbon sink, after the ocean?

What is the Carbon Sinking Project?

It is well known that regenerative agriculture and ecological succession build soil carbon (topsoil) over time. But this process is slow. What if there was a simple way that everyone who has access to a plot of land, no matter how small or large, could increase the carbon in their soil RAPIDLY?  Our Carbon Sinking method is modelled after Terra Preta – ancient Amazonian soils that are the deep, man-made carbon sinks and prime agricultural soils. 

The Carbon Sinking Project educates students in the subject of environmental sustainability focused primarily on climate change mitigation and carbon sequestration. In this process the Carbon Sinking Project uses Biochar to create Terra Preta. Furthermore, the programme introduces cutting edge sustainable practices in; soil revival & biodiversity promotion, waste reduction, land resilience, improved water quality, food security, decreased agrochemical input, and community lead environmental stewardship.