Podcasts about comet farm

You’ve got to crawl before you walk. The Nori team aims to have their carbon removal marketplace up and running this year, and to that end, they are currently running a pilot program with a handful of farmers and ranchers in the US. So, what does the process look like? What is their progress on the software product to date? What milestones has the team reached—and what are their next steps? Michael Leggett serves as the Director of Product, while Ryan Anderson joined the team as a consultant in January and is now the Supply Development Lead. Prior to Nori, Michael led design teams at Google and Facebook, and Ryan served as a Strategy Lead and Ecological Economist at the Delta Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to solving complex environmental challenges in the Midwest. Today, Michael and Ryan join Ross, Christophe, and Paul to share Nori’s progress to date.  They walk us through the pilot program, discussing how the team is leveraging COMET-Farm modeling to measure the additionality of carbon stored. Michael describes Nori’s milestones in terms of software product development, and Ryan explores the value of a self-service portal for participating farmer-suppliers. Listen in for insight around the unique aspects of the Nori forward contract auction and learn how the team is incorporating feedback from suppliers, verifiers, and an expert peer-review committee as they work toward a 2019 launch of the marketplace!   Resources Trey Hill on RCC EP059 Ryan Anderson on RCC EP058 COMET-Farm Granular Nori Market App Demo Invest in Nori Carbon Removal Newsroom Review RCC on iTunes   Connect with Ross & Christophe  Nori Nori on Facebook Nori on Twitter Nori on Medium Nori on YouTube Nori on GitHub Email hello@nori.com Nori White Paper Subscribe on iTunes   Key Takeaways  [2:17] The intent of the Nori pilot program Test product + methodology with US farmers, ranchers Incorporate participant feedback in real time Use COMET-Farm modeling to quantify carbon removal  [8:58] How Nori thinks about additionality Measure carbon stored by NEW practices Relative to established dynamic baseline  [11:38] Nori’s milestones in terms of its software product Minimal version for suppliers, verifiers and buyers Product available to farmers to enter data themselves Forward contract auction simulation (buy + sell CRCs) [18:29] The benefits of a self-service portal for suppliers Empower farmers to make business decisions Generate estimates of what stand to gain (simple + free) [24:34] How the forward contract auction works in Nori Parties agree on amount + price for future transaction De-risk acquisition and sale of commodity Nori combines with single-price Dutch auction Gives participants optionality  [35:58] The role of the peer review committee in the pilot Critical for transparency, integrity + objectivity Weigh in on methodology (e.g.: additionality, permanence) [39:21] Michael’s insight on the verification process Work to create value by solving real problems Partner w/ traditional market verifiers to write guidelines

To make Nori work, the data of carbon removal must be somehow transferred from a model like COMET-Farm to the blockchain—and that is precisely the infrastructure that Jaycen Horton is building at Nori. So, how does communication between the software work, exactly? Why did Nori choose to build on the Ethereum blockchain? And what is the benefit of building in an open-source community? Jaycen is the Principal Blockchain Architect at Nori. He has extensive experience as Lead Software Engineer at Dell, Security Engineer at Wells Fargo, and at ASU Decision Theater. Jaycen’s career has focused on peer-to-peer and distributed technologies, most recently drilling down to smart contracts and cutting-edge UX technology. He is also the co-organizer of the largest blockchain meetup in the state of Arizona, Desert Blockchain, and a contributor to the ground-breaking book, Mastering Ethereum: Building Smart Contracts and DApps.  Today, Jaycen joins Ross, Christophe, and Paul to share his background in blockchain technology and how he came to join the Nori team. He explains his initial skepticism around Bitcoin, the advantage of Ethereum’s smart contracts, and the reasons Nori chose to build on the Ethereum blockchain. Jaycen describes the API that Nori is building, offering insight around the way it connects to COMET-Farm and the value of sharing the API in an open-source community. Listen in to understand the function of Nori’s backend software and learn where to go for more information about blockchain technology!   Resources  Certified Bitcoin Professional Ross’ Article on Ethereum IPFS Protocol Labs MetaMask Carbon Harvest Carbon Removal Seattle Reversing Climate Change EP013 COMET-Farm Nori on GitHub Mastering Ethereum: Building Smart Contracts and DAppsby Andreas Antonopoulos and Gavin Wood Jaycen in Hacker Noon Hacker Noon Andreas Antonopoulos Books by Andreas Antonopoulos Digital Gold: Bitcoin and the Inside Story of the Misfits and Millionaires Trying to Reinvent Moneyby Nathaniel Popper That Book on Blockchain: A One-Hour Introby Jonathan B. Morley CryptoZombies Solidity Truffle Suite Desert Blockchain Meetup   Key Takeaways [0:51] Jaycen’s background in blockchain technology Access to video cards, GPUs at ASU in 2010 Play with Bitcoin ‘like science experiment’  [3:54] Jaycen’s skepticism around Bitcoin early on Protein folding similar but more useful Not obvious could be used to exchange value [6:14] How Ethereum changed the landscape Smart contracts allow to build business Financial agreements among multiple parties Money executes transaction (no third party) Value associated with programmability [11:13] Jaycen’s insight on poor blockchain use cases   High-speed or low-cost transactions Check state into blockchain vs. all computations [15:07] The fundamentals of blockchain technology Nodes = participants in system, download info to store on network Only two components among decentralization, security and speed [19:16] Why Nori chose the Ethereum blockchain Open-source community of talented developers Functional blockchain [20:45] Jaycen’s take on public vs. private blockchains Purpose of blockchain = work with people don’t trust Incentivizes behavior to cooperate [22:50] The integration of carbon removal and blockchain tech Jaycen sold on Ethereum blockchain in February 2017 Carbon Harvest project at Hackathon (IPFS, MetaMask) [28:34] The significance of developing an API Common language between Nori and COMET-Farm [33:27] The parallels between scientific method and open-source software Modify yourself as necessary Peer review to identify flaws  [38:34] The function of Nori’s backend technology Pull in and process COMET-Farm data Store in smart contract on blockchain  [41:28] Why Nori is sharing its API Allows for purchase/sale of digital assets Infrastructure makes other things possible [43:04] The open-source ethos Take advantage of genius outside organization Idea easy to duplicate = no longer novel  [46:51] Where to learn more about blockchain tech Books by Andreas Antonopoulos Build games, collectibles (i.e.: CryptoZombies)

The team at Nori has spent the last several months traveling the world, attending conferences around regenerative farming, agricultural technology, and the soil health movement. And the overarching theme among stakeholders has been the need for a price on carbon. How is Nori working to deliver just that? What methodologies is the platform using to measure and verify carbon removal in soil? And how does the system work to pay farmers for regenerative practices? Alexsandra Guerra is the Director of Strategic Planning for Nori. A clean energy crusader with a background in the energy and tech space, she is well-versed in the realm of data-drive projects focused on increasing distributed energy resources and grid modernization. Alexsandra believes that they key to impactful innovation is a combination of social awareness and technology, and she prioritizes efficient and sustainable practices in all aspects of her life. Today, Alexsandra once again joins Ross, Christophe and Paul on the podcast. This time, she is here to talk methodologies, explaining her current work with the product team around compensating farmers for carbon removal. She walks us through the process of enrolling in the Nori marketplace, getting your data verified, and earning Nori tokens. Alexsandra offers insight around the benefits of regenerative farming practices and the demand for a price on carbon. Listen in to understand how and why Nori is engaging stakeholders to build a usable platform based on feedback from the community.   Resources Nori Webinars COMET-Farm Natural Resources Conservation Service GOAT ReGen18 VNRC Soil Workshops Carbon Farming Innovation Network University of Minnesota Main Street Project   Key Takeaways [1:46] The fundamentals of Nori methodologies Current focus on soils and grazing Develop way to measure carbon removal List projects, get paid for good work [2:43] How to become a part of the Nori marketplace Enter regenerative practices on COMET-Farm Use data to estimate CO2land stores over time Issued corresponding number of CRCs [4:02] The benefits of regenerative farming practices Better yield over time, prevents soil erosion Avert economic impact of land degradation [5:53] The job of a verifier in the Nori system Confirm applicant has rights to project listed Verify accuracy of data in COMET-Farm Ensure project not on other marketplaces [8:00] How farmers get paid through Nori after verification CRCs listed in que, convert to Nori tokens once purchased Some tokens issued immediately but others held in reserve Must maintain practices for ten years [9:45] The difference between a verifier and an auditor  Verifier makes sure COMET-Farm data is accurate, maintained Auditor performs occasional checks (still working on timeline) Supplier and buyer pay for both, Nori not involved in process  [14:09] How the Nori marketplace provides assurance to buyers Adjust credits held in reserve if less CO2removed than projected [15:47] The theme of recent ag tech and soil health conferences Crucial need for price on carbon New practices to reduce inputs (e.g.: tree range chickens)  [18:57] Why Nori is building a community of collaboration Generate input to build usable tool Prompt broad stakeholder engagement [22:46] The Nori product team’s lean methodology Apply scientific method to assumptions Customer discovery to test hypotheses

The greatest challenge we face here at Nori is that of verifying that carbon has, in fact, been captured and stored for good. To our benefit, Colorado State University has developed a whole farm and ranch carbon and greenhouse gas accounting system called COMET-Farm. How does the tool work to estimate how a farmer’s management practices impact soil carbon and greenhouse gas emissions?  Keith Paustian is a professor in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at CSU. His research deals with soil organic matter dynamics and carbon and nitrogen cycling in managed ecosystems, with a major focus on modeling and field measurement of soil carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions from land use activities. Keith acts as the coordinating lead author for the IPCC in the area of agriculture and national greenhouse gas inventory methods, and he serves on the US Carbon Cycle Steering Group, the Chicago Climate Change Science Advisory Board, the 25X25 Advisory Board, and the Soil Science Society of America Greenhouse Gas Working Group.   Today, Keith sits down with Ross and Christophe to share his path to the study of soil carbon sequestration. Keith explains what happens when we convert land for agriculture and what we can do to recover the lost carbon inventory. He offers insight into COMET-Farm, discussing how the tool’s models quantify changes in soil carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. Listen in to understand the hurdles to widespread adoption of sustainable agriculture and learn how the technology revolution in the space might facilitate Nori’s ambitions to compensate farmers for sustainable practices.   Resources COMET-Farm Natural Resources Conservation Service   Key Takeaways [0:40] Keith’s path to sustainable agriculture Grew up in Colorado, studied forest science Two years in Norway as lab tech PhD in Sweden (ecology of arable lands) Part of global climate change community Developed interest in land use systems [4:09] How to recover the carbon lost in converting lands for agriculture Plants on ground as much as possible Avoid soil disturbance, reduce soil erosion More efficient use of nutrients [6:58] How COMET-Farm works Farmers provide detailed management info Models estimate changes in soil carbon, greenhouse gas emissions  [9:47] Why soil organic carbon is a good proxy for soil health Soil is complex living system Organic matter = food source for organisms Important to physical structure of soil [11:49] The factors that impact the chemical and physical properties of soil Parent material (e.g.: limestone, volcanic ash) Change over time due to climate [15:08] Keith’s take on the Earth’s capacity to store excess CO2in atmosphere Yes, but not all in soil Forests, carbon mineralization and geological storage (i.e.: saline aquifers)  [16:41] The hurdles to widespread adoption of soil carbon sequestration Farmers focused on net return, crop yield May cost more, involve more risk in short-term No immediate tangible benefit [20:40] The benefits of the current technology revolution in agriculture Directly address soil carbon, greenhouse gas emissions Forecast outcomes to facilitate changes in management Understand behavior of organic matter in soil, how to increase  [25:16] The definition of precision agriculture Farmers understand variability in field Map different management zones [26:11] The most common myth around soil carbon Policy community used to say couldn’t be measured