We can curb climate change right now. What's stopping us?We can curb climate change right now. What's stopping us?
Black carbon is the second-largest contributor to climate change after carbon dioxide. If we cut the amount of black carbon we release into the air, we could immediately slow the pace of climate change. So why aren't we?
Eliminating black carbon at its source
Most black carbon is generated from the open burning of wood waste. Air Burners® uses air curtain technology to trap black carbon emissions and prevent their escape into the atmosphere.
How long do climate drivers stay in the atmosphere?
CO2
100 YEARS
Methane
15 YEARS
Black Carbon
Weeks
Agencies that have tested our machines
What a waste
Wood waste is choking out our planet, with more being generated than what we can recycle. There is little to no market for the recycled product and the recycling process consumes so much fuel, its environmental benefits are questionable. The only viable solution is to invest in an air curtain burner—like our Air Burners—that can burn wood waste in the most cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way possible. Air Burner's air curtain machines burn the wood naturally, no hydrocarbon fuels are used at all. All that remains after the burn is a nutrient rich soil amendment called biochar.
0%
OF ALL WASTE IS WOOD & VEGETATIVE
0M
(MILLION)
TONS OF WOOD WASTE IS COLLECTED EACH YEAR
ONLY0%
OF ALL WOOD WASTE IS RECYCLED
Dead trees are dead weight
The tree mortality problem is so large we can't count it. In the California Sierra Nevada mountain range alone, there are over 800 million tons of tree mortality. Despite the biodegradability, dead trees take anywhere between 50 and 100 years to fully break down. Such forgotten waste hinders new growth and poses major fire hazards before it finally returns to the earth.
C02 ABSORPTION
When entire forest beds are littered with dead trees, new ones can't grow. The vegetative debris cripples the forest's ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and in turn aggravates climate change.
Wildfires
A spark in dry weather is all it takes for dead wood to be set ablaze. Deadly wildfires in California, Australia and the Amazon rainforest have ravaged homes, taken lives, posed severe respiratory health risks and pushed countless threatened species closer to extinction.
100 YEARS
Without the help of air curtain burning, trees take decades to fully decompose. A handful of dead trees in a forest isn't a problem, but an entire dead or dying forest will have its ability to absorb carbon—and slow down climate change—severely hampered for all the decades that it is out of action.
It's time to rethink wood waste recycling
Because There is No Market for the Recycled Wood Product
HAULING
Whether the wood ends up in a landfill or in a conventional biomass burner, the first step typically involves hauling whole wood waste to a chipping mill. This hauling process consumes 10 to 15 gallons of fuel and emits carbon dioxide, methane and other harmful greenhouse gases in the process.
HAULING
Whether the wood ends up in a landfill or in a conventional biomass burner, the first step typically involves hauling whole wood waste to a chipping mill. This hauling process consumes 10 to 15 gallons of fuel and emits carbon dioxide, methane and other harmful greenhouse gases in the process.
CHIPPING
Chipping wood waste has fewer and fewer places it can be used. This chipped wood can be used as mulch, but its production from vegetative debris is a fossil-fuel intensive exercise to the tune of 40 to 60 gallons of diesel per hour. This process also emits more greenhouse gases into the air and the dust particles are recognized as a cancer causing agent by the U.S. EPA.
CHIPPING
Chipping wood waste has fewer and fewer places it can be used. This chipped wood can be used as mulch, but its production from vegetative debris is a fossil-fuel intensive exercise to the tune of 40 to 60 gallons of diesel per hour. This process also emits more greenhouse gases into the air and the dust particles are recognized as a cancer causing agent by the U.S. EPA.
Open burning
Not all wood waste can be recycled. Open burning is the most common method of disposing of such waste, but it is also the most detrimental. Unexpected changes in wind direction can cause open fires to spread uncontrollably, while the smoke (black carbon) that lingers long after an open burn is a human health risk and is a major climate change forcer.
Open burning
Not all wood waste can be recycled. Open burning is the most common method of disposing of such waste, but it is also the most detrimental. Unexpected changes in wind direction can cause open fires to spread uncontrollably, while the smoke (black carbon) that lingers long after an open burn is a human health risk and is a major climate change forcer.
COMPOSTING
Wood chips are a common ingredient for compost. There is a dark side to such "black gold". The wood chips used from vegetative waste have to first be ground up and then all the waste materials go into a mixer. Once the waste is spread into rows, the windrow turner comes through once a week to turn the mixture. These machines burn over 100 gallons of diesel fuel per hour; and the grinding, turning, and handling creates an enormous amount of dust. The composting of wood chips also releases methane, which traps heat 30 times more effectively compared to carbon dioxide.
COMPOSTING
Wood chips are a common ingredient for compost. There is a dark side to such "black gold". The wood chips used from vegetative waste have to first be ground up and then all the waste materials go into a mixer. Once the waste is spread into rows, the windrow turner comes through once a week to turn the mixture. These machines burn over 100 gallons of diesel fuel per hour; and the grinding, turning, and handling creates an enormous amount of dust. The composting of wood chips also releases methane, which traps heat 30 times more effectively compared to carbon dioxide.
Climate change culprits
BLACK CARBON
Black Carbon absorbs heat up to 1,500 times more than CO2 while in the atmosphere. Once it has fallen back to Earth, it accelerates the melting of glaciers and ice caps (IPCC) contributing to rising sea levels. A component of Black Carbon can be invisibly small and if inhaled can exacerbate diseases, like lung cancer and heart disease.
Climate change culprits
NON-BIOGENIC CO2
Carbon dioxide is a naturally-occurring gas that helps sustain life. But our burning of fossil fuels has produced more carbon dioxide than what our environment can handle, causing global temperatures to rise.
Climate change culprits
METHANE
When methane is released into the atmosphere, it traps heat and warms the planet 30 times as much as Carbon Dioxide. Methane lingers in the atmosphere for 15 years and is emitted through natural gas transportation and use, livestock, and landfills.
A CLEARER VISION. A CLEANER SOLUTION.
There is a highly-effective alternative to traditional wood waste recycling that's currently at work on every continent except Antarctica—Air Burners®. Producing a highly clean burn at a fraction of the economic and environmental cost, we are the most proven wood waste burner available today with the smallest ecological footprint. Our technology simulates the natural burning of wood waste, but without the high degree of pollution and at low cost. Our machines are the most enviromentally-friendly alternative to all other wood processing methods.
THE BENEFITS
Clean, Fast Burns
No Hydrocarbon Fuel
Produces Biochar
Produces Biochar
Produces Electric & Thermal Energy
Produces Electric & Thermal Energy
Return Carbon to the Soil
Return Carbon to the Soil
Financially & Environmentally Sound
Financially & Environmentally Sound
Air Burners® At Work
WASTE MANAGEMENT
FOREST SERVICE
AGRICULTURE
DISASTER RELIEF
WASTE MANAGEMENT
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WASTE MANAGEMENT
Many landfills have large piles of wood waste, which poses risk of spontaneous combustion and generates methane as it sits there decaying. Wood waste of all types—including demolition debris, root balls, whole logs and pallets—can be fed directly into Air Burners machines without the need for any grinding or chipping. With fire temperatures reaching as high as 2,000°F within their burn container, Air Burners can burn a 20-ton pile of wood waste within just one hour while open burns need more than 48 hours to do the same job. Air curtain technology also reduces black carbon emissions, resulting in a clean burn.
FOREST SERVICE
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FOREST SERVICE
During unprecedented tree mortality events worldwide, large numbers of dead or dying trees may need to be removed to maintain park safety and utility for all visitors. These trees are a major contributing factor in the proliferation of wildfires. With their ability to accept and burn large quantities of wood debris including whole logs and root balls, our machines offer support to state and local-level government as well as international efforts to eradicate potential tree hazards and help prevent wildfires.
AGRICULTURE
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AGRICULTURE
Vineyard operators and growers who prune, trim and replant or do orchard removals yearly will be no stranger to the vegetative debris generated during orchard removal and pruning exercises. Burning such slash in the open produces a nutrient-containing ash, but at the expense of releasing black carbon into the air. Air Burners turn slash into rich biochar fertilizer at significantly reduced emission rates, making them one of the best machines available to clear land.
DISASTER RELIEF
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DISASTER RELIEF
From fallen trees to the destruction of homes, hurricanes and other natural disasters, such as wild fires, leave a trail of decimation in their wake. When this happens, disaster response calls for swift restoration of affected areas into hospitable states. With our portable air curtain technology, Air Burners have been mobilized in large-scale emergency cleanup exercises for over 20 years. Our machines are recommended by FEMA and have been used at almost every major disaster around the world to help people restore their lives.
THE AIR BURNERS® DIFFERENCE
Introducing the #1 Air Curtain Burner System in the World
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