The secret to reducing the greenhouse effect in the upper reaches of the earth's atmosphere may rest in the very soil beneath our feet, according to University of Kansas researchers.
Farmers face several obstacles to changing current practices, though.
In essence, farmers who store carbon will be rewarded with credits that they can save or sell to industry. These industries will need the credits to continue emitting carbon dioxide from their factories. Before all of this happens, however, there must be an inventory of the land to determine present soil carbon levels and present rates of carbon sequestration. That's where the researchers in the KARS program at KU come into play. The Congressional funding championed by Roberts will allow the scientists to use remote sensing technology to view highly detailed maps of the land in the form of satellite images.