Carbon Negative Soup is a project that develops tools for soil and social regeneration. It consists of designing and testing a low-tech, DIY, open-source biochar oven that also cooks “carbon-negative” meals.
Biochar is made by carbonizing plant material, then mixing it with compost to enrich the soil. It can lock away carbon for thousands of years while improving the soil’s ability to hold nutrients and water, helping plants grow. Despite its potential for climate mitigation, limited public awareness and the high cost of industrial production mean biochar is underused in cities. Our oven design aims a building solidarity and giving citizens a hands-on role in urban climate mitigation while enjoying warmth and shared food.
This oven is an embodied example of subsidiarity and regeneration. Subsidiarity is the principle that decisions should be made as close as possible to where they have their effect, allowing communities to regain agency.
During this workshop, we invited participants to transform charcoal into biochar by charging it and mixing it with compost. The biochar was later used in a nearby garden. The heat required to produce the charcoal was also used to cook a soup. Here again, participants were invited to chop, cook, and share a meal together once the biochar was ready.
TYPE: Workshop, Nature Based Solutions
SUPPORTED: Rotterdam Change Days, OASE
INITIATED BY: Alicia Ville, Riel Bessai (Studio Method)
