Environment
Environmentally Positive
Revolutionising the world of agriculture and environmental conservation with groundbreaking products that transform the way we care for our soil and, in turn, our planet.
Degraded soils can indeed be deceiving in their appearance. While the image of burnt, cracked, dirt may come to mind when we think of degraded soil, the reality is that degraded soils can often resemble healthy soil. The key lies beneath the surface, where the quality and composition of the soil can vary significantly. Factors such as low organic matter, poor drainage, compaction, and lack of essential nutrients can all contribute to soil degradation, even if it doesn't show obvious signs on the surface.
effective soil restoration could play a major role in sequestering CO2 and climate change.
Way back in early 2003 we saw a need for products that would repair damaged, unproductive and inefficient soils; being unable to find any, we made some!
We figured that the best way to restore soils to their optimum state was to take inspiration from nature which is what we did, and in doing so we created products to make soils work better for our clients and products that enhanced the environment.
DCT products work to improve soil health which in turn increases the ability of the soil to capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Soils can store more carbon worldwide than is contained in all plant biomass. A small increase in soil carbon can decrease atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Store it in the Soil
When DCT products are added to the soil, they improve soil structure, increase nutrient availability, and enhance microbial activity, this leads to increased plant growth, which results in more carbon being stored in the soil.
DCT products aid in increasing the stability (keeping it in the soil) of carbon and organic matter so that it’s not released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide and it increases the soil's ability to hold water and nutrients, which can improve crop yields and reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers as well as helping to reverse land degradation which is a further driver of climate change.
DCT products also work to trap methane by adsorbing it onto the products surface, preventing it from being released into the air, keeping methane in the soil.
Healthy soils, Healthy Plants, Healthy Environment
Soil Biology.
DCT products are soil energisers, working to enhance and promote beneficial soil biology and their activity in the soil, this soil biology plays a crucial role in helping to reduce climate change.
One group of these bacteria are called methanotrophic, DCT products help stimulate the growth of these bacteria which consume methane and convert it into carbon dioxide.
Healthy soils with a thriving microbial community can pull in carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in the soil as organic matter in a process known as carbon sequestration, these wonderful little critters help increase soil fertility and water retention, which can lead to healthier plants that in turn absorb more carbon dioxide through photosynthesis as well as helping to reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, they work to further stabilize soil, which reduces or eliminates erosion and further promotes the retention of organic matter in the soil all of which helps reduce the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
"A mere 2 percent increase in the carbon content of the planets soils, could offset 100 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions going into the atmosphere"
-Dr. Rattan Lal, Ohio State University Soil Scientist
The organic compounds contained in DCT Products, have been shown to promote the increase of soil carbon content.
Hold on to your nutrients.
Like most kiwis we grew up swimming in the local river (my favourite spot was called the black hole, which is partway up the mighty Maitai river in Nelson) DCT products help to reduce nutrient leaching by binding to nutrients and preventing them from being washed away with water, allowing the nutrients to remain in the soil and available for plant uptake, reducing their ability to get into waterways.
DCT products are made from complex and balanced organic materials that have a high affinity for binding with nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, This binding occurs through a process called chelation, in which the molecules in the DCT product form rings around the nutrient ions, creating a stable complex, This complex is then able to resist leaching and remain in the soil for longer periods of time, providing a sustained source of nutrients for plants when they need it. .
Reduce & reuse
In addition to designing our products to be positive for the environment, we explored other ways to contribute to keeping New Zealand clean and green.
Our focus then shifted to our packaging.
For our home garden range, we ensured that all our bottles were recyclable.
However, we wanted to do more. Therefore, for our one-litre range, we opted for New Zealand-made bottles created from recycled milk bottles used by Kiwis like you.
Managing the packaging for commercial sizes posed a challenge.
In the absence of suitable options, we took a simple yet effective approach by cleaning and reusing containers returned by customers.
Those containers that couldn't be reused were creatively up-cycled into bins.
While it may not be a flawless solution, it marks a positive beginning.
Be good & Make money.
DCT products are not only designed to be good for soils, plants and the environment but are also designed to reduce costs from inputs and achieve a greater economical benefit for our valued clients.
The best way to predict the Future…
As the future throws up more challenges and urgencies, new and innovative products are required. Through our use of innovation and technology, we designed our next generation products to meet these future challenges.
Our products offer new and improved features, functionalities, and solutions over conventional products and when they are mixed with these same conventional products they enhance them making them more efficient and safer for soils, plants, animals, people as well as playing a valuable role in mitigating the effects of climate change and environmental damage.
Healthy soils equals healthy plants but beyond that healthy soils equal a healthier, cleaner and greener (literally) environment.
