Biochar in Minecraft!

Biochar is a newly-rediscovered tool to remediate and vitalize soil. It was used for millennia by natives of Amazonia, Africa, and Europe to create extremely fertile soil, which is sought-after still today. (ref. Terra Preta and Chernozem) This is possible because charred biomass can remain inert in soil and provide benefits for thousands of years.

Biochar is essentially charcoal powder, and can be produced from any carbon-based source. Its qualities make it a great candidate for soil remediation, though it's not very well known about unfortunately.

Proposal: add a feature to use Charcoal to turn Dirt blocks into Dark Dirt blocks. Dark Dirt blocks grow crops e.g. 25% quicker, and increase yields by e.g. 10%. 

Adding biochar to Minecraft in such a way would make the game experience more true to reality, and serve as a great way to raise awareness for a little-known, yet effective way to remediate soil. Soil in many countries worldwide are suffering for a variety of reasons, many of which can be mitigated through biochar addition. If you are interested in learning more, I can send you a document I've compiled with all the recent scientific research, backing some of the lofty-seeming claims! (I am a chemist, working to integrate biochar into waste management and agricultural systems.)

If Minecraft were to add a simple biochar mechanic, it would be a big step towards biochar awareness, and would certainly lend Minecraft some respect for promoting ecological regeneration.