“…(N)o other mechanism known to humankind is as effective in addressing global warming as capturing carbon dioxide from the air through photosynthesis.” |
What’s so special about soil?
What does soil have to do with climate change?
What are regenerative practices?
How do we make a difference?
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To shift the critical issue of climate change, there are three interconnected areas that we must address: reducing our sources to bring emissions to zero; supporting carbon sinks by uplifting nature’s carbon cycle; and fostering equality for all. There are only two current carbon sinks: coastal and ocean sinks which currently reduce carbon by 17% and land sinks which currently reduce carbon by 24%. Helping land to sequester even more is where Save Our Soil places our focus. —from Project Drawdown |
What's so special about soil?
Healthy soil is built on a web of relationships. The roots of plants converse with fungi by sending chemical messages through the soil; they entangle and the plants exchange sugars for minerals foraged and mined by the fungi. “A teaspoon of productive soil generally contains between 100 million and 1 billion bacteria.” Some form partnerships with the plants, others convert the energy in the soil into forms useful to the rest of the soil food web. This miraculous world beneath our feet contributes to the forests, grasslands and overall ecosystem.
What are regenerative practices?
For the past 150 years common practices in farming, ranching, food production – and often in gardening and lawn care as well - have depleted our soils. If current farming practices continue, we will be able to rely on the world’s existing topsoil for only 60 more years (United Nations). Clearly it’s time to stop sustaining the soil in its current condition and start regenerating our soil. Regenerative practices: Minimize Disturbance of the Soil – Tilling the soil disrupts the soil structure and destroys the colonies of beneficial bacteria, fungus and other organisms that are key to healthy soil function. No-till or minimum tillage farming allows the soil structure to rebuild. Maximize Biodiversity – Planting the same crop in a field year after year – or even rotating two different crops like corn and soybeans, which is the predominant practice in the US — exhausts nutrients in the soil and gives pests a chance to establish a strong foothold. A wide variety of crops instead replenishes nutrients and disrupts lifecycles of pests and disease. Keep the Soil Covered – Soil left uncovered after harvest – a common practice on US farms – is prone to blow or wash away, taking microbes and minerals important to plant development with it. Cover crops planted after the main crop is harvested, shield soil from the elements, return nutrients lost in the previous crop, and aerate packed down areas. Use Biology, Not Chemistry – The heavy use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides kill the beneficial insects and microbes that support soil development, leaving “dirt” in its place. Chemical runoff has polluted our ground water, rivers and streams. In the absence of healthy soil, the nutritional value of the food we grow drops precipitously and dangerous chemicals enter the food chain. Encouraging biodiversity supports the health of soil, plants and the food we eat. Integrate Livestock – Much of the middle of the country used to be covered with prairie grasslands, which co-evolved with bison. That animal grazing stimulated new plant growth while the bison hoofs broke up their manure and worked it into the soil. Grasslands are a fantastic carbon sink, but today those prairies have been turned into corn and soybean fields with degraded soil. With well-managed practices, cattle and other grazing animals turn grassland pastures into exceptionally beneficial ecosystems—even carbon neutral, in some cases (Siena Chrisman). |
What does soil have to do with climate change?
It’s not a secret. We are facing an existential threat. The rapid rise of carbon dioxide into our atmosphere is raising global temperatures, disrupting the water cycle, acidifying oceans, melting glaciers and raising sea level, increasing the intensity of storms and wildfire, and ultimately reducing the nutritional value of the food we eat. What if we told you that there is a way to not only slow carbon release into the atmosphere but to actually sequester carbon in a way that improves life. It’s in the soil! Through Mother Nature’s invention of plants and photosynthesis, rich, healthy soil enables plants to draw CO2 through their roots to the microbial life below and ultimately sequester carbon deep in the ground. “Bringing carbon into the soil solves multiple global problems. It reduces carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, it increases the fertility of the soil, it helps farmers grow more, and it allow oceans to release the CO2 that threatens to acidify to phytoplankton that produces so much of the oxygen we breathe (Tickell, p. 43)." It’s not a stretch to say that helping to Save Our Soil is key to the health and well-being of all life on earth. In every way, it’s a life-giving proposition. 
How do we make a difference?
Save Our Soil seeks to make a difference by:
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