Anything we do to increase soil fertility could be a step in reversing climate change. Here’s what you can do to help:
What Grows Up Must Grow Down!
Cover bare soil with plants! Fertile soil is a natural sink for atmospheric carbon; the very same carbon that contributes to climate change. Excess carbon can be pulled out of the atmosphere by photosynthesis and into plants and the soil where it can have a beneficial effect.
Keep it local
Support local farmers who care for the fertility of the soil
Buy from local food producers who increase soil fertility by using climate friendly agricultural methods including no or low-till plowing, cover cropping, composting and organic farming.
If you eat meat, buy grass-fed beef from farmers who practice holistic or rotational grazing methods that mimic the natural patterns found in nature.
If You Grow Your Own Food, Grow Your Own Soil
If you grow food, take care of your soil. Increase soil fertility by avoiding the use of toxic synthetic pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides on your garden or lawn. These poisons kill microorganisms that reside in and on the soil. These organisms perform numerous ecosystem services; including providing nutrients for plants, creating soil humus and loam and increasing plant health. The soil is filled with billions of unemployed microorganisms ready and willing to take on the job of providing nutrients to plants and indirectly to you.
Increase Your Skill Set
If you feel hopeless about climate change, it’s time to take action. Learn how to grow food without increasing atmospheric CO2. Take a course in organic gardening or regenerative farming. If you work with animals, learn about the benefits of rotational grazing. Get to know your local soil microbes and the Soil Food Web.
