Monday, October 25, 2021

The Soil Will Save Us: How Scientists, Farmers, and Foodies Are Healing the Soil to Save the Planet by Kristin Ohlson ★★★★★

A colorful illustration of all the microbiome in the soil
“If only 11% of the world’s crop land, land that is typically not in use, improved its community of microorganisms... the amount of carbon sequestered in the soil would offset all our current emissions of carbon dioxide.” 
- summery from a report to NASA 

You have my complete attention because that is the most hopeful sentence I have read this year. 

I loved this book! It was entertaining, interesting, global, and above all excitingly hopeful. 

I was amazed to find myself starting a conversation on soil at the dog park this morning! I just took in the compact stony dirt, the exposed roots, and declared, “If we don’t add three inches of top soil the trees will die. If the trees die, the park dies.” I am only reasonably certain this is correct but regret nothing!

This got everyone’s attention. The park is useless without the shade of the trees. I even suggested using the storm down trees as mulch to start that growth. They listened! Now we’re mobilizing to do something! 
Published in 2014 this book interviews mavericks who have since gone on to publish their own books. I want to read them all!

Image of a science project proving that trees/grass/detritus helps clean the water
Come on everyone, soil advocacy is the new green!

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