Do you know, we are losing soil 50 to 100 times faster than it’s able to rebuild. We grow on it, build on it, build from it. It filters and cleans our waters, reduces flooding, and regulates our atmosphere.
It’s one of the most biodiverse habitats on Earth and a vital part of the nitrogen and carbon cycle on our planet. We literally treat it like dirt. It is time we fight for the ground beneath our feet, “Save the soil; Save the environment”.
What is Soil?
Soil, commonly referred to as earth or dirt, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and organisms that together support life.
What makes soil so important?
Soil is fundamental to all life on earth. It filters our water and grows our crops. 95 percent of the food we eat is grown in the fertile topsoil that is fast being degraded by human activity.
1. Soil is home to many living things
Soil is home to earthworms, fungi, algae, and unicellular and multicellular organisms invisible to the naked eye, such as bacteria and protozoa. As they move through the soil, microorganisms help improve drainage and soil structure, making the soil more fertile and productive.
2. Reduce climate change emissions
Healthy soil store an extraordinary quantity of carbon. 3X the amount in the atmosphere and 2X the amount contained in all plants and trees.
3. Able to store water
In the process of absorbing and releasing water, healthy soils naturally ameliorate both drought and flood.
4. Food crisis
The world grows 95% of its food in the uppermost layer of soil, making topsoil one of the most important components of our food system. But thanks to highly industrialised forms of agriculture practices, nearly half of the most productive soil has disappeared in the world. In 20 years, 40% less food is expected to be produced for 9.3 billion people.
Why soil matter?
We cannot survive without soil. Soil is the source of all life. Soil is essential to food production, purifies our water, protects us against flooding, and combats drought. It’s also key to tackling climate change as it captures and stores vast amounts of carbon.
Conserving and Protecting Soil
There are many ways you can conserve soil and protect it from erosion and contamination. Limiting or eliminating the use of pesticides is the first step toward protecting soil from harmful chemicals.
Organic farming is one of the best ways to reduce pesticide use. Without pesticide, soil starts to recover. Healthy soil can be a solution to climate change, floods, droughts, food shortages, loss of wildlife and more.