World Soil Day - Sunday, December 5th
December Environmental Celebration
In 2013 the United Nations General Assembly designated December 5th as World Soil Day to focus on the critical nature of healthy soil, and to advocate for the sustainability in soil management.
Soil is an important ecosystem that contributes to human health. It is a habitat for many species, and combats climate change by storing carbon. Currently one third of global soils are damaged by hazardous waste, pesticides, fertilizers and other debris. Soil pollution is often invisible, but it, nonetheless, degrades soil and poisons our food and water.
Half of the earth’s habitable land is used for agriculture. Practices like diverse crop rotation, nutrient management and conservation tillage help rebuild healthy soil. Successful soil management feeds the soil, reduces erosion, improves soil structure, enhances nutrient cycling and water retention, increases soil biodiversity, and sequesters carbon.
Today, American lawns occupy 30-40 million acres of land. Lawn care adds chemicals to the soil, and fuel spilled from lawn equipment further pollutes the soil. Small changes like using organic fertilizer, replacing gas-powered equipment with electric, changing the type of grass, interplanting with clover or native plants, and watering more efficiently, will help regenerate the soil.
Take Action Steps:
https://www.epa.gov/recycle/how-create-and-maintain-indoor-worm-composting-bin
Susan Leuthauser
Soil is an important ecosystem that contributes to human health. It is a habitat for many species, and combats climate change by storing carbon. Currently one third of global soils are damaged by hazardous waste, pesticides, fertilizers and other debris. Soil pollution is often invisible, but it, nonetheless, degrades soil and poisons our food and water.
Half of the earth’s habitable land is used for agriculture. Practices like diverse crop rotation, nutrient management and conservation tillage help rebuild healthy soil. Successful soil management feeds the soil, reduces erosion, improves soil structure, enhances nutrient cycling and water retention, increases soil biodiversity, and sequesters carbon.
Today, American lawns occupy 30-40 million acres of land. Lawn care adds chemicals to the soil, and fuel spilled from lawn equipment further pollutes the soil. Small changes like using organic fertilizer, replacing gas-powered equipment with electric, changing the type of grass, interplanting with clover or native plants, and watering more efficiently, will help regenerate the soil.
Take Action Steps:
- If you aren’t doing it, start composting. You don’t need a backyard to do it.
https://www.epa.gov/recycle/how-create-and-maintain-indoor-worm-composting-bin
- Take care of your lawn in an environmentally friendly way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4r88u8euYU
Susan Leuthauser
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