Farmers are considering mitigating the effects of climate change using the very substance lying right beneath our feet – soil!
“We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last generation that can do something about it,” Barack Obama stated during the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or the COP21. Climate change, defined as “the long term shifts in temperature and weather patterns,” has been an issue since the beginning of time (1). Unfortunately, since the Industrial Revolution 200 years ago, the temperature rose by 1.2 degrees Celsius, increasing more than the preceding 100,000 years (1). Climate change’s effects include the melting of ice caps, the rising of sea levels, the worldwide decrease of water supply, and much more.
Thus, it is necessary to find a way to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and mitigate the issues stemming from it. Soil is an effective solution to combat climate change because of its ability to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide and minimize the effects of many natural disasters.
Soil can remove and store large quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Each acre of healthy soil can store up to eight tons of carbon dioxide per year (2). While eight tons may not seem like much compared to the thirty five billion tons of carbon dioxide currently emitted every year, if every country plays their part to plant soil and keep it healthy, we can reach a carbon dioxide absorption rate of up to three billion tons annually.
Barack Obama addresses climate change problems during the COP21. https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/30/politics/obama-climate-summit-a-rejection-of-terror/index.html
Natural disasters caused by climate change such as flooding, droughts, and topsoil erosion are critical issues for farmers. However, healthy soil can be a very useful tool in reducing the damage dealt to a farm. Since healthy soil can store water during wet periods and distribute it to crops during dry periods, it can help reduce the impact of floods or droughts to necessary crops. Soil absorbs water through its pores, allowing the water to flow down (3). When the soil needs to redistribute that water to plants, it undergoes a process called osmosis which transports water from a substance of higher concentration to one of lower concentration (4). In this case, since the soil has a higher concentration of water than the plant, it releases the water into the plants allowing them to survive during dry seasons. Healthy soil is also resistant to erosion, allowing farmers to minimize the loss of topsoil, or the top layer of dirt/soil on a plantation while farming (5).
Additionally, farmers can switch to organic farming methods to keep their soil healthy and further strengthen its capabilities in slowing climate change. Crop rotation, which is the planting of different crops, is an example of an organic farming method that is important to maintain the health of the soil and ensure that the soil has its necessary nutrients. It should be performed once every three years in order to ensure soil health (6). More examples of organic methods include cover cropping, the practice of growing plants and not harvesting for longer periods of time to improve soil health (7).
Moreover, farmers can utilize technology that is able to present them with various previously successful farming methods. This technology can assist farmers in using fertilizers more efficiently and reduce the pollutants entering the atmosphere (8).
Individuals can contribute to this effort by donating money to help farming organizations add more soil to local farms, ultimately decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
In conclusion, soil is a powerful mechanism that can address the critical issue of climate change. Soil’s ability to store carbon dioxide and mitigate natural disasters can be useful in slowing climate change and diminishing its effects. By utilizing soil worldwide, we can greatly advance our mission to reduce the monumental effects of climate change.
Bibliography
- United Nations. (August 10, 2021), What is Climate Change? United nations. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-climate-change
- Whitescarvers. (June 25, 2019), Five Dollars for a Ton of Carbon, Retrieved from https://www.gettingmoreontheground.com/2019/06/25/five-dollars-a-ton-for-carbon/#:~:text=Agricultural%20soils%2C%20at%20least%20in,tons%20of%20carbon%20per%20acre.
- P M Saco, K R MacDonough, J F Rodriguez , J Rivera-Zayas , S G Sandi. (August 4, 2021), The Roles of Soils in the Regulation of Hazards and Extreme Events, Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8349632/#:~:text=Soils%20and%20their%20associated%20ecosystem,the%20stored%20water%20during%20droughts.
- JoAnne Skelly. (February 5 2024), The Science of Water in Plants, Retrieved from https://www.nevadaappeal.com/news/2023/feb/05/joanne-skelly-the-science-of-water-in-plants/#:~:text=Osmosis%20allows%20plants%20to%20absorb,cells%20start%20losing%20water%20too
- Union of Concerned Scientists. (December 17 2020), How Soil Erosion Threatens our Food and Farm Future, Retrieved from https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/how-soil-erosion-threatens-food-and-farms#:~:text=Healthy%20soil%20resists%20erosion%20well,cover%20crops%20are%20so%20important)
- Rodale Institute. (February 14 2019), Crop Rotations, Retrieved from https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/organic-farming-practices/crop-rotations/
- USDA. (October 21 2022), Cover Crops and Crop Rotation, Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20220901000000*/https://www.usda.gov/peoples-garden/soil-health/cover-crops-crop-rotation
- Bayer // Global. (March 24 2022), How Has Technology Changed Agriculture?, Retrieved from https://www.bayer.com/en/agriculture/article/technology-agriculture-how-has-technology-changed-farming
- Kevin Liptak. (November 30, 2015) Obama: Climate Summit a ‘Rejection’ of Terror, CNN, Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2015/11/30/politics/obama-climate-summit-a-rejection-of-terror/index.html