Soil Regeneration for A New World: Climate Solutions Series
Climate change is real. And it threatens life as we know it. The wondrous thing, though? Climate solutions are also real.
Some solutions involve big things — like transforming our enormous energy grid. While other solutions you can practice in your own backyard.
One of those, soil regeneration, has vast potential. Healthy soil can capture carbon, retain water, and host life.
Industrial agriculture, urban development, and deforestation have damaged our soil. And tending to the soil can have a major impact on climate change.
I’m Andraya (she/her), a copywriter and marketing strategist. I founded Woven Wordsmith, a marketing agency with a mission. I help sustainable brands have the impact they’ve been dreaming of. And I write compelling copy and offer expert strategy. The result? Growth in my client's businesses and a wider reach for their earth-healing stuff. All without compromising their values.
Once a month, I’m bringing you the 101 on a different climate solution. And how you can have an impact at home. So, if you’re a sustainable business owner or a passionate citizen, you’ll definitely want to stick around.
My favorite climate solution is up first: soil regeneration. That’s why today, we’re digging into:
What does soil regeneration mean?
Why is it so important?
How can you start with the soil in your backyard?
Let’s start with the state of Earth’s soil.
Our Earth’s Ravaged Soil
To avoid doomsday warming, the most important thing we need to do is halt fossil fuel emissions. And much like the braking system on your car, that’s most likely to happen by steadily decreasing emissions to zero. The other thing we should be doing right now? Healing our soil — on a global scale. And this needs to be done as quickly as possible.
Say what?
What about plastic in the ocean? Or wildfires in Colorado? Or sea level rise on every global coast?
Those things are important, too. But to have a chance at slowing — or avoiding — climate change, the carbon that’s in the air needs to go somewhere else. And the only place for it to go is the soil. In fact, that’s where it belongs. That’s where plants make use of it and where it can be stored.
It’s the place where carbon wants to go. And soil wants the carbon. Soil sequesters it. And is a natural carbon sink. It already holds more than the atmosphere, plants, and animals combined. Carbon-rich soil is good for plants and humans.2
But the soil of today has become more like dust. Due to:
Clearcutting forests — Forest soils are held together by a network of tree roots. And the soil is protected by their cover. When they’re clearcut, the soil is exposed to extra sunlight and prone to erosion.
Industrial (monocrop) agriculture — When a single crop is grown on an area of land, it depletes the nutrients in the soil. And biodiversity no longer has a place.
Urban development — Our concrete jungles don’t allow much room for healthy, rich soil. And each new development destroys the natural underground ecosystem that came before.
Yet, unhealthy soil can’t grow food. It can’t retain water. Microscopic (and vital) life can’t survive. And it can’t hold carbon.
And if we don’t have soil that can do those things, then we can’t survive, either.
There’s good news, though.
If every country in the world increased carbon in its soils by only 0.4% that would halt the annual increase of CO2 in the atmosphere.2 This idea got traction a few years ago. In 2015, the French agricultural minister proposed a program called “4 per 1000”, calling for countries to make this commitment.2
What in the actual f***?
That’s less than a single percent.
For me, there’s hope there. And more importantly, there are actionable steps. So let’s get into what soil regeneration means.
What Does Soil Regeneration Mean?
Soil regeneration is simply the process of improving the quality of your soil. It’s done by adding organic matter, which helps to improve…
Drainage
Water retention
Nutrition for your plants1
Turns out, soil regeneration can also halt climate change in its tracks. It isn’t the answer to transforming our energy grid, cleaning the oceans, or social justice. All of which need to be addressed, too. But regenerating our soil can drain our atmosphere of carbon. And do so in a way that’s wildly beneficial.
The good news is that you can kickstart the soil regeneration process at home.
How You Can Practice Soil Regeneration at Home
If you live somewhere with any amount of soil (even just a two square feet corner), you can take steps to heal it. You can be a part of the 0.4% soil regeneration we need.
Healthy soil is teeming with biodiversity — think fungi, beneficial bacteria, worms, and more. It retains water — thanks to all the microorganisms and nutrients. And those nutrients feed plants. (And those plants feed us.)
Soil is alive. And we need to protect it. Here are ways you can practice soil regeneration at home:
Ditch chemical fertilizers and pesticides — They kill microbial life and make plants sick.2
Make and use compost — Take your organic waste and allow it to decompose. That’s how it becomes organic, nutrient-rich fertilizer. Then apply this compost to your garden (or lawn) where it will naturally repopulate life in your soil.
Avoid tilling — When you till, you break down important microbial relationships. And you expose fungi and microbes to the sunlight, which can cause extreme damage. You also release carbon from the soil every time you till.
Feed your soil3 — Soil regeneration is the act of nourishing it. You feed your soil when you use compost. But also when you use organic fertilizers like compost tea.
Be smart about your plantings3 — What this looks like varies from region to region. But ultimately, it’s best if you stick to native plants for landscaping. If you’re farming or gardening, rotate your crops regularly and plant crops together that support each other.
Soil regeneration is a practice. And for a newbie, it can take some trial and error. But imperfect steps trump no steps every time.
And you don’t have to do it alone. Enlisting your community to help with soil regeneration is a great way to get support and have a large impact.
How You Can Support Soil Regeneration In Your Community
Here are a few ways you can show your support for community members who are practicing soil regeneration. They’re borrowed from the book Grounded by Erin Yu-Juin McMorrow, PhD. A book I highly recommend if you’re interested in digging deeper into this topic. They are:
Support farmers that take care of the soil — Vote with your fork. Buy food from small farmers (directly from farmers’ markets) and ask if they practice regenerative agriculture. Frequent restaurants that support these farmers. When you can’t make it to a farmer’s market, buy organic.
Give to organizations that replenish grasslands, agricultural land, and forests by healing the soil — If your cup is overflowing, share the wealth. Donate to any organization working for healing grasslands through regenerative herding, protecting and healing forests and regenerating agricultural land, and those dedicated to helping women and girls around the world.
Spread the word and encourage others to take these steps — Own your voice and speak the truth. The most important thing to understand and communicate is that we have mission-critical solutions to climate change that don’t require new or expensive technology, which is also a no-brainer for food and water security, for community, and for nature at large.
Tackling big issues is better with support — and supporting those who are already on the frontlines is the biggest gift you can give them. Robust communities create a regenerative world.
So, we’ve talked about soil regeneration at home and in your community. What would it look like for you to live a regenerative life? Let’s find out.
Living A Regenerative Life
You get to choose what kind of life you participate in. It’s easy to fall into an unbalanced, depleted life. Our systems are rigged that way. Instead, make regenerative choices for the soil and for yourself. In her book, Erin lays out nine principles of a regenerative life. They are:
Sleep
Food
Movement
Sex
Music
Giving + service
Receiving
Nature
Spirit + Reflection
Intentionally including these in your daily life is the goal. And the ticket to a regenerative world. According to Erin, “A regenerative world is not merely avoiding collapse, but is designed, like nature, to be abundant beyond our basic needs. A regenerative system includes replenishing what we take and inviting nature to blossom in her diversity, resiliency, and fertility.”
As a beyond-sustainability copywriter, this regenerative world is the one I’m helping my clients build.
If you’ve brought something resilient and regenerative to the marketplace, I’d love to help you get it into the hands of those who will appreciate it the most.
To get started, book your FREE 30-minute strategy session. Follow this link to learn more.
References
1 “Soil Regeneration: principles of restoring healthy soil.” GeoPard Agriculture, https://geopard.tech/blog/what-is-soil-regeneration/. Accessed 27 July 2023.
2 McMorrow, Erin Yu-Juin. Grounded: A Fierce, Feminine Guide to Connecting with the Soil and Healing from the Ground Up. Sounds True, 2021.
3 “5 Ways to Start Regenerative Gardening for Better Soil Health.” Green Bay Botanical Garden, 29 September 2020, https://www.gbbg.org/regenerative-gardening-for-soil-health/. Accessed 27 July 2023.
