Today is The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, and we're up for the fight.
Every year we lose some of the Earth's topsoil to erosion and poor farming practices. If this is allowed to continue, the UN estimates that the planet's topsoil will be degraded within sixty years' time. The U.S. alone is losing its topsoil at 10x the replenishment rate, and the U.S. Corn Belt has already lost 1/3 of its topsoil.
Tilling and the use of farm vehicles have degraded U.S. soils by over half in one century's time. And since we need topsoil to grow 95% of our food, this is a big problem.
The video below is from The Rodale Institute, which is working to combat this problem through organic and regenerative farming. Take a look and see why our farming methods will make such a huge difference to the future of our planet:
Another issue we currently face is drought. Current forecasts estimate that by 2050, droughts will affect over three-quarters of the Earth's population. In the U.S., you can see the current state of our ongoing drought across the country via the U.S. Drought Monitor. Here's the map as of yesterday:
We know that drought is a result of low rainfall, but did you know that it's also a result of overfarming and overgrazing? As we clear plants and trees from land in order to farm it, we alter the natural ecosystems designed to keep the water cycle working so rainfall can replenish the soil's natural water stores. And when we use farming methods that further degrade the land – like tilling and spraying it with chemicals – we do even more damage. Excess water demand, mismanaged resources, and human-caused climate change are all factors in global drought as well.
So what can we do to stop this from happening to our planet? While we can't control the Earth's weather systems, our farming methods are definitely something we have a say over. Regenerative agriculture has been shown to combat climate change by lowering surface temperatures, replenishing soil nutrients, and replenishing water stores within the soil. We know that if we farm in a soil-healthy way, we can restore the land and preserve its ability to hold water and grow plants that help fight climate change.
So join us in supporting regenerative agriculture and rise up against drought and desertification! This means buying regeneratively grown products, especially those certified by the Regenerative Organic Alliance. If a product is ROC-Certified™ you know that it's good for the planet, because they require periodic soil testing and don't allow any tilling or spraying of toxic chemicals. You can also donate to The ROA or to The Rodale Institute if you're able, and look for other organizations to support that are doing this important work for the Earth.
We're proud to support Regenerative Organic farming as a way to help fight climate change. If we all work together to fight for a better planet, we can make a difference in our future.
