World Soil Day
Let’s help save our future!
Did you know that it can take up to 1,000 years JUST to produce 2-3 cm of soil?! Many of us are fortunate if we see 100 years of life, let alone 1,000 years! Why is this important? Because the soil we see today is most likely all the soil we'll ever see and live on for many generations. Soil is the source of our food, clothing, shelter, and medicine——- all of which are vital to our daily existence.
Approximately 71% of the earth is made up of water. The remaining 29% is made up of what? Land. However, only about 7.5% of that land consists of soil that is used for agricultural purposes in which we depend on for our world food supply. With about 327 million people in the US and nearly 7.5 billion people in the world, it’s imperative that we do what we can to conserve the soil that we have.
Yesterday, Dec. 5th, was World Soil Day. This is a fairly new holiday, first celebrated in 2014. The date was chosen in honor of the late King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was a leader in the World Soil Day global awareness initiative. This year's theme: “Stop Soil Erosion, Save Our Future.” Soil erosion is the wearing away or removal of the top layer of soil that contains the organic, nutrient-rich material used to grow plants. This erosion usually happens through heavy rain, wind, deforestation, or human activity.
Here are 3 simple ways we can stop/reduce soil erosion, starting today:
Plant Grass. This provides a vegetative cover, which holds the soil together and protects it from the rain and wind.
Use Mulch. If you’ve just planted something or if you don’t plant anything, covering the soil with mulch (grass clippings or wood/bark chips) will weigh the soil down and protect it from being washed or blown away.
Don't Walk On The Soil/Grass. Sometimes, you have no other choice. However, the times that you do, choose to walk on the sidewalks or paths made available. Walking on the soil/grass will compact the soil, making it hard for plants to grow and water to infiltrate, increasing erosion.
Let’s help save our future!