Poor Mother Earth . . .
Things haven’t been going so well for her lately.
The planet is getting hotter.
The ice caps are melting.
In the last few months we’ve had several enormously destructive hurricanes.
And drought.
Huge wildfires.
Donald Trump pulled the plug on the United States participating the the Paris Climate Accord.
Despite all the bad news, there’s still hope
that we can slow down climate change and save the planet.
One of the brightest spots is something that most of us have never heard of — carbon farming.
In a nutshell it means taking excess CO2 out of the atmosphere where it causes global warming and storing it in the soil. Carbon is essential to plant growth so more carbon in the soil is a good thing.
Scientists estimate that as much as 30% of surplus CO2 comes from agricultural and land management practices. Switching to other farming practices like no-till planting, agroforestry, and leaving stubble in the fields after harvest are all part of carbon farming.
The Marin Carbon Project partners with farmers to help them “put carbon at the center of agricultural conservation” — while building profitable businesses. Carbon farming methods are research-based and combine cutting-edge techniques like satellite imagery with “old school” practices like spreading compost and planting trees.
Paul Hawken is the author of Drawdown, a fascinating new book packed with climate solutions that can reduce the excess CO2 in the atmosphere. He believes this has the potential to alter the future of our planet. Hawken spent years working with a team of scientists and policy experts to identify 100 of the most effective solutions to draw down carbon. They range from carbon farming to biochar to restoring abandoned farm lands.
Even if you live in the city and don’t grow so much as a potted geranium on your windowsill, you can still have an impact on climate change. Click here for simple ways to do your part. We can all make a difference!
You don’t have to be a carbon farmer to make Mother Earth a better place for all of us. I’d love to hear what you (and your community) are doing so join the conversation and leave a comment.
Together we can spread hope and beauty and transform our world.
10,000 Butterflies is dedicated to planting hope and growing change. Every one of us has the power to create positive change — in our own lives and in the lives of others. Together we can solve problems and build stronger communities. 10,000 Butterflies is a place to connect with others making good things happen, to find resources, to be inspired and to celebrate what connects us instead of what divides us.
Please join us.
Bonnie Pond is the founder of the 10,000 Butterflies Project and author of The Power of Three: How to be Happy and Get What You Want in Life (Without Doing Anything Illegal, Immoral, or Unethical) and Unlock Your Creativity: 30 Days to a More Creative YOU!
