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5 Major Reasons to Celebrate Soil
Still not convinced? Check out these incredible soil facts. They're cause for celebration. Really.
1. One teaspoon of soil can contain more living organisms than there are people on Earth!
Soil teems with biodiversity. In fact, it harbors about a quarter of the entire planet's biodiversity. The microbes that inhabit the dirt beneath our feet aid in essential nutrient cycling and maintenance of natural ecosystems. And it's not just the small stuff that counts; the largest living organism in the world-a honey mushroom, of all things-calls 2,384 acres of soil in Oregon's Blue Mountains home. Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative, founded in 2011, aims to put existing knowledge about soil biodiversity and ecosystem services to use in research and policy agendas for practical applications.
2. 95 percent of our food comes from soil.
Your breakfast, lunch and dinner was made possible by soil. After all, dirt serves as the literal foundation for the majority of our agriculture. Soil holds the nutrients and water necessary for plants to grow! And with higher soil biodiversity, conserved by avoiding chemical inputs and overly intensive cultivation, come healthier crops.
3. Antibiotics do too.
Did you know that good old penicillin originated from a soil fungus? Turns out more antibiotics are being discovered to this day in the ground. Medical professionals continue to investigate a variety of potentially lifesaving applications of soil fungi through the Citizen Science Soil Collection Program. You can help by sending in a soil sample from your backyard for testing.
4. Soils filter our water ...and prevent flooding.
Soil protects our drinking water supply from nasty contaminants through natural filtration. Recent studies indicate that soil bacteria can even reduce pesticide residues in water. Pretty cool. And when healthy soil stays intact, usually thanks to forests, the frequency and severity of flooding decreases.
5. Exposure to soil may prevent allergies and asthma.
Johns Hopkins research suggests that infants exposed to dirt may be less likely to develop allergies or asthma later in life. Children that grow up on farms where they are regularly in contact with all sorts of soil and dust particles have a better shot of growing up allergy-free. And allergies aside, there's evidence that shows soil also impacts our nervous system and general mood.
Unfortunately, the world's soils are degrading and disappearing at an alarming rate. Widespread erosion undoubtedly threatens global food security which is why UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wants to urge member nations to adopt sustainable soil management practices.
What can you do to help? Start by raising awareness amongst your friends and family. Have a movie night featuring one of several incredible (and actually interesting) soil documentaries like Dirt or Symphony of the Soil, which you can watch for free this week here. Consider composting or vermicomposting to help enrich soil and cut down on food waste. And make educated food purchases to support farmers who regularly use sustainable practices that minimize harm to soil and the life it contains.
