
Dirt Matters: Why Healthy Soil Leads to Healthy Food?
Hello food lovers!
Did you know the awesome food we eat comes from something we all generally take for granted—the dirt? Okay, okay, maybe "dirt" is not the best-suited word… So let's call it soil, haha, funny, right? But it turns out that the health of soil is super important for growing delicious, nutritious, and tasty food that we all consume daily!
What really makes the soil healthy?
Soil health is defined as the continued capacity of soil to function as a vital living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals, and humans. Indeed, soil and its health are important factors for growing organic crops. Healthy soil gives us clean air and water, bountiful crops and forests, productive grazing lands, diverse wildlife, and beautiful landscapes.
But why does soil health matter?
Soil matters, because without soil we cannot survive.
- Healthy soil is the root source of a livelihood that sustains farmers and communities all around the world: good soil produces good crops that deliver a good income that enables families to flourish. But it’s more than this.
- Soil filters the water we drink, grows the food we eat, and captures the carbon dioxide that causes climate change.
- Soil is the largest carbon sink after the ocean and holds more carbon than all terrestrial plant life on the planet. But when we damage the soil, water systems become disrupted, food production declines, and carbon is released into the atmosphere.
Any one of these essential soil functions would be reason enough to preserve our soil and maintain its health.
So, What Can We Do?
It's tempting to think that only farmers need to worry about this soil thing, but that's not true! Here's how we can all contribute in:
- Compost like a champ: Toss your food scraps and yard waste into a compost bin or pile instead of the trash. Over time, it'll turn into awesome fertilizer for your garden or potted plants.
- Support awesome farmers: Look for farmers who care about their soil—ask at farmers' markets or find local farms that practice sustainable methods.
See, I told you that "dirt" was more exciting than it looks! Taking care of our soil is all about making healthier choices for ourselves and the earth—and that feels great, right?