Download Soil Not Oil: A Holistic Approach to Mitigate Climate

Soil Not Oil: A Holistic Approach to Mitigate Climate Change
By Georgia Doremus
As California is amidst its fourth year of unprecedented drought, most Californians
are praying for rain. They aren’t praying for better soil management in the way we
harvest California forests. While improved logging methods – which cause less
disturbance to the soil – will not eliminate our need for rain, they will enable forest
soil to retain moisture longer making the forests healthier and less flammable, as
well as increasing the possibility that some water will seep into rivers and
reservoirs. Soils also contain about half of the carbon sequestered by forests.
Clearcut logging methods disturb the soil and release the water and the
sequestered carbon.
While most of us are very good at identifying the many problems facing the planet
today, more often than not our movements spend a tremendous amount of effort
trying to stop destruction and less time building the transformative transitions that
are required for a just and livable future. However, in the age of climate change,
we cannot address any one crisis in isolation.
According to soil scientist Dr. Rattan Lal, “A mere 2 percent increase in the carbon
content of the planet’s soils could offset 100 percent of all greenhouse gas
emissions going into the atmosphere.” Working with soil teaches us a holistic
understanding of the carbon cycle, moving beyond the limited view of today’s
mainstream rhetoric, by highlighting soil’s natural ability to recycle carbon through
organic matter, photosynthesis, plants and biodiversity.
On September 4th and 5th, 2015, Soil Not Oil Coalition will host the
inaugural Soil Not Oil Conference at the Memorial Civic Center in
Richmond, California. Inspired by Dr. Vandana Shiva’s book, “Soil Not Oil,” the
two-day event will bring people from around the country and the world to explore
the interrelated issues around climate, soils, and water. Uniting many causes
through the theme of “Soil Not Oil,” the conference strives to inspire a holistic
movement to fight climate change that embraces the need for major paradigm
shifts by both stopping the destructive actions of corporations while teaching
nature-based, restorative methods for living.
The conference will feature a keynote address by Dr. Vandana Shiva on Friday,
Sept. 4th, 7:00 pm, along with presentations featuring noted soil scientist Rattan
Lal; author Fritjof Capra; environmental and land use attorney Claire Hope
Cummings; Earth Guardians director and youth leader Xiuhtezcatl Martinez;
author Anna Lappé; agro-ecologist Miguel Altieri; Adelita San Vicente Tello,
Ph.D., director of Seeds of Life; and other international leaders, farmers,
researchers, climate change experts, and environmental and food justice
advocates. There will be two days filled with over 60 workshops, presentations,
networking and community building opportunities. Sierra Club Stop Clearcutting
California activist Karen Maki and Soil Committee member William Buchholz will
talk about “Forest Clearcutting and Soil” on Sept. 4th at 6 PM.
In the words of Dr. Vandana Shiva, “If government won’t solve the climate,
hunger, health, and democracy crises, then the people will.”
We hope you will join us this September to get the knowledge you need to
support the movement and advocate for a sustainable future for all living beings.
For more information, registration or volunteering opportunities please go to:
http://soilnotoilcoalition.org/.
Georgia Doremus is an organizer with the Soil Not Oil Coalition.