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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.