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Rich soil, with plenty of microbes, allows healthy plants to grow. Sarah is a Nutrition and Behaviour Change Coach who focuses on helping people to eat in a way that's better for their health AND for the planet. The animal point here is controversial I know. Parents need to know that Kiss the Ground is a 2020 documentary that addresses our current soil erosion crisis throughout the planet and the benefits of practicing "regenerative agriculture." Narrated by Woody Harrelson, the documentary features extensive interviews with farmers, scientists, activists, celebrities, and regular people as they help to create awareness of regenerative . This dirt then cannot store water, and heats up massively under the sun with no protection, baking the soils and exacerbating the problem. This is why science is so important. The natural carbon cycle involves carbon release by animals consuming plant and other organic materials and releasing the carbon as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. By Monocropping further exacerbates the issue, as the same crop is grown year on year, for miles in the case of US farms, microbial diversity cannot increase. Whats glaringly clear from Hawkens report is that when it comes to our food and greenhouse gas emissions, thetwo areas we can make the biggest impactare reducing food waste (number one solution)and moving to a plant-rich diet (number three solution). Ray Archuleta, previously a conservation agronomist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the co-founder of the Soil Health Academy, stands at the front talking to the farmers, and to us. I am very optimistic. There are no simple solutions to complex problems. The message gets across, but the film downplays a meaningful call to action. The documentary carefully positions holistic grazing as the answer to intensive animal agriculture (including the mono-cropping that occurs to feed factory-farmed animals). I am optimistic because the major issues we are currently facing economic stress, climate change, and food quality are all addressed by the same solution regenerating soil. There are many things you can do, all varying in difficulty. Ive been interested in and learning more about the importance of soil health for years. As a side note, the documentary routinely employed uses numerous fear-mongering tactics to scare the viewer into grasping for whatever solution comes next. Also, I must confess that I did not fully understand the implications of a film crew following me all over the country. It took a Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady cameo to hit this point home. Its especially interesting to me as I am working towards a biology degree and hope to become a soil scientist. Seven years in the making, the movies thesis proposes that by regenerating the worlds soils, humans can rapidly stabilize Earths climate, restore lost ecosystems and create abundant food supplies. As the plants struggle to grow following the removal of organic material year on year, and in the absence of their supporting microbial populations, our farmers resort to chemical fertilisers. Something went wrong. Talking about the importance of beingbetter stewards of our land, and why we must do a better job at protecting our natural resources and ecosystems, is absolutely crucial if our species is to not just thrive on Planet Earth, but survive. Due to its immense scale, and ability to sequester (store) greenhouse gases, it could be the one thing that can balance our climate, clean our water and feed the world! As an employee of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, he travels around the country educating farmers on more sustainable farming practices. There was a huge opportunity for the filmmakers to ask open-ended questions and seek new avenues of thought and action, but they went the safe route of trying to be inspiring. Heres my critique of that paper: https://lachefnet.wordpress.com/2018/03/25/its-the-soil-biology-stupid/ This paper includes a number of these soil science papers. Regenerate America is an unprecedented coalition of farmers, businesses, nonprofits, and individuals from every corner of our country and all political stripes, convened by the national soil health 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization, Kiss the Ground. This form of regenerative agriculture is by no means the silver bullet that its so often portrayed to be and is certainly not what theworlds leading climate scientistsare most excited by. And Norborgs paper rehashed papers by Briske and Holechek that looked at short duration rotational grazing systems rather than holistically planned grazing systems [HPG] known in the peer reviewed scientific literature as adaptive multi-paddock or AMP managed grazing systems. He did several versions of this movie. Makes sense why the documentary didnt go there! Soil is the solution and we have numerous options and opportunities to actualize this solution as consumers, farmers, ranchers, and environmentalists by focusing on the integration of biological processes. The animals themselves arent the problem, where and how is the issue. Its the misbalance of carbon that is the issue. The role of ruminants in reducing agricultures carbon footprint in North America. Its the same reason we dont call doctors healers anymoretheir body of knowledge has been formalized, their work recognized and legitimized as a profession, and their value become obvious. Until then, its going to be hard to truly transform our agricultural system to benefit all life on the planet. Grow your own veg using your home compost! While the efforts of Archuleta and others are slowly gaining traction, crop subsidies fuel a system that depletes the soil and leaves farmers dependent on the government for aid. This isnt the only literature review that has found a lack of science to support Savorys claims about holistic grazing with another detailedreviewof the literature out of Sweden by Maria Nordborg, coming to the same conclusion. I enjoyed Woody Harrelson as a narrator; he felt genuine. Fund charities that are helping people to compost their poo in toilets in the third world. Still, its hard to ignore that the filmmakers featured almost exclusively rich, white American celebrities in a film about global systems change released in the middle of a national reckoning about our ability to be a diverse and equitable society. Gabe: An increased awareness as to how and why all society should come together to work on the 80% of the things we can agree on such as loss of biodiversity, water quality and quantity issues, poor farm profitability, the decline of rural America, climate change and human health. Hopefully, this movie will help open many more. Ryland is also the producer of The Kiss the Ground documentary and the co-creator of the The NFL quarterback goes to bed earlier than any college student has ever dreamed of, and his diet is impeccably healthy. As long as its grass-fed. Using livestock is thought to make this process 7 times faster! Xu, S. (2016). Check out their simple yet profound Soil Story: Do you or your families and friends have a special watch party planned when it streams onNetflix? Regenerative agriculture is a more resilient system based on principles of soil health and biodiversity that integrates multiple crops, cover crops, and livestock animals. Ground News rates Kiss the Ground Film's media bias as unknown. Even though we werent farmers, scientists or experts we knew that together, we could still make a difference! Without them we will starve. The farmers are now starving or have moved on as the soils wont grow anything anymore, they have become dirt. He's a lover of people and of life. Ray: That a large audience will come away with a basic awareness about the transformative power of our living and life-giving soil. We all know that science has its failings. It also doesnt spend most of its time talking about whos to blame, and its actually mostly about looking for solutions for our futures, and did include suggestions about what we, as ordinary people, can do. While, there were very subtle hints that people would have only caught if paying very close attention, it was not made overtly clear by the documentary that the proposed solutions means transitioning the world to plant-rich diets. Although, when I watched it for the third time, it became obvious that the biology 101 lessons from Ray were cleverly used to dance around the fact there is no solid science to back up Savory and Browns claims. This website uses third party cookies to improve your experience with your consent. Nicholas Carter and Simon Hill (MSc Nutr). So ifKiss the Groundhad taken a more evidence-based approach and included dietary recommendations what would it have looked like? The movie has an optimistic tone, do you share that optimism? A major criticism is that there is a lack of science to back up claims. Ill start with the hardest and get easier. Regardless of the labelthat we choose to adopt, eating this way will nourish the soil, reduce emissions from agriculture, and at the same timereduce the burden of chronic disease in our communities. Its a practice that requires a level of care you have to commit to every time you go into the field. Because not only does this mean less greenhouse gas-emitting ruminant animals, but it means we can draw down more carbon from the atmosphere forests are typically far better at doing this than grasslands. Our independent team of journalists Many countries signed, including the UK, but not the US, China or India, the biggest agricultural and CO2 producers. The movie is preaching to the choir here, which I think is why I found it disappointing that the filmmakers felt the need to wrap perfectly good explanations of the mechanisms of carbon sequestration and climate change in more evocative but nebulous language like "heal the planet" or "save the soil. The evidence in favor of regenerative agriculture is irrefutable. Ray: Initially, when I first met the Kiss the Ground group, I told them that I was really concerned about how they should approach the landowners. Early farming was small scale, so diversity was ensured, and combined the animals with plants, so the manures could be used as fertiliser, and crops grown on the land could feed the livestock. 3 Unclear about how the proposed solutions would affect our diets. The worlds top soils grow over 95% of the foods that feed the world. Garnett, Poore and their ilk just do key word searches on computer screens and average parsed pre-existing data in their papers. We started ploughing/tilling because it was easier for us to upscale. Theres no sense in wasting a precious resource like attention by skirting the truth that transitioning to regenerative agriculture, or changing any entrenched industrial-economic system, is a lot of work. Ultimately, if high consuming individuals and countries want to do something positive for the climate, maintaining their current consumption levels but simply switching to grass-fed beef is not a solution. But crop subsidies from the federal government complicate the economics of agriculture. The solution is right under our feet - THE SOIL. By practicing regenerative agriculture, a no-till, chemical-free system designed to bolster and protect soil health, we can grow healthier plants, sequester more carbon, and ultimately reverse climate change., Narrator Woody Harrelson calls regenerative agriculture a simple solutiona way to heal our planet and asks viewers to save our soil in hopes the soil might just save us., The short version: Growing food with regenerative agriculture leads to healthier soil, better food, cleaner skies, and clearer water. With no plants to transpire and create the water vapour which condenses to rain, local rainfall also fails, turning the area to desert. In short:- If you act with maturity and consideration for other users, you should Id be willing to donate it to them. Im Alexa, the Founder and Editor of Novel Hand. by Sarah Read | May 18, 2022 | Eat, Eco-friendly eating, Sustainable living tips and advice, Think, Kiss the Ground is another in the line of eco-documentaries that Netflix is putting out there (albeit one of the first and most famous). Its clear to see that levels of CO2 in the atmosphere above the main agricultural areas increase significantly in the main tilling/ploughing months, and then as plant cover increases in the fields, it drops! Rousing speeches have their place in communicating the gravity of the situation to the public, funders, and policymakers, but its not a framing that suggests concrete action, or even a plan. shabu shabu groupon. Did you know that we can save the world with soil? and experts are committed to making an impact through a wide range of contentand Kiss the Ground features successful composting programs in San Francisco, Detroit, and Haiti. By 2014 there was no vegetation left across an area the size of Belgium! All natural systems exist in balance, with a diversity of plants and animals. But 99 percent of those crops go to feeding livestock. I thought it was odd that this was left out. This is actually seen using satellites which monitor the CO2 levels. So really, the idea of conservation and restoration, needed to be absolutely front and center ifKiss the Groundtruly wanted to educate the masses about how agriculture can help tackle climate change. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. poet charles mackay biography you can help by supporting our work today. From rehabilitating entire ecosystems to growing home victory gardens, there are plenty of ways to get involved in regenerative agriculture. Get our weekly editors newsletter & special offers delivered right to your inbox! Many would argue soil degradation is the most critical environmental threat to humans. Francis Ge is News Fellow at Stone Pier Press and an aspiring first-generation regenerative farmer. I help with that too , Join my supportive community to move to eco-friendly eating and receive tips, advice, recipes and support. Hosted by Robbie Lockie, Plant Based News delivers pioneering vegan news and ethical views weekly. Doing just one will make a difference!! In March and April, he says, farmers are tilling. It really feels like he cares. The filmmakers were able to discuss organic and regenerative agriculture, livestock production and veganism, and climate change in a manner that made no individuals or groups either heroes or villains but rather made the soil the hero which is the appropriate focus in my opinion. On-the-ground agricultural practices carried out by millions of individual farmers directly affect the health of the soil, and by extension, global atmospheric carbon levels and the pace of climate change. Kris: Yes. Suppose you don't have enough time to read, then watch the KISS the GROUND MOVIE (streaming on Netflix) hosted by Woody Harrelson and directed by Joshua Tickell and Rebecca Harrell Tickell. The film begins by examining . It only takes a quick read of theDrawdown Reportto realize that this is absolutely unfounded its going to take an enormous amount of solutions to radically transform our energy and food systems to reverse climate change, and holistic grazing, while certainly better than intensive farming, is not the miracle carbon-sequestering practice that those watching are led to believe. Our mission stands strong: to awaken people to the possibilities of regeneration and inspire participation in the regenerative movement. Kiss the Ground is a full-length documentary narrated by Woody Harrelson that sheds light on an "new, old approach" to farming called " regenerative agriculture " that has the potential to balance our climate, replenish our vast water supplies, and feed the world. (2015). Another issue with our modern methods is that we plough to remove existing plants, and then plant, or even leave the field bare over winter. Heal the planet is a phrase that implies not only the existence of some kind of natural balance to which we can return, but the existence of a cure that human benevolence can deliver. We are made of carbon (16%) and its the element that life is based upon! BookstoreBook submissionsNewsNewsletter signupRecipesGardening, Our storyGet involvedJobs/FellowshipPartnersContact usPrivacy Shipping & return policy. Your email address will not be published. Yes, whats on our plate is even more important than where its come from or buying local. These will be using less chemicals and therefore come from healthier soils than normal veg; hugely better for soil biodiversity, natural biodiversity and your health. The review is plain evidence that we see what we believe and the reviewers beliefs greatly clouded their vision. Half are experts working in their respective fields, and the rest are celebrity activists for whom regenerative agriculture and climate change is more or less a cause. We have now decoupled these so farmers are either crop or livestock, and each are done on an intensive scale, with no natural cycles in place. Is it possible that some of the great empires that seemingly vanished, like the Myans and Incas, did so because they over farmed, and could not feed their rising populations? This seems like pretty important information that was left off the table. ), Pollinator garden/market flowers at Copper Cricket Farm. One thing with ruminant livestock is that when they are use as solar powered mobile composters in brittle environments, their manure, urine and saliva act as inoculates that increase soil microbiology. This is bio sequestration using plants to capture and store carbon. If filmmakers are serious about educating and calling people to action, they shouldn't couch their messages in gentle, sweeping language. The rest of our topsoils are projected to be lost within 60 years. There is extraordinary potential in the layers beneath our feet our Earths soil. The lazy author of this review makes the same mistaken claim. You can make change and make a difference, even if you have struggled in the past to make change and feel like a failure. Their mob grazing action and the impact of their hooves is important. They correctly state that Bison would pass through land and not be seen for around a year. By taking carbon dioxide from the air, and sending it down to soil microbes in exchange for nutrients, plants can not only remove carbon from the atmosphere, but store carbon in the soils. Many would argue soil degradation is the most critical environmental threat to humans". If youve heard anything about Tom Bradys lifestyle, you know that its extreme. Instagram @maggie.eileen.art). (Source: Kiss the Ground). Suggestions for viewers to compost and eat a plant-based diet come off as both insignificant and off the mark after the grand scheme of carbon cycling via production agriculture the whole film had been setting up.