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Can Dirt Save the Earth?

Moises Velasquez-Manoff

April 18, 2018 |

The New York Times Magazine |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Marin, California

One tactic for combatting climate change has to do with soil health. Soil can withdraw and store carbon from the atmosphere—at a higher rate when covered by manure—and also supports long-term soil sustainability and saves farmers money. Because agriculture already consumes much of the world's surface, proponents of carbon farming envision a world where large swathes of land act as a carbon sink. Potential drawbacks and things left to explore include how to produce compost without creating more energy than it saves and how to use cows effectively when they also contribute much of the carbon in the atmosphere.

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In North Carolina, Hog Waste Is Becoming A Streamlined Fuel Source

James Morrison

April 17, 2018 |

NPR |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, North Carolina

Swine biogas are making an appearance across North Carolina, a state with more hogs than any other state in the U.S. Turning methane from hog waste into electricity has allowed the state to earn valuable carbon offset credits as they work towards brining emissions to zero.

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P Is For Phosphorus

Robert Smith

January 26, 2018 |

NPR |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Vermont

Phosphate is used for fertilizer on many farms. However, once the phosphorus washes away, it is next to impossible to recover, thus creating a phosphorus depletion. Using a very on the ground, grassroots approach, a small group of local citizens started asking other citizens to donate their urine to be recycled for the phosphate. After just a year, the group had 600 gallons of urine and after filtering it, it's being used on a local Vermont farm to fertilize hay on a dairy.

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Conservation Meets Corrections

Katie Jewett

July 26, 2017 |

bioGraphic |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Evergreen, Washington

There are currently 2.3 million people incarcerated in the United States. According to rainforest ecologist Nalini Nadkarni, that's a lot of brainpower and potential sitting unused. It was this thought that inspired the start of the Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP). As a collaboration between the Washington State Department of Corrections and The Evergreen State College, SPP aims to bring science and education within the walls of confinement – all while promoting the conservation of both plant and animal species.

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Sustainability programs reduce food waste, help manage insecurity

Vidushi Saxena

April 19, 2017 |

Badger Herald |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Madison, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin students and faculty are attempting to change the way food is treated on campus to minimize waste. The dining halls compost leftovers, and food is also donated to Campus Kitchens, which serves food-insecure students. Food Shed is a new initiative to share food grown for research in refrigerators around campus, open to all. Leaders hope these initiatives reduce food insecurity and waste simultaneously.

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Toilets in Haiti and Circular Runways

Gemma Newby

March 28, 2017 |

BBC |

Radio |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: Haiti, Cap-Haïtien, Department of Nord

Haiti is currently battling the biggest cholera epidemic in recent history caused by lack of access to clean drinking water. Soil is an NGO which delivers dry, compost toilets to peoples’ homes - alternatives to water guzzling flushing toilets, which need infrastructure such as sewers - to help keep sewage from contaminating water sources and provide dignified, safe toilet facilities.

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Stockholm's Ingenious Plan to Recycle Old Christmas Trees

Feargus O'Sullivan

December 20, 2016 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Sweden, Stockholm

In Stockholm, old Christmas trees are being converted into biochar. When integrated into the city's highly-efficient power grid, the project has been wildly successful--not only in improving soil, but also in retaining groundwater, greening the city, and lowering carbon emissions. For this reason, officials as far away as California have been eying the plan with interest.

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The fate of rural food and farms

Brian Calvert

November 15, 2016 |

High Country News |

Podcast |

Over 15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Santa Fe, New Mexico

A number of problems continue to challenge rural agriculture in the western United States. These include connecting people who grow the food with the people that need to eat the food, food waste worsening greenhouse gas emissions, and decreasing numbers of new farmers that take up the practice of agriculture. Different initiatives, such as those presented by Reunity Resources and the National Young Farmers Coalition, encourage collaboration to make sustainable food sources for the poor and for the future of farming.

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Compost Can Save the Earth

Ellen Berkovitch

August 31, 2016 |

Santa Fe Public Radio (KSFR) |

Radio |

5-15 Minutes

Response Location: United States, Santa Fe, New Mexico

Reunity Resources is a Santa Fe-based company that has stepped into the national arena in which many cities are contemplating what to do with the enormous problem of food waste. Some 40% of the food supply goes uneaten in the U.S. annually. Ellen Berkovitch researched this story as part of KSFR’s Solutions Journalism Network grant initiative.

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A 700-year-old West African farming practice could be an answer to climate change

Lily Kuo

June 22, 2016 |

Quartz |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Ghana

Recycled kitchen waste and charcoal ash makes for healthy soil healthy that is more resilient to climate change. For centuries, women in Ghana and Liberia have used this technique on their farmlands, which are renowned for their fertility. The technique has now attracted the attention of anthropologists and researchers.

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