Soil under strain

[cedric]

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/30aedb4a-5364-11dd-8dd2-000077b07658.html?nclick_check=1

Civilisation sprang from dirt. The thin layer of topsoil, formed on parts of the earth’s surface over thousands or hundreds of thousands of years, enabled crops to be cultivated and gave early farmers a reliable food source. On average, that layer is only three feet deep.

But now that dirt is in danger. “The world’s cropland is losing topsoil through erosion faster than new soil is forming, thereby reducing the land’s inherent productivity,” warns Lester Brown, founder of the Earth Policy Institute, in his book Plan B. “Where losses are heavy, productive land turns into wasteland.”

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. I wonder how much difference it would make to compost all our leftovers and have the result

shipped to farmers?

[DCKit]

5. I make about 5 gallons of dirt a month using shredded paper and food scraps...

In pots on the balcony. And there are only two of us.

I mixed some "good" dirt with activated charcoal, added some worms, set the pots on blocks above the drip tray (for better oxygenation) then just layer the paper and vegetable scraps with further layers of dirt until the pot is full. Left to "cook" for about three weeks, it becomes a beautiful, light soil. Any excess water that flows through is an excellent liquid fertilizer.

Not only will we never have to buy dirt again, but we'll have to expand our operation to use what we're making.

Now I want a yard.

[Longtooth]

2. Didn't they say back in the 30's something very similar?

[GliderGuider]

4. Some people did, and they were right back then too.

That was only 70 years ago, after all. Considering that humanity has been farming for 10,000 years, 70 years ago is essentially NOW.

[XemaSab]

3. Mmm... soils.

:9

[Nihil]

6. Mop up the drool will you?

Don't know if you're into reincarnation but it strikes me that
if you've been a good girl then your reward would be to come
back as an earthworm ... thus confusing "teachers" of Karma
for generations!
:hi: