Did you know that there is three times more carbon present on the Earth's soil than that found in the atmosphere? Although this may be surprising, what is even more alarming is the fact that this type of carbon is released in the air by deforestation and poor farming methods. Sadly, most of those who are practicing these methods, are not even aware that the simple things that they do contribute greatly to the growing problem that is climate change.
How does farming affect the climate? There are actually two ways that damaged soil can hurt the climate -- first, it compromises the possible growth of plants, which are responsible for consuming carbon from the atmosphere. Without the plants, the Earth's atmosphere would become much warmer.
Second, a lack of plants could cause a release of carbon stored by worms. Organic matter could then be trapped in the carbon underground, and in turn, put the soil at risk by exceeding a safe amount of carbon dioxide and potentially harming future crops. Although its impact may not be directly observable, it will definitely be felt in the long run. Unfortunately, it is only when the soil has become too toxic that people tend to show their concern for the carbon content found in the soil.
Some environmentalists are not only pushing to save existing forests, but they are also pushing for the rebuilding of forests that are currently considered as destroyed. They say that the best way to fight the unwanted effects of climate change is to rebuild the forests. These efforts may not be easy, but it is not impossible to do. In fact, if only more people would recognize the problem in not having enough forests, perhaps more people would join the efforts in saving the forest that is still left.
However, some farmers believe that if they change the ways they do their farming, they can keep the soil in good shape. The use of unconventional farming methods may be new to most farmers and they may resist at its very introduction, but they soon realize that the technology can prove to be helpful in the economic survival of the farmers and the sustainability of their soil. The healthy bacteria found in cow dung is believed to help cultivate the soil and make it even more nutritious for the plants to grow.
Although in practice, farmers have already recognized the benefits of keeping cow dung and using it as part of their compost fill, it has yet to be proved truly helpful in keeping the soil healthy. Perhaps further research on this fact, scientists and farmers would both find ways on how to utilize cow dung to good use. If it helps lessen the risks for the death of plants due to unhealthy soil, then it must be incorporated in the farming methods. After all, the goal is to save both the soil and the economic stability of the farmers.
