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Regenerate Climate is a grassroots group of citizens, farmers, advocates, politicians and legislators. We are raising awareness and inspiring action on all solutions to the climate crisis, especially the mostly overlooked role of agriculture and regenerative framing. To join email thomashall38@regenerateclimate.com

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Regenerative Organic Agriculture Cools Earth, Moderates Weather Extremes and Reduces Pollution

By Thomas Hall

Rep. Jim McCullough -Vermont state legislator presented the concept of Regenerative Agriculture to the Legislative Climate Caucus on 9/19 saying, Regenerative Agriculture is the 3rd leg of the solution stool to global warming. We all know transportation and lack of appropriate building weatherization are 2 major contributors. Conventional agriculture, worldwide, is the 3rd major cause by ruining soil biology and natural carbon sequestration, thereby greatly disturbing the global water cycle. Changing the modern conventional agriculture paradigm back to regenerative cropping solutions is the significant additional piece to solving global warming,

Hurricane Ian, which has destroyed parts of Florida, forest fires and other climate extremes are graphic examples and a wake-up call to the fact that the water cycle and carbon cycle have been disrupted. There are the major mechanisms that regulate the climate out of dozens of interacting mechanisms.

Large Water Cycle

Water evaporates from the ocean, falls as rain on the land then returns to the ocean.

Small Water Cycle

More rain is created when water evaporates from the land, falls as rain, then evaporates again. This cycle can repeat multiple times.

We hear a lot about carbon dioxide and fossil fuels and somewhat about deforestation as the cause of global warming and extreme weather. An overlooked fact is that conventional agriculture has killed the living soil biology (Soil Food Web) causing climate change. Regenerative Organic Agriculture is the solution that needs to be added to the mix. Living soil is the foundation of all life on land and is necessary to maintain a stable climate. Also, the resulting dead dirt is heated by the sun and the heat is trapped by the greenhouse gasses. Fortunately, regenerative organic agriculture can revive the living soil, restore the water cycle, restore the carbon cycle and reverse global warming while producing nutrient-rich and tasty food.

In addition to carbon dioxide and the other commonly discussed greenhouse gasses, water vapor is known to be a powerful greenhouse gas. its concentration in the atmosphere is greater than the others. A small rise in water vapor will increase global warming.

How can we relate the carbon cycle to dead dirt versus living soil? It is imperative that we reduce fossil fuels, deforestation, and pollution. But this is not sufficient because the earth will continue to warm from the excess carbon in the air. Agriculture will continue to release carbon dioxide from the carbon rich soil. Starting 8,000 years ago agriculture has released vast quantities of carbon dioxide from the fertile landscape producing deserts and arid lands.

Carbon Cycle

Carbon dioxide is removed from the air by plants to feed the life above and below ground. Some carbon is sequestered by microorganisms by building carbon rich soil. Most is oxidized back into the air. When soil microorganisms die, maintaining carbon stored in the soil is stopped and is released as carbon dioxide. Also stopped is drawing down carbon dioxide by building new soil.

References:

Summary of Walter Jehne’s lecture at Harvard: Regenerative Agriculture Part 1 (15 Min.) Part2 (10 min video)
Agriculture and Climate Change
Carbon Drawdown (4:33 min video)

Humans have caused change and we can change our behavior and reverse it. We need to leave a healthy earth for our children and grandchildren.

Our destiny is in the hands of regenerative organic farmers. We need to give them all the financial support we can to transition to regenerative and training in the regenerative farming practices. Examples are Soil Food Web School, Land and Leadership Initiative , Bread and Butter Farm, Cedar Circle Farm.

Change grows from the grassroots up. Please broadcast this far and wide before it is too late by sharing this article and discussing it with many.

The pioneering research and teaching of Walter Jehne, and Elaine Engham, is the primary source for this article. I thank Rep. Jim McCullough, for his support and raising the awareness of his fellow Vermont Legislators.

Regenerate Climate is a grassroots group of citizens, farmers, advocates, politicians and legislators. We are raising awareness and inspiring action on all solutions to the climate crisis, especially supporting regenerative farmers who have the power to reverse global warming and moderate weather extremes. For questions or joining us email thomashall38@regenerateclimate.com

Click here to continue reading about:

Soil Food Web
Vermont Legislature Climate Caucus to support regenerative farmers. Rep. Jim McCullough
2023 agriculture farm bill is supporting regenerative farmers
Regenerative farming practices, benefits, Results
Please read the article “Regenerative Organic Agriculture is Required to Cool Earth”- https://rb.gy/3x62cy for more details.

This piece is the result of extensive reading, listening to lectures, webinars, and discussions with scientists and farmers.

I welcome your questions, comments and suggestions.

The Best,

Thomas

Thomas Hall , BSEE Electrical Engineering, MS Nutrition and Biochemistry

Founder, Complementary and Alternative Medical Association of Vermont (CAMAvt)

Regenerate Climate is a grassroots group of citizens supporting regenerative farmers who have the power to reverse global warming

802-999-1651

Burlington, VT

thomashall38@regenerateclimate.com

Some Regenerative Organic Agriculture Organizations: