Compost plays a key role in carbon farming.
How Cities Can Build Resiliency and Fight Climate Change With Healthy Soil by Wendy Sommer While the coronavirus pandemic and months-long shelter in place measures temporarily lowered emissions around the world, this reduction in pollution only underscored the need for greater resiliency in our economies and environment. Before the pandemic hit, Eric Holthaus, a meteorologist and writer covering climate change, heard the news that the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere had reached heights never seen in human existence. He said, “We don’t know a planet like this.” In Alameda County, the seventh most populous county in California and one of the most diverse, residents are feeling the effects of climate change. These impacts include stronger heat waves, declining air quality as a result of warmer temperatures and wildfires, more frequent summer droughts, and stress on local water systems. A growing number of cities have declared a climate emergency, including most recently the island City of Alameda, one of the county’s communities most vulnerable to the sea level rise.
Cities at the Forefront of Fighting Climate Change Alameda County cities have a long history of taking action to preserve natural resources and protect the environment. All cities are working to meet state greenhouse gas emission goals, and some are reaching even further for carbon neutrality by 2045. The cities are incorporating bold initiatives in their Climate Action Plans to reduce their contribution to climate change, such as curbing car emissions by promoting public transportation and biking, advancing energy efficiency programs, and building more sustainable housing. These actions are necessary, but cooling our planet also requires removing the carbon dioxide that is already in the atmosphere. In a tide of sobering news, one silver lining is right underneath our feet.
The Compost Connection Through its sustainable landscaping and gardening program, StopWaste has long
promoted the benefits of compost as a way to reduce organic waste while creating healthy soils and saving water. Now scientists are recognizing compost as a tool to fight climate change.
What Is Carbon Farming? Carbon farming refers to practices — including the application of compost — to increase the ability of soil and plants to pull carbon from the atmosphere and store it deep in the soil. Identified by the State of California as one of its six pillars to fight climate change, carbon farming also increases the soil's water-holding capacity, reduces erosion, creates healthier plants, increases forage production, and reduces costs for supplemental feed. Carbon farming is one of the most costeffective carbon capture strategies available, as climate change causes drought and landslides and threatens agriculture. Healthy soils are also a critical part of any resilience strategy. continued
Wendy Sommer is executive director of StopWaste, a public agency working to reduce waste in communities throughout Alameda County; she can be reached at wsommer@stopwaste.org.
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Western City, July 2020
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