Over the past 150 years, the amount of carbon in the atmosphere has increased by 30%, the effect of which, scientists believe, is rising global temperatures. Soils contain approximately 75% of the carbon pool on land and therefore play a major role in maintaining a balanced global carbon cycle. But industrial agriculture practices have dramatically increased the speed at which agricultural soils are eroding. Half of the topsoil on the planet has been lost in the last 150 years and less soil means less carbon sequestration. Luckily for us there is a solution. Regenerative agriculture and land use practices that rebuild soil organic matter and restore degraded soil biodiversity can significantly increase the sequestration of CO2 in the soil. Kiss the Ground, an NGO based in Venice, California, is dedicated to creating media and educational curriculum to raise awareness about the importance of soil. They also actively work to restore soils by working with brands to leverage resources for farmers to move towards more regenerative practices. Jesse Smith runs Kiss the Ground’s Farmland Program, which connects restaurants and their customers to farmers and landscapes by having chefs feature regenerative items on their menus.
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