Could Soil Hold the Key to Stopping or Even Reversing Climate Change?

A group of environmental experts got together on February 2nd, 2016 to speak about why soil matters and how to begin reversing climate change. Joe had the chance to interview each of these panelists to hear about their latest efforts!

The panelists:

Michelle Lerach
Co-host Michelle Ciccarelli Lerach is the Founder of BerryGoodFood.org, a non-profit foundation formed last year out of the bi-national community of local growers, chefs and food activists brought together over the last seven years of the BerryGoodNight.com. She is a lawyer and sustainable food activist, and serves as an advisor to KisstheGround.com. In 2008, Michelle Lerach opened the first 3-Star Green Certified bakery in California.

Calla Rose Ostrander
Calla Rose Ostrander is a Climate Change Advisor and Director of Climate Initiatives at Rathmann Family Foundation. She has worked on strategic development, partner engagement, facilitation, analysis, science writing and communications. She was previously the Climate Change Projects Manager for the City and County of San Francisco for six years.

Ryland Engelhart
Ryland Engelhart is the co-founder of the non-profit Kiss the Ground. Kiss the Ground advocates for the restoration of soil worldwide. They found that soil with higher carbon levels helps the atmosphere, create cleaner water, and infuses more nutrients in food. More carbon in the soil also improves plants’ ability to tolerate drought conditions. He also co-owns Café Gratitude, which is dedicated to culture love, community and sustainability in the work place.

Scott Murray
Scott Murray has been an organic farmer for 32 years. He is a resource conservationist who grows specialty vegetables and herbs for high-end chefs. Scott is currently President of the Board of the Mission Resource Conservation District – an environmental education non-profit that holds annual Earth Day Celebrations.

Pablo Rojas
Pablo Rojas is a rancher and livestock manager of El Mogor Ranch, Valle de Guadalupe, Baja. Pablo strives to renew the quality of agriculture and animal husbandry. He says that “We’re working to create, or re-create, an identity based on the food that we nurture.” Each cut of the animals Pablo raises directly expresses the culture and taste of their surrounding area in the valley.

Dr. Justine Owen
Justine is a soil scientist at UC Berkeley working with Whendee Silver on climate change mitigation opportunities through soil management. She got her PhD at UC Berkeley studying the hyperarid soils of the Atacama Desert in northern Chile to learn about the development of these soils and similar soils on Mars. She has taught environmental science at UC Berkeley and the University of San Francisco and likes to explore the soils of the bay area by running trails.

David Bronner
David Bronner, CEO of Dr. Bronner’s – a family business committed to honoring the vision of making socially and environmentally responsible products of the highest quality. He produces USDA certified organic personal care products to Fair-trade products around the world that ensure fair treatment of farmers and workers. He devotes much of his profits to worthwhile causes and charities worldwide.

Kara Wentworth
Kara Wentworth is a doctoral candidate in Communication and Science Studies at UC San Diego. Her research is focused on the politics of inequality and food systems in the U.S. As a researcher with UC San Diego’s new Center for Sustainability Science Planning and Design “SSPAD”, Kara works alongside scientists, social scientists, and community organizers on urban soil testing and agriculture projects. She works as an anthropologist, documenting the work in a variety of sites including community gardens, scientific laboratories, neighborhood soil mapping, and over the last six years, small slaughterhouses.

Be sure to listen to Joe’s in-depth interview with each of these unique individuals to hear how their efforts and innovation can prevent Climate Change!

LISTEN TO PODCAST

Listen to a podcast of Soil Matters Panelists’ interviews!