A whole world of creatures is nurtured by the soil. Soil not only feeds and provides habitat to billions of organisms but also protects and significantly contributes to biodiversity.
Back in 2013, the United Nation designated 5th of December as World Soil Day. This date also marks the official birthday of late King Rama IX of Thailand, who resolutely advocated the promotion of sustainable soil management.
The main purpose of this day is to draw attention and raise awareness about the importance of soil in all our lives.
As we strive towards advancement, we can see the way our surroundings are slowly changing. At some point in time, we all might have heard the stories of how there was a vast green stretch of land, which now has turned into concrete infrastructures. It is in our hands to proactively take initiatives towards making sure that the soil remains healthy.
Before we fathom what roles can we play towards maintaining healthy soil biodiversity, let us understand why soil is crucial for a healthy planet.
- Soil is an inevitable source of life. More individual organisms live in a teaspoon of soil than the entire people of the Earth.
- Soil is undoubtedly the spine of food security. It is beyond our wildest thought to imagine how farmers would be able to grow food and provide it to us without healthy soil.
- Healthy soil plays an imperative role in protecting the planet from climate change. As per Columbia University Earth’s, soil removes nearly 25% of the complete world’s fossil fuel emission each year.
- Soil can filter chemicals and unwanted contaminants. This is the reason why underground water remains one of the cleanest sources of available drinking water.
- Soil is a natural habitat to numerous organisms and a foundation to plant’s growth. It is also the bedrock where most of the constructions take place.
There are umpteen other benefits of soil which is why it is primarily important to conserve soil and enhance its health. Soil degradation has become a major concern and an alarming environmental crisis. Soil degradation can involve the following:
- Wind erosion
- Water erosion that includes sheet and gully erosion
- Soil acidity
- Soil contamination
- Decline of fertility in the soil
- Salinity including irrigation, dryland and urban salinity
What can be done at an individual level?
Educate:
The first step towards preventing soil solution is to understand the gravity of the situation. At an individual level, we should try to expand our horizon and educate ourselves regarding soil and its pertaining problems.
Curtail Toxic Materials:
The waste that is disposed of should have a minimum toxic element. We should try to use products that are biodegradable in nature. Waste material can also be disposed of after treating the material with appropriate chemicals to make it less toxic. Many biodegradable options are available in the market which can be a far better alternative than one-time-use plastic. With our minimum efforts, we can reduce soil pollution to a vast extent.
Recycle Waste Products:
Garbage requires a large amount of land to dump. They not only contaminate the land but raise health issues for people living nearby. Try recycling objects like aluminium cans, paper, plastic, and other objects that can be re-used to form new products.
Avoid Littering
Excessive littering is one of the most common problems that lead to soil pollution. Always throw the waste in the garbage and try to segregate the waste as recyclable and non-recyclable. This will not only make it easy to dispose of or reuse the waste but always decrease the soil pollution.
These little initiatives if taken can create a substantive difference in decreasing soil pollution and further create a healthy habitat for us to live.
Celebrate Soil Day with your Green Space
Soil is the foundation for plants to grow. It provides the necessary nutrients, regulates the discharge of excess water and holds the plant upright. It is very important to keep the soil fresh in order to keep the plant healthy.
On World Soil Day, take a look at your indoor planters and check the soil. If the soil is not healthy, these are the following key points that can help you maintain a fresh soil and simultaneously a healthy plant.
- Compost
Soil can lose its nutrients over time, especially with flowers and fairly large gardens. It is important to supply the essential nutrients back. Compost is a rich source of nutrients, which is easily available in the market.
- Fertilize
The first step towards fertilizing soil is to test the pH level of the surface soil. This will help you to understand which elements of the soil need to be revived. Thereafter, choose the fertilizer with those elements.
- Till Regularly
You can add all the great nutrients and essential components, but it would not work if the plant doesn’t receive enough air. Regularly tilting the top layer of soil lets the nutrient work to its best potential, allowing water to soak and earthworms to perform their activities.
The soil along with the plants require the right kind of planters with features that encourage their growth rather than restricting them. A vast range of decorative planters is manufactured and designed by Bonasila that not only enhances the plant growth but also the aesthetic appeal of the place. The frp planters are lightweight which enables you to move and arrange the planter as you wish. This soil Day, open the doors of your creativity and give a new look to your garden and interior spaces. Make sure to check on the plant and the soil that lets it thrive.