A World Without Soil: The Past, Present, and Precarious Future of the Earth Beneath Our Feet

In her book, Jo Handelsman, a renowned biologist, highlights the urgent need to address soil loss due to poor conservation practices and climate change. She emphasizes the critical role of soil in global food production and explores solutions, including indigenous practices and technology, to mitigate erosion and preserve soil health.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 280 pages
Publication date: 02 May 2023
Publisher: Yale University Press

Jo Handelsman, a renowned biologist, has issued a powerful manifesto addressing the urgent issue of soil loss, exacerbated by inadequate conservation practices and the impacts of climate change. In her clarion call, she emphasizes the critical importance of raising awareness about the impending soil-loss catastrophe. Handelsman's writing, akin to the life-sustaining qualities of soil itself, serves as a compelling warning that demands our immediate attention.

The ground beneath our feet is gradually slipping away, as we lose the precious soil that sustains us. Jo Handelsman's writing, rich and life-supporting, is a riveting warning that underscores the urgency of the situation.

Humans rely on soil for 95 percent of global food production, yet we allow it to erode at unsustainable rates. In the United States, China, and India, vast tracts of farmland will be devoid of topsoil within this century. The convergence of climate change-induced intensifying erosion and the growing food needs of a rapidly expanding global population has created a pressing need for solutions to this crisis.

Jo Handelsman, in her accessible style, celebrates the remarkable capacities of soil and delves into the soil-related challenges that lie ahead. She begins by tracing the origins of soil, explaining its erosion processes and the far-reaching consequences worldwide. She then presents practical solutions, drawing from lessons learned from indigenous people who have sustainably farmed the same land for thousands of years, as well as practices developed for large-scale agriculture. Additionally, Handelsman explores proposals that harness technology and innovative approaches to address soil loss and promote sustainable soil management.

Through her manifesto, Jo Handelsman urges us to recognize the profound interconnectedness between soil, climate change, food, water, and drug discovery. She emphasizes the need for collective action and transformative solutions to safeguard our soil resources and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. By heeding her call, we can work towards a world where soil is valued, conserved, and nurtured, contributing to the well-being of both the planet and its inhabitants.

Dimension: 216 x 140 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780300271119