Climate Activists Promote Soil Solutions in New York March

NEW YORK - Sept. 21, 2014 - PRLog -- Among hundreds of climate advocacy groups gathered in New York for the September 21st Climate March are some promoting ideas not in the environmental mainstream of discussion such as “regenerative grazing” and “soil carbon sequestration”. The gathering of forces features some new collaborations of groups finding common cause around these issues, including the Organic Consumers’ Association (OCA)  and Biodiversity for a Livable Climate (BLC).

OCA, in existence since 1999, is a strong lobbying force for organic agriculture, and more recently has also been promoting the potential for well-managed herds of livestock to restore degraded soils while offering a healthy alternative to industrial meat production. OCA sponsored yesterday’s educational events in the leadup to the NY Climate March:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_30839.cfm

Seth Itzkan of BLC, who gave one of the presentations, said “the Carbon Underground workshops organized by Organic Consumers’ Association Saturday were well attended and vibrant. People are inspired by the potential of soils to reverse global warming. Biodiversity for a Livable Climate (BLC) is marching today to show solidarity with the greater climate movement and to help promote our November conference where soils will take center stage.”

Political Director Alexis Baden-Mayer of OCA said, “The climate movement is embracing the message of hope brought by the sustainable agriculture community: Organic farming and regenerative grazing can reverse climate change. We can feed the world and save it, too. Cutting fossil fuel emissions is necessary, but naturally trapping carbon dioxide in the soil is the only way to reverse the damage that's already been done.”

The BLC conference will combine presentations from scientists on the ideas behind carbon sequestration with farmers and ranchers practicing these techniques of eco-restoration, as well as activists working for their wider adoption and acceptance. Attendees will come from a broad range of backgrounds, and will have opportunities for collaboration and network-building.

Registration information on the November BLC conference can be found at bio4climate.org .