Carbon Capturing

News | Nithya Kunta | Mar 1st, 2022.

The current atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is the highest concentration of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere that humans have ever experienced. Increasing organic farming can be the solution. 

Because synthetic fertilizers are banned on organic farms, organic farmers rely on the cycling of organic matter, like compost and animal manure, to maintain soil fertility. These materials add nutrients that are effective in sequestering carbon, or storing it in the ground. According to Katherine Tully of Science Direct, the addition of organic soil materials increases carbon sequestration by 24%.

Sequestering carbon through organic farming is essential in reducing carbon in the atmosphere. In fact, in their report, The Rodale Institute confirms that organic agriculture can sequester more carbon than is currently emitted, reversing the greenhouse effect. Specifically, the implementation of organic farming across the US can reduce 32% of all annual CO2 emissions, which is 8 times more than the current emission rate.

Increasing organic farming may be our best chance at decreasing carbon levels and mitigating climate change.