Gene Rosow

BE A PART OF THE LIVING BREATHING DIRT TEST

BE A PART OF THE LIVING BREATHING DIRT TEST

 

Every time I screen DIRT! The Movie or do an interview people are inspired to ask:  “What can I do to help?”  Well you can find the answers here on the website as well as through links in the All About Dirt section – both of which offer a range of educational information and community activities. 

Please remember that above all our film emphasizes that soils are living breathing systems.  And that one of the best actions we can take to help those eco-systems is to test our soils and share that information.
 

So we invite you – heck, we urge you - to participate in The Living Breathing Dirt Test. It's fun, easy to use, scientifically valid and demonstrates that your soil is alive and breathing.

How alive? That’s what you will be testing. 

The Living Breathing Dirt Test was developed by Will Brinton, one of the stars of DIRT! The Movie; and is based on firm scientific (ahem) ground. Soil respiration is a critical aspect of soil-quality and an indicator of soil fertility. The size of the soil microbial biomass is reflected by the flush of CO2 during incubation of a soil sample. There are 4 tests per box with clear instructions for using the tests and interpreting the data.  You will see the results in 24 hours!

 

And when you get your test results ... we ask you to share your data.

Scientists around the world are emphasizing the importance of mapping soil.  For example, The Digital Soil Map of the World is being organized by a consortium of scientists under whose direction organizations across the globe are rapidly mapping the soils of the earth. The idea is to collect and organize vital soil data. As Pedro Sanchez, one of the organizers of the soil mapping project says, “We know more about the soils of Mars than about the soils of Africa.”  That is about to change.  Indeed, it has to change. 

 

To help emphasize the importance of testing and raising soil awareness we ask that you post the results of your Living Breathing Dirt Test on Google Earth. Google Earth's interactive maps – which include virtual tours, multimedia and interactive elements – make it easy to share stories, pictures, videos, songs and artwork about your dirt, and to learn about others' dirt. The mapping will provide resources and information to help preserve and protect soils at both the local and national levels through links to outside resources all of which can help raise soil awareness. 

 

 If you would like to know more about the soil in your garden program - and help save the planet by sharing that information - The Dirt Test is for you.

 

Please let us know if you would like to participate and we will get right back to you with further details. You can find out more about The Living Breathing Dirt Test here. Or for a more in depth look click here. 

You can find out more about our film and related outreach activities by signing up for our mailing list, connecting with us on Facebook and Twitter, or contacting us directly using the link at the bottom of this page.

 

Soilfully yours,

 

Gene "The Dirt Road Warrior"

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