Why is ecological literacy a Health Intervention?
The understanding of natural systems – functions as a Behavioral Intervention by reshaping decision making frameworks. System based understanding promotes sustained adherence more effectively than nutrition education alone.
Participants begin to recognize parallels:
| Ecological Principle | Health Parallel |
|---|---|
| Soil needs nutrients | Body needs nutrient-dense foods |
| Diversity improves resilience | Dietary diversity improves health |
| Overuse degrades systems | Ultra-processed diets harm metabolism |
| Cycles require balance | Lifestyle balance supports wellness |
$408,000,000,000 each year to grow, process, transport, and dispose of food that is never eaten.
- Treating fields with compost, reduce and eliminate the need to use chemical fertilizer; Leads to higher agricultural yields, increases soil water retention to improve drought resilience. Using of compost, can replace 100% of synthetic fertilization and chemical herbicide.
- Compost can be used on annual crops, perennials, orchards, vineyards, and grassland to improve soil properties, provide nutrients in a stable organic form, and increase plant growth and health.
- Compost increases carbon sequestration (long term storage of carbon in soils and vegetation.) a quarter inch of compost can double the soil’s carbon sequestration potential (approx. 1 ton of carbon per hectare)
- Given rising fertilizer cost, compost is a cost-effective alternative.
- According to UC Berkeley Silver labs, food waste derived compost poses better climate change mitigation potential than manure or plant waste compost.
Composting @ Earth Mart
- Windrows: Hot Composting Piles
- Vermicomposting: Worms
- Vermicomposting: BSF