Kiss the Ground brings together a diverse coalition of scientists, farmers, and advocates to share this story, showcase the benefits of adopting regenerative agriculture, and build a movement aimed at renewing the planet's ecosystems. 'Kiss the Ground' Review: Celeb-Studded Doc on Fixing - IndieWire Kiss the Ground was created in 2013 from a meeting in Venice Beach. I approached this film with professional interest, not just as a News Fellow with Stone Pier Press, but as someone trained in biology at college, regenerative farming at the Rodale Institute (three of the films agricultural experts work/ed here), and food systems at graduate school. The first clue is when the documentary makes mention of the natural history of Bison roaming the United States. Minimising the amount of mechanical disturbance, with no tilling/ploughing. After all, its communities of color, low-income communities, and immigrant communities who do the majority of the essential work of growing food and yet are most exploited and harmed by the agroindustrial complex. To rotate cows like bison, it means leaving land free from roaming animals for at least six-nine months a figure that Alan Savory states himself in the documentary. I enjoyed Woody Harrelson as a narrator; he felt genuine. Water and carbon escape into the atmosphere in enormous plumes blanketing the entire northern hemisphereshown onscreen as ominous swirls of red. The movie funders wanted to make this movie all about organic farming, but Gabe and I worked on him and showed him that organic farming can be as destructive as conventional farmingand to his credit, Josh learned what regenerative farming was all about. The other 60% are the large sea-driven cycles. Their technical expertise should be enough to convince us that their message is not only correct but worth listening to. They are both such impactful leaders in this movement because they are called to bring these concepts to farmers and ranchers everywhere. Does the movie miss the mark in any way, or would you have liked to have seen particulartopics covered that were not? We need to act. With no plants to transpire and create the water vapour which condenses to rain, local rainfall also fails, turning the area to desert. This is bio sequestration using plants to capture and store carbon. Watch Kiss the Ground | Netflix The film uses creative graphics and visuals, along with striking NASA and NOAA footage, and illustrates how, by drawing down atmospheric carbon many of humankinds most pressing climate and environmental problems can be solved. Five takeaways from new Kiss the Ground documentary - Novel Hand Every version got better, and the last version was the best one. There was mention of a regenerative diet but what does that mean? . Every year 40m people are displaced as their farmlands become desert. Although, when I watched it for the third time, it became obvious that the biology 101 lessons from Ray were cleverly used to dance around the fact there is no solid science to back up Savory and Browns claims. Narrated and featuring Woody Harrelson, Kiss the Ground is an inspiring and groundbreaking film that reveals the first viable solution to our climate crisis.. Ray: That a large audience will come away with a basic awareness about the transformative power of our living and life-giving soil. The long term prognosis for our survival with business as usual is very, very poor , Topsoils are disappearing and the land is desertifying, Regenerative farming principles explained, Examples of regenerative farming restoring land. Because whereKiss the Groundlacks in science, it makes up in celebrity power with the likes of Woody Harrelson, Jason Mraz, Ian Somerhalder, Gisele Bndchen, and Tom Brady all featured. The long term prognosis for our survival with business as usual is very, very poor . If the U.S shifted away from intensive livestock farming to traditional grazing, its been calculated that theavailable grasslands would only be able to produce 27 percent of the countries current beef supply. There are three main points I want to make about holistic grazing that are important for you to understand. In fact, if we look at the solutions outlined in theDrawdown Reportand their potential to draw down carbon from our atmosphere, shifting to a diet that favours calories from plants is twice as powerful compared to shifting to silvopasture and four times as powerful compared as shifting to managed grazing two forms of regenerative agriculture that involve livestock. Ill summarise the main points for you in this article; what the issues are, why soil is the answer, and how you can help to save you having to invest the time to watching it yourself. Kiss the Ground members are the grassroots stakeholders that stand with us in the regenerative movement. The central tenant is that its a diet that places enormous emphasis on calories from plants and de-emphasizes calories from animal products. After all, this method of grazing, which Gabe Brown and Alan Savory speak about at length, is being positioned in the documentary as the solution we have all been waiting for to reverse climate change. Its predicted that, if we can scale up some of these farming methods over the next 30 years, we can REVERSE global warming. Any plans to hire an agent or move to L.A? The NFL quarterback goes to bed earlier than any college student has ever dreamed of, and his diet is impeccably healthy. Lots of problems with Poores paper as well which didnt account for soil carbon or regenerative systems in any of its meta-analysis of averaged LCAs. But I wish people with platforms like documentary films or acting stardom would start framing issues with words that suggest physical work, like "repair" or fix or even "care for/take care of" (i.e. I asked Finian Makepeace, the co-founder of the Kiss the Ground organization, to tell me more about how he and the films producers and directors selected our trio of regenerative experts to appear in the movie. Hotter soils during the day create hot rising air, which pushes any of these clouds away, and is how deserts are formed and grow. They correctly state that Bison would pass through land and not be seen for around a year. kiss the ground fact checking Thank you for the review. It really feels like he cares. The solution is right under our feet THE SOIL. Our mission is to awaken people to the possibilities of regeneration and inspire participation in this movement through media, communications, education, workshops, immersive programming, and advocacy. Ground News rates Kiss the Ground Film's media bias as unknown. Id be willing to donate it to them. Emerging land use practices rapidly increase soil organic matter. Its especially interesting to me as I am working towards a biology degree and hope to become a soil scientist. This will not only better their own wellbeing because they will be consuming foods higher in nutrient density, but they will also support those who are making a positive impact on the environment. Whilst maintaining a large veg bed to feed the whole family takes up a lot of space and requires time, there are many crops that require very little maintenance or space, and actually like growing in your flower beds amongst the flowers! To me, it undermines the articulate, informative explanations offered by the professionals with actual working farms and advanced degrees who are given the floor for much of the film. Makes sense why the documentary didnt go there! For people who have an hour and a half to watch something like this, For people who are time strapped or not sure that this is their kind of thing, The way we are feeding ourselves is undermining the very ecology were dependent upon. Although I would have liked more with real life farmers and ranchers, it is hard to put together a documentary that will appeal across the spectrum from rural to urban communities, young and old, and everyday people to activists. Francis Ge is News Fellow at Stone Pier Press and an aspiring first-generation regenerative farmer. The movie doesn't just dive into the microbiology of soil and soil carbon interactions, it also covers the four main principles of soil health: increasing diversity, minimizing soil disturbance, keeping above ground covered and below ground active at all times, and animal integration. Directors Joshua Tickell Rebecca Harrell Tickell Writers Johnny O'Hara Joshua Tickell Rebecca Harrell Tickell Stars Desertification is the process of land turning to desert. Plowing the earth, preparing fields for planting, exposing bare soil. So what we are talking about here is how to better use the land dedicated to animal agriculture (83 percent of all agricultural land) that is responsible for 80 percent of food-related greenhouse gas emissions yet provides only 18 percent of our total calories. But what good is hope if its false? For Schools & Educators | Kiss the Ground Film Regenerative agriculture is a more resilient system based on principles of soil health and biodiversity that integrates multiple crops, cover crops, and livestock animals. 2020 | Maturity Rating: TV-G | 1h 24m | Nature & Ecology Documentaries. All whilst minimising our 'footprint'. They thought I had lost my mind, but through hard work and perseverance weve been able to open many eyes through the years. reduce the burden of chronic disease in our communities, https://lachefnet.wordpress.com/2018/03/25/its-the-soil-biology-stupid/, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2018.02.003, http://www.jswconline.org/content/71/2/156.abstract, https://asu.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/potential-mitigation-of-midwest-grass-finished-beef-production-em, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2011.03.009, https://blog.whiteoakpastures.com/hubfs/WOP-LCA-Quantis-2019.pdf. These will be using less chemicals and therefore come from healthier soils than normal veg; hugely better for soil biodiversity, natural biodiversity and your health. A powerful message during a time where the climate emergency is without a doubt causing climate anxiety. Work your way down the list until you find the things that youre willing to do. BOOM found that the viral video has been cropped from a longer conversation during a press conference where Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned a hypothetical scenario of Ukraine losing the war and Russia invading other NATO countries including the Baltic states in Eastern Europe which would force the US to get involved and send troops. Check out her story here or take a look at HOW she can help you on the Services page. 2023 Farm Bill | What is it and Why it matters? - Kiss The Ground I thought it would be just another news release or another interview. Unless we save our soils, we have 60 harvests left before global starvation. Less meat to go around and significantly higher prices per unit. Our modern farming methods are not concerned with soil longevity or quality and are significantly to blame for the destruction of the soils. Im Alexa, the Founder and Editor of Novel Hand. (PLEASE VOTE November 3rd or earlier!! Yes, whats on our plate is even more important than where its come from or buying local. My hope is that this film will give consumers, farmers, and ranchers all of us the hope, courage and knowledge to choose biologically-based practices and tools to regenerate soil. Kiss the Ground is a new, feature-length movie that explores key soil health and regenerative agricultural principles, and features interviews with a wide range of authors, experts, farmers, researchers and scientists. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The natural carbon cycle involves carbon release by animals consuming plant and other organic materials and releasing the carbon as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. A degenerative system that decimates life in our soil, releases immense amounts of greenhouse gas emissions into our atmosphere, pollutes our waterways, and disrupts the biodiversity and biology on our land and in our oceans. Its a practice that requires a level of care you have to commit to every time you go into the field. Please check your entries and try again. (Source: Maggie Eileen Lochtenberg, freelance artist and transformational witch. kiss the ground fact checking - xarxacatala.cat Ill start with the hardest and get easier. I dont know a single holistic management practitioner that advocates eating more beef. But the #1 US crop is GMO corn, sprayed with Glyphosate, which is now found in their drinking water and kills the microbes in our guts. In turn, this means shifting to more plant-based diets. Nicholas Carter and Simon Hill (MSc Nutr). That sounds catastrophic. Often, our best solutions arent actually that innovative; they simply mimic natural processes and what the Earth already does. The filmmakers additionally say "Kiss the Ground" has earned the attention of scientists, farmers and activists alike, crossing boundaries in terms of a highly politicized issue and even being . I help with that too , Join my supportive community to move to eco-friendly eating and receive tips, advice, recipes and support. Nature Communications, 6, 6995. doi:10.1038/ncomms7995 http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7995, Wang, T., Teague, W., Park, S., & Bevers, S. (2015). Your email address will not be published. Your email address will not be published. Why not let the viewer know what theworlds leading climate scientists have to say about diet? . This positioning starts with the documentarys focus on theDrawdown Reportby Environmentalist Paul Hawken from Project Drawdown. As an employee of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, he travels around the country educating farmers on more sustainable farming practices. This is how the natural carbon cycle should work. Autor de l'entrada Per ; Data de l'entrada calexico west port of entry hours; 12 month libor rate 2021 a kiss the ground fact checking a kiss the ground fact checking Biodiverse cover crops to feed the soil biology and protect the soils. Hopefully, this movie will help open many more. Hailing from Newcastle, Australia, she predominantly writes about climate and animal rights issues, alongside her work in psychology. This review revealed some all to common perceptions about holistic management, a decision making framework, which can be applied to grazing as well as other management situations. By 2014 there was no vegetation left across an area the size of Belgium! Sure, its easy to see with our own eyes that there is more life on land that is managed in a regenerative way, but in order to really know that it is a climate solution, we would need evidence that carbon levels in the soil are not only increasing but increasing by more than the emissions emitted by the animals involved in the system. To start tiny or full-size victory gardens, turn their lawns into meadows, petition their city councils to zone land for community farms/gardens, or donate to conservation nonprofits or farmland trusts? We already use 3-4 times more fertiliser for each bushel of grain than in the 60s. Heres the big picture: a wide-screen projection of the surface of the Earth. We knew the film would really embody the spirit of the regenerative agriculture movement if Ray and Gabe were in it., And from the first days that Kiss the Ground the organization started, the work and research of Kris Nichols were fundamental to grasping why rebuilding soil was not only possible but the biggest solution to the climate, water, and food crises. doi:10.1093/jas/skx060 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jas/skx060, Stanley, P. L., Rowntree, J. E., Beede, D. K., DeLonge, M. S., & Hamm, M. W. (2018). In the past, I did not like how certain environmental groups portrayed farmers. 2021 Plant Based News is a UK-based digital media outlet publishing content about veganism and plant-based living, including news and current events, health, personal transformation stories, features, and recipes. Anecdote and expert opinion or theories are at the bottom of the evidence hierarchy, and its not until we see the findings from higher levels of science, reproduced on scale, that we can begin to have confidence in what we are observing. Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates. The role of ruminants in reducing agricultures carbon footprint in North America. Gabe: That each and every person needs to step up and make a differencethat they can make a difference by purchasing from farmers and ranchers who practice regenerative ag. Bare soils are at great risk of erosion by heavy rain, and its also been shown that bare soils vary in temperature much more, so the microclimate is changed. If we adopt regenerative farming practices, we can reverse carbon release into the atmosphere and stabilise the climate, and it wont take long! So the the more microbes, the more necromass and the faster SOM including soil organic matter is built. Required fields are marked *. I just heard of the movie and wanted to find out a little more about it until I get time to watch it. Check out this map for farms local to you Regenerative Farm Map Regeneration International. I would simply build on the work of Michael Pollan, a well-known science writer: Where possible eat regenerative food, not too much, mostly plants.. What do you hope will be an outcome from the movie? You can make change and make a difference, even if you have struggled in the past to make change and feel like a failure. . | Plant Based News Ltd, PO Box 71173, London, SE20 9DQ, United Kingdom. Kris: I see the soil as the real star of the movie and have said many times I am honored to be able to speak on behalf of the soil. Kris: No, but I am working on creating a virtual party with friends and family as we are scattered throughout the U.S. Ray: I will have a few people over. Copyright EAT THINK EXPLORE 2020 Powered by WordPress Theme Divi Hosted sustainably by Ecohosting, Join my mailing list to receive the latest news, tips and scientific advice to help you move to a more eco-friendly way of eating and get your FREE guide to get you started on your journey today! The farmers are now starving or have moved on as the soils wont grow anything anymore, they have become dirt. Ray: Yes, absolutely. 94 views, 12 likes, 2 loves, 3 comments, 1 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Escuela Esmaca: Mitos y realidades sobre las algas Ms informacin sobre. Sustainability, 7(10), 13500. http://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/7/10/13500, Teague, W. R., Dowhower, S. L., Baker, S. A., Haile, N., DeLaune, P. B., & Conover, D. M. (2011). Learn how your comment data is processed. The key points in Kiss the Ground. Cited as the worst man made environmental disaster in history, by the end of 1934 about 200 million acres of croplands had been permanently damaged. There seems to be an incredibly fine line between grazing just enough and overgrazing, which speaks to potentially whycrediblepeer-reviewed science has to date, failed to produce results that come close to what Alan Savory claims. Agricultural Systems, 162, 249-258. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2018.02.003, Teague, W. R., Apfelbaum, S., Lal, R., Kreuter, U. P., Rowntree, J., Davies, C. A., . Ryland co-founded Kiss the Ground in his living room with a friend ten years ago. Finally, the elephant / cow in the room (not sure which is more fitting) duringKiss the Ground is how are we going to produce enough meat using holistic grazing to meet current demands? Is it possible that some of the great empires that seemingly vanished, like the Myans and Incas, did so because they over farmed, and could not feed their rising populations? By Unfortunately, Savory seems to have led himself to believe that his unscientific approach should be expanded across the world really, tear down more forests to make room for holistic grazing? But the agreement is that all of the richest grasslands in the world have large grazing animals. These are more expensive, so if you can only afford to go organic with some, choose the Dirty dozen so that you get the health benefits of avoiding all the chemicals too The Dirty Dozen organic.org. Kiss the Ground (2020) - IMDb Op-ed: 'Kiss the Ground' Misses the Complexity of Climate Solutions in As someone who has farmed using diesel tractors and bare hands, I can tell you that regenerative agriculture isn't a key or secret or the single solution to a greener future. Here are five things I learned from Kiss the Ground. The movie didn't even include an indictment of current US politics or President Trump, which is notable by its absence considering the film was released so close to election time. They agreed and heres what they told me, How and why did you become involved the movie, Kiss the Ground?. "Kiss the Ground" is based on the fact that modern industrial agriculture is devastating our planet. No, Zelenskyy Did Not Say US Will Have To Send Their Young To Fight For Suppose you don't have enough time to read, then watch the KISS the GROUND MOVIE (streaming on Netflix) hosted by Woody Harrelson and directed by Joshua Tickell and Rebecca Harrell Tickell. Ray: Hope. This seems like pretty important information that was left off the table. Where I think the documentary falls short is in three critical areas. forests are typically far better at doing this than grasslands, when you factor in the land that would be freed up if the entire world shifted to a plant-rich diet, there are many types of regenerative agriculture that do not involve animals, available grasslands would only be able to produce 27 percent of the countries current beef supply. When receiving subsidies for crops like corn and beans, farmers know that they will make a profit. A major strategy deployed in the documentary is offering two distinct choices for where consumers should source their food: conventional chemical-filled monocrops, or lush open fields of regenerative agriculture. The filmmakers were able to discuss organic and regenerative agriculture, livestock production and veganism, and climate change in a manner that made no individuals or groups either heroes or villains but rather made the soil the hero which is the appropriate focus in my opinion. Rich soil, with plenty of microbes, allows healthy plants to grow. GHG Mitigation Potential of Different Grazing Strategies in the United States Southern Great Plains. Without them we will starve. The evidence for this claim is research-based, clearly communicated, and visually supported with animations that illustrate submicroscopic events like carbon cycling and expansive drone shots for grand reveals, like the actual desert plateau that is turned back into rolling green farmland.