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Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization by David Montgomery

Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization by David Montgomery. Presented by: Adam Romeo. Dirt: Overview. Dirt traces the role of soil and abuses of it throughout history beginning in ancient Mesopotamia all the way to the American push westward

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Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization by David Montgomery

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  1. Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizationby David Montgomery Presented by: Adam Romeo

  2. Dirt: Overview • Dirt traces the role of soil and abuses of it throughout history beginning in ancient Mesopotamia all the way to the American push westward • Throughout civilization, the history of dirt suggests that how people treat their soil can impose a life span on civilization • As societies raise they plow through a natural endowment of fertile dirt which leads to their demise • The introduction of machinery, mineral fertilizer, and pesticides created a new dependency for fossil fuels • New techniques of organic and no-till farming is seen as the hope for a new agricultural revolution that might help us avoid the fate of previous civilizations

  3. Alarming Figures: • Around 1% of the world's arable lands are lost every year • In America every second, the Mississippi carries another dump truck's load of topsoil away • An estimated 24 billion tons of soil are lost annually around the world • That’s enough several tons for each person on the planet • More than 10% of the world's land surface is affected by desertification

  4. A Before and After Look BEFORE AFTER

  5. Dirt: Key Points: • Environmental Stewardship • Dirt is essential to both the growth of food and of society • Can be used sparingly or all at once • Farming Practices • Create more soil or use soil up • Soil quality • Lack of sustainable farming practices is what dooms civilizations

  6. CLASS ACTIVITY: • List three favorite foods • Where do they come from? • What do they cost? • Are they local, sustainable, and fair? • If not why? • Cost and convenience

  7. Dirt: Schools of Though • Pragmatic Emphasis • Dirt and farming practices • “Truth is what works” • Interests are in food – human life • Dynamic biological system • Postmodern Methodology • Relationship between dirt, food, civilization through history • Analysis of the power structure of the modern agro-industrial system • Pragmatic Evidence: • Roman and Maya civilization • Darwin’s Studies • Earth worms create earth • Worm poo = dirt • Dust Bowl • Green Revolution • Postmodern Evidence: • Guano wars • Modern chemical use of pesticides and fertilizers

  8. Dirt: Philosophical Components • Epistemological – Imperial/materialistic • Truth is what “DIDN’T” work • Collapse of civilizations • Plowing and no till • Domestication of crops/animals • Metaphysical – Ontological • Material, Practical and Scientific • Sloping land erosion/weathering • Manuring and rotation of crops • Axiological – Human Life • Values of human life and sustainability - all human and all life • Dirt esoilefoodehuman • Agroecology rather than agro-industry

  9. Sustainability Themes • Collapse or Creation • Stewardship • Intergenerational perspective • respect for limits • Agroecology • Systems Thinking • Economic Restructuring • Social Justice and Fair Production • Global Citizenship • Soil • Importance of local place • Nature as Model

  10. Flow of Book: • Good Old Dirt/Soil and Erosion • Case Studies • Dirty Business • Fertilizers/Pesticides/Modern agro-industrial world • Absentee Landlord & Free market Model • Islands in Time – Solutions for sustainable world • Agroecology/proper soil practices • Manuring, no till farming, crop rotation • Terra preta • Respect for dirt • Small locally owned farms

  11. Dirt: As A Teaching Tool • Gives analysis of civilizations through history • Cross disciplinary • History • Geology • Economics • Nutrition • Usage of laboratory exercise • Dirt analysis/comparison • Use of group projects • Community Garden • Grow own crops to become sustainable

  12. Community Support • Local Place • Farmers Markets • Fair Trade Market • Look for at grocery store • Voting • Candidates and referendums • Organic growing • Compost and recycling • On The Web • The Dirt Mister • http://teacher.scolastic.com/dirt/index.htm • World Changing • http://worldchanging.com/local/seattle/ • Carbon Footprint • www.carbonfootprint.com • Direct Seed Organization • www.directseed.org

  13. Outside Sources • USDA • www.nass.usda.gov/index/asp • Food Inc. – the movie • www.foodincmovie.com • Environmental Working Group • www.ewg.org • Eco Tech Daily • http://ecotechdaily.com • The Vertical Farm • www.verticalfarm.com • Centre for Alternative Technology • www.sat.org.uk • Mother Nature Network • www.mnn.com • Mother Earth News • www.motherearthnews.com

  14. Dirt the Movie • Video Link: • http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi2687238681/

  15. References: • Book: • Montgomery, David. (2007) Dirt: The Erosion of Civilization. California: University of California Press. • Class Notes: • Nolet, Victor. (2009). Preparing Sustainability-Literate Teachers. Teachers College Record, 111, 409-442. • Class handouts

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