One of India's best-known spiritual leaders, Sadhguru, has announced the launch of a new movement to save the world’s soil. The world-renowned yoga guru has embarked on a 30,000km motorcycle expedition that will see him travel extensively through Europe, the Middle East and India to raise awareness of the campaign.
The ‘Save Soil’ movement, spearheaded by Sadhguru, aims to educate the public, businesses, politicians, charities and celebrities about the vital role that soil plays in the planet’s sustainable future. His epic journey began today (March 21) in London, marking the official launch of the global movement to save the world’s soil from degradation, which campaigners say threatens food systems for all of humanity and countless species.
Having grown organisations like the Soil Association and Pukka herbs, a group of passionate Bristol citizens have been inspired by the city’s roots in supporting this topic - believing that Bristol can be at the forefront of a solution. They have come together to raise funds and use their time, skills and creativity to hand-paint a mural at the bottom of Newfoundland Street, opposite the Cabot Circus Car Park, to bring awareness of this issue to thousands of people.
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The mural is in a prominent position passed by many motorists as they head for the M32, and is next to the blue building where the Wallace and Gromit mural is.
Sumita Hutchison, who volunteers for Conscious Planet in Bristol and supports the movement, said: "I work for the NHS so I am concerned about health for our generation and future generations. Sadhguru gives people tools for wellbeing.
"These tools have transformed my wellbeing and have opened my eyes to the wellbeing of not just me but the planet. I've been following him for 10 years and decided to become an environmental volunteer recently because of the way he has inspired me.
"A group of us came together, we fundraised and we created a mural and we are going to have 350 posters across the city over the next 100 days. With this knowledge of soil, I want to do whatever I can within my power and influence to raise awareness of this game changing issue - it gives me hope that we can reverse this - together.”
Bristol City Council is supporting the campaign by featuring it as one of its 'climate action stories'. The volunteers felt that this support does justice to the city's Green Capital partnership status.
A total of 350 posters will also be spreading the Save Soil message in Bristol, with distribution commencing last week. Out of Hand, a local printing and billboard company, has matched all the funding raised by the volunteers and given advice and support on the campaign.
The campaign raises concern about the loss of organic content within soil and the inability to produce food if that continues. According to statistics quoted by the group, intensive agriculture has caused arable soils to lose 40 to 60 per cent of their organic content.
Commenting on the launch of the Save Soil movement and his journey, Sadhguru said: “Every responsible scientist in the world and UN agencies are clearly saying we have 80-100 harvests left, that means approximately 45-50 years of agricultural soil left on the planet.
"By 2045, we will be producing 40 per cent less food than what we are producing right now, and our population will be 9.3 billion people.The food shortages that could manifest in the next 25 years - the consequences of this are unimaginable.
"Civil wars will unfold across the world once there is food shortage. This is not the world we want to leave behind for our children. That's not a world you would want to live in nor a world to leave behind for the next generation, but that is exactly what we are doing."
He said the Save Soil movement aims to engage at least 3.5 billion people globally on the issue of soil health, encouraging them to "support their leaders in instituting policies and taking action". He added: "This one thing should be taken up as an express mission by every citizen, by every government of the many nations on this planet.
"All of us should stand up for the Conscious Planet movement. This is not about me, this is not about you. This is a generational responsibility that we must fulfil."
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