fields

Solar on farmland

June 4, 2025 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

New studies have found that devoting a small percentage of U.S. farmland to producing solar power would benefit both the country’s energy system and its farmers.

Currently, about 46,000 square miles of farmland – about the area of Pennsylvania – is being used to grow corn to make ethanol. One study looked at the impact of using some of this land for solar power instead of corn ethanol.

Not much of all this farmland is close enough to electrical transmission lines to be practical for utility solar power. In fact, only about 1,500 square miles fits the bill. But if even this small fraction of the corn growing land was used instead for solar power, it would generate as much energy each year than from all of the farms growing corn for fuel.

Solar installations on farms are helpful for farmers as well. The land beneath the panels can be used to grow wildflowers that attracts the bees, wasps, and other insects needed to pollinate crops in the nearby fields. In addition, the solar arrays provide a steady income stream for farmers.

In some places, farmers can earn substantially more from leasing their land for solar than from growing crops. But a study of farms in California suggests that the best option is to do both. Farmers who both grow crops and host solar arrays can have more financial security than those who do just one or the other. The income from solar arrays is pretty predictable and is paid throughout the year. Income from crops can drop off from, for example, a seasonal drought, or from extreme weather events.

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To Help Growers and the Grid, Build Solar on Farmland, Research Says

Photo, posted June 9, 2016, courtesy of Matt Lavin via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Restoring English hedgerows

January 14, 2025 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Hedgerows are lines of different types of bushes and small trees growing very close together typically placed between fields or along the sides of roads in the countryside. The network of hedges throughout rural England dates back to the Bronze Age, or even possibly Neolithic times. As the first farmers began clearing areas of land for cultivation, they left strips of trees as boundaries. Hedgerows act as field boundaries but also protect livestock, support biodiversity, and help mitigate climate change.

There are currently about 250,000 miles of hedgerows in England. However, about half of these important habitats were lost in the post-WWII years due to agricultural intensification. Furthermore, a 2007 survey found that fewer than half of remaining hedgerows were judged to be in good structural condition.

The UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology has set a target to create or restore 45,000 miles of hedgerow by 2050. While the overall length of managed hedgerows in England has not changed much since 2007, the proportion in good structural condition has improved significantly and hedgerow height has increased.

England’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs aims to create or restore 30,000 miles of hedgerow by 2037. However, the Climate Change Committee recommends that the national hedgerow network be increased by 40% by 2050 and the organization Natural England’s long-term aspiration is a 60% increase in hedgerow extent to support thriving plants and wildlife.

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Urgent need to enable more farmers and contractors to revive England’s network of hedgerows

Photo, posted May 27, 2016, courtesy of Dave S. via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Reducing farm nutrient pollution

December 11, 2024 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

When farmers add nutrients to their fields in excess of their crops’ ability to utilize them, these excess nutrients can enter the surrounding environments and create environmental problems. The primary culprits are nitrogen and phosphorous. These fertilizer components emerge from fields and enter local waterways in surface runoff.

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a form of designer biochar that can provide phosphorous in a time-released fashion and reduce the amount that escapes into the environment.

The researchers used sawdust and lime sludge, which are byproducts from milling and water treatment plants, respectively. They mixed the two ingredients and formed pellets which were then slow-burned in low-oxygen conditions to create phosphorous-laden designer biochar. Once the pellets bind all the phosphorous they can hold, they can be spread onto fields where the nutrient is slowly released over time.

They tested the pellets in working field conditions. The pellets are used to remove phosphorous from drainage water and then can be reused in the field to provide the nutrient to the plants.

The results were very encouraging. The biochar proved to be a very effective way to provide phosphorous to crops and then reduce how much phosphorous enters the environment. The cost of producing the biochar pellets was less than half that of alternative substances for phosphorous removal.

There is currently no regulation that requires farmers to remove phosphorous from drainage water but there are a growing number of conservation-minded farmers who want to reduce nitrogen and phosphorous losses from their fields. The idea that the recyclable pellets can both provide and control phosphorous is an attractive one.

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Scientists tackle farm nutrient pollution with sustainable, affordable designer biochar pellets

Photo, posted July 16, 2016, courtesy of Rick Obst via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Fertilizers from wastewater sludge

July 30, 2024 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Sewage sludge is the mud-like residue that is produced as a byproduct during wastewater treatment. In the U.S., sewage sludge is referred to as biosolids after it’s been treated. The term is meant to distinguish the higher quality, treated sludge from raw sludge and from sludge that contains large quantities of environmental pollutants.

However, according to a new study by researchers from Johns Hopkins University, fertilizers manufactured from the sludgy leftovers of wastewater treatment processes can still contain traces of potentially hazardous organic chemicals.

The research, which was recently published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, provides one of the most comprehensive looks at the chemical composition of biosolids across the country.

Biosolids do contain valuable organic matter and nutrients, including nitrogen and phosphorus. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than half of the 3.76 million tons of biosolids produced in the U.S. in 2022 fertilized agricultural lands, golf courses, and other landscaped areas.

In the study, the research team screened 16 samples of biosolids from wastewater treatment facilities in nine U.S. and three Canadian cities. The researchers then created lists of the chemicals found in each sample. They found 92 common compounds that were present in 80% or more of the samples. The researchers cross-referenced those 92 compounds against the EPA’s CompTox Chemical Dashboard to identify which chemicals were most likely to pose threats to human health or the environment.

The findings could help the EPA identify which organic compounds to investigate further and which chemical contaminants may need government regulation.

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Team Aims to Improve Safety of Fertilizers Made from Wastewater Sludge

Photo, posted November 2, 2011, courtesy of Susana Secretariat via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Solar forests

January 22, 2024 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Forests are one of the most iconic symbols of the power and diversity of nature but beyond that, their thick vegetation is crucial to the stability and balance of the Earth’s climate. This is because the photosynthesis that powers the growth of plants removes carbon dioxide from the air. Cutting down forests – especially the evergreen forests of the tropics – has played a significant role in the increasing climate crisis. For this reason, many environmental initiatives focus on restoring destroyed forests and planting new trees.

But the truth is, even if we were to cover the entire surface of the planet with trees, there would still not be enough photosynthesis going on to absorb the huge surplus of carbon dioxide that people have been pumping into the atmosphere for the past 150 years.

A study by the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel looked at the impact of erecting fields of dark covered solar panels – so-called solar forests – that would generate electricity, thereby replacing power stations that use fossil fuels. But dark fields absorb heat which eventually returns to the atmosphere.

The question is: what is the best use of a plot of land in terms of the effect on the climate? Planting a forest or erecting fields of solar panels?

The answer depends on where the land is. In arid environments, building solar farms is far more effective and practical than planting forests. But in humid places, forests currently absorb close to a third of humanity’s annual carbon emissions.

The study concludes that combining planting and rehabilitating forests in humid regions and erecting fields of solar panels in arid regions is the most effective strategy.

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The Solar Forest

Photo, posted December 27, 2015, courtesy of Gerry Machen via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Planting Rocks To Capture Carbon | Earth Wise

September 8, 2023 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Getting humanity to stop dumping carbon dioxide into the atmosphere continues to be very challenging regardless of how increasingly apparent the need to do so becomes. For this reason, climate change mitigation strategies increasingly include interventions in the form of removing carbon dioxide that is already there. There are a variety of ways to draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, but they face a host of technological, economic, and even environmental difficulties.

A new study at Yale University evaluated a type of climate intervention called enhanced rock weathering. Rock weathering is a natural chemical process by which certain minerals absorb carbon dioxide over time. Enhanced rock weathering is simply speeding up weathering such so it can have beneficial results soon enough to make a difference.

The study explored the potential of applying crushed basalt, which is a fast-weathering rock that forms when lava cools, to agricultural fields around the world. Basically, the idea is for farmers to mix the crushed rocks into their fields. There is no real downside to doing this. In fact, adding crushed basalt to fields rejuvenates depleted soils and helps counter ocean acidification.

The study simulated the results of enhanced rock weathering on 1,000 agricultural sites around the world. Over a 75-year period, these sites would remove 64 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This is roughly the amount climate scientists believe is needed to take out of the atmosphere.

Enhanced rock weathering has been used on a small scale on farms around the world. Perhaps it is time to ramp up its use.

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‘Planting’ rocks in farms, along with emissions reductions, could help meet key IPCC carbon removal goal

Photo, posted January 14, 2023, courtesy of Ron Reiring via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

The Scourge Of Salt | Earth Wise

June 10, 2022 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Rising seas are increasing saltwater intrusion on land and rising temperatures are causing greater evaporation. The result is mounting levels of salt in waters and in soils.

Rising sea levels cause salty ocean water to push further into river deltas. There is already a surge in saltiness across all inhabited continents. Seawater works its way further upstream when dams hold back water. Pumps that remove fresh water from underground sources for irrigation and drinking supplies add to the problem. In dry regions, irrigation systems delivering water to crops increasingly bring salt onto fields.

People add to the problem by pouring saline drainage water from mines into rivers and by using salt to de-ice roads in the winter.

A modeling study pinpointed hotspots for climate change-induced salinization in numerous locations including the U.S. Southwest, wide areas of Australia, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, central India, northern China, and more.

Some ecosystems are adapted to saline environments but major alterations in the balance between saline and fresh water is creating growing problems for ecosystems, lake fisheries, crop growing, and even human health.

The damage caused by salt is likely to be so severe that salinization will become a major cause of environmental refugees when the land they live on can no longer sustain them.

Salt will be a growing threat to the world’s food supplies, especially where farmers depend on artificial irrigation. About a third of the world’s food is grown in irrigated fields, and a fifth of those fields are deemed to already be salt-contaminated. Ultimately, only a halt to climate change will be capable of combatting the scourge of salt.

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Salt Scourge: The Dual Threat of Warming and Rising Salinity

Photo, posted June 3, 2017, courtesy of Jason Jacobs via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Harnessing The Smell Of Fear | Earth Wise

September 28, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Plant-eating insects present a major problem for farmers and home gardeners. Aphids, for example, are a highly destructive pest to many crops. Their large numbers and ability to transmit plant pathogens make them a persistent problem for growers.

Pesticides are chemical substances that are commonly used to prevent, destroy, repel or mitigate pests. They include insecticides for insects, rodenticides for rodents, herbicides for weeds, and fungicides for microorganisms. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, approximately one billion pounds of these chemicals are used in the United States every year.

But pesticides can also contaminate soil, water, and other vegetation, as well as kill many non-target species. Exposure to these chemicals is dangerous for human health.

According to a new study, researchers from Pennsylvania State University have developed a way to bottle the “smell of fear” produced by predators in order to repel and disrupt pests naturally without the need for these harsh substances. The researchers recently presented their findings at the American Chemical Society meeting.

Aphids happen to be a favorite food of ladybugs. Aphids and other herbivorous insects will steer clear of fields and gardens if they smell predators nearby. The researchers identified and extracted the volatile odor profile from ladybugs. The researchers used the compounds to create a special odor blend that can be used in an essential oil diffuser to spread the scent across a garden or field.

The research team plans to conduct field tests to see if the effects outside are similar to what was observed in the lab. A natural and effective pest repellent would be a big win for people and the planet.

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Protecting gardens and crops from insects using the ‘smell of fear’

Protecting gardens and crops from insects using the ‘smell of fear’ (YouTube)

Photo, posted May 10, 2011, courtesy of DM via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Compost And Landfills | Earth Wise

January 19, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Composting is popular as a way to keep solid waste out of landfills and many people turn much of their kitchen waste into rich soil amendments. Cities and towns across the country have composting programs that collect waste from residents to produce large quantities of compost rather than adding the waste to landfills. A new study from North Carolina State University looked into the environmental benefits of actually using compost at landfills.

Most municipal composting programs require that the compost they produce gets used “beneficially”. The new research shows that using compost as an alternative daily cover at landfills is competitive and often superior to the use of compost as a soil amendment in terms of its environmental benefits.

Landfills apply a layer of daily cover to reduce odors, reduce windblown debris, and keep vermin out of landfill waste. Federal regulations require six inches of soil as a daily cover.

Compost from food waste in particular is not always suitable for soil amendment in gardens and agricultural fields because it often contains broken glass and other contaminants.

The North Carolina State study looked at the environmental impact of using compost as daily cover in landfills compared with its use as a soil amendment. They looked at global warming potential, acidification potential, eutrophication (which is the amount of nutrients released to ground and surface water), cumulative energy demand, and the depletion of resources.

The study concluded that using compost as landfill daily cover is environmentally superior with regard to eutrophication, acidification, and global warming potential. On the other hand, soil amendment was better in terms of resource depletion and cumulative energy demand.

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Applying Compost to Landfills Could Have Environmental Benefits

Photo, posted April 22, 2008, courtesy of Alachua County via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Hacking Photosynthesis | Earth Wise

September 14, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

A team led by the University of Illinois has been pursuing a project called Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency or RIPE, which has the aim of improving photosynthesis in order to provide farmers with higher-yielding crops in an increasingly challenging climate. Photosynthesis is the natural, sunlight-powered process that plants use to convert carbon dioxide into sugars that fuel growth, development, and for us, crop yield.

If we think of photosynthesis as a factory line composed of multiple machines, the growth of plants is limited by the slowest machines in the line. The RIPE project has identified some steps in photosynthesis that are slower than others and are attempting to enable plants to build more machines to speed up those slower steps.

The researchers modeled a total of 170 steps in the process of photosynthesis to identify how plants could manufacture sugars more efficiently. In the study, the team increased crop growth by 27% by resolving two constraints: one in the first part of photosynthesis where plants turn light energy into chemical energy and one in the second part when carbon dioxide is turned into sugars.

The researchers effectively hacked photosynthesis by adding a more efficient transport protein from algae to enhance the energy conversion process.

In the greenhouse, these changes improved crop productivity by 52%, but in field trials, which are a more important test, these photosynthetic hacks boosted crop production by 27%.

Ultimately, the team hopes to translate these discoveries to a series of staple food crops, such as cassava, cowpea, corn, soybean and rice, which are needed to feed the world’s growing population this century.

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