I've been thinking, and it struck me just how incredibly impactful it would be to establish something like a living soil regeneration lab, paired with an academy, designed specifically for the next generation of ‘regenerators.’
Picture this - enthusiastic high school and college-aged students, dedicating a solid year of their lives to studying soil in-depth. Imagine them knee-deep in the dirt, exploring the idiosyncrasies of varying soils, the ways different climates impact the ground beneath us, and how distinct plants interact with these elements, adding or detracting from the soil's regenerative capacity.
Take the Zanzibar land, for example. A sprawling million square meters of possibility, just waiting for our wise and informed intervention. Our first step must be to deepen humanity's understanding of the potent impact plants can have on the earth. Not every type of vegetation will help restore the soil. However, there are specific plant species that, if chosen wisely, can play a significant role in regeneration, contributing a net positive to the land they inhabit.
This idea isn't solely about soil and plant science, though. It's also about inspiring the next wave of environmental stewards. Witnessing a group of young, dedicated individuals giving up a year of their lives to experiment with regenerative crops would ignite a spark of inspiration across the globe. We need to elevate the role of an Earth regenerator to a respected, full-time profession, emphasizing its vital importance to our shared future.
But it wouldn't end there. In this academy, we'd also be educating these young minds on how to devise self-sustaining systems. They would learn to create machines that enable circular economies and foster renewable energy and food production systems. The goal? To inspire a generation of innovators capable of building lego pieces of a truly regenerative future.
The more I mull it over, the more certain I become that this wouldn't just be a cool venture - it would be an extraordinarily smart investment. An investment in the future of our planet, an investment in our youth, and an investment in the growth of our collective understanding.
That's what I call money well spent.