Katherine Warren

I was reading about synthetic nitrogen today and learned a lot of things  :

In short, we know that plants need nitrogen to thrive. There are essentially 3 ways to convert Nitrogen (N2) to a form that plants can use, Nitrate (NO3) and Ammonoim (NH4). There are two natural ways, "atmosphermic fixation" and "biological fixation", and a third synthetic way, " industrial fixation" (the Harper-Bosch process). A lot of people have argued in the past, that to a plant, a nirtrate ion is a nitrate ion, and plants dont care where it comes from!

However, on top the the energy intesive process used to create nitrogen synthetically (and the related environemental impacts!!), the following research from the, The Morrows Plots at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign featuring the world’s oldest experimental site for studying the effects of different types of fertilizers on soil (research began in 1876) has helped me understand what is so bad about synthetic nitrogen fetrilizers !

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"Researchers began measuring the effects of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer on soil health starting in 1967. What they’ve found in the decades since is shocking. If the implications had been fully understood, the research would have made the front page of every news station in the world.

The first study, “The Myth of Nitrogen Fertilization for Soil Carbon Sequestration” (Journal of Environmental Quality, 2007) found that synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use was rapidly depleting soil’s carbon sequestration abilities (e.g. rather than storing carbon, carbon stores are released into the atmosphere as CO2):

“Intensive use of N fertilizers in modern agriculture is motivated by the economic value of high grain yields and is generally perceived to sequester soil organic C by increasing the input of crop residues. This perception is at odds with a century of soil organic C data reported herein for the Morrow Plots, the world’s oldest experimental site under continuous corn (Zea maysL.). After 40 to 50 yr of synthetic fertilization that exceeded grain N removal by 60 to 190%, a net decline occurred in soil C despite increasingly massive residue C incorporation… These findings implicate fertilizer N in promoting the decomposition of crop residues and soil organic matter and are consistent with data from numerous cropping experiments involving synthetic N fertilization in the USA Corn Belt and elsewhere, although not with the interpretation usually provided. There are important implications for soil C sequestration because the yield-based input of fertilizer N has commonly exceeded grain N removal for corn production on fertile soils since the 1960s. To mitigate the ongoing consequences of soil deterioration, atmospheric CO2 enrichment, and NO3 − pollution of ground and surface waters, N fertilization should be managed by site-specific assessment of soil N availability. Current fertilizer N management practices, if combined with corn stover removal for bioenergy production, exacerbate soil C loss.”

The second study, “Synthetic Nitrogen Fertilizers Deplete Soil Nitrogen: A Global Dilemma for Sustainable Cereal Production” (Journal of Environmental Quality, 2009) demonstrated that long-term use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer was increasingly depleting the soil’s nitrogen storage capacities, and therefore making continued crop production on those soils impossible:

“This decline [in soil Nitrogen] is in agreement with numerous long-term baseline data sets from chemical-based cropping systems involving a wide variety of soils, geographic regions, and tillage practices. The loss of organic N decreases soil productivity and the agronomic efficiency (kg grain kg(-1) N) of fertilizer N and has been implicated in widespread reports of yield stagnation or even decline for grain production in Asia. A major global evaluation of current cereal production systems should be undertaken…”

In short: the conventional thinking of conventional agriculture in regards to synthetic nitrogen fertilizer use is not just wrong, it’s dangerously wrong. Synthetic nitrogen fertilizer is rapidly depleting the world’s soil fertility, burning out its carbon stores, and causing an increase in fertilizer use in order to continue getting a yield from the same land."(https://www.growjourney.com/5-facts-synthetic-nitrogen-fertilizer/)

On top of all that, runoff of excess nitrogen to our rivers, creeks, lakes and oceans is creating massive algae blooms ! This creates "dead-zones" where fish and marine life cannot live - in addition to shutting down beaches and public swimming areas. AND if excess nitrogen gets into our drinking water, high concentrations of nitrates in our acidic stomachs form nitrosoamines, which are carcinogenic.

Yesterday I had some vegetarian chili for lunch and for dinner I made a pie crust filled with a mix of blended chickpeas, white beans, cooked butternut squash, yogurt, lemon zest and basil ! It was delicious. I love how I am getting more creative in my meal planning, and the whole fam is enjoying the meals as well (including the little bean!) Ahhh and breakfast is usually toat, peanut butter and banana over here ! Often eating three vegan or meatless meals a day ! 

Also please feel free to share how the challenge is going for you, and any discoveries you might have made. I am looking for some delicious vegan recipes, so feel free to share your favs  !

Welcome to our two new participants !! May Galvan and JOHN ! This is the start of WEEK TWO everyone. I am a little less prone to check into the interweb on the weekend, but back on track on Monday. I've been keeping up with my two vegan or meatless meals a day for the most part. Meals out at friends on the weekend have been a bit of a challenge. Looking forward to kicking it up a notch this week and getting into some of my other challenges ! Hope you are too ! 

Why do we eat so much meat in North America ?

GENETICS (and super scientific findings) :
One reason we eat so much meat is genetics. We DO need a minimum amount of protein (around 15%) in our diets to function otherwise we start craving it. Although they are many plan based proteins, several scientists studying protein requirements in the 19 century classified meat and animal proteins as “better“ than plant based sources.  While the truth is that animal proteins are “complete“ proteins on their own, we know it is not true that you need meat every day to in order to get all the amino acids you need to function !

ADVERTISING (and government)
The meat, dairy and poultry make up the largest agricultural industries in Canada and are, not suprisingly, highly subsidized by the government. The meat industry is responsible for some serious advertising campaigns, as well as sponsoring research, which is not necessarily impartial.

CULTURE (meat and masculinity)
Men eat meat, and women eat veggies, right !? Ummm.
Well actually according to Psychology Today, “Recent studies demonstrate that North Americans still perceive ‘lighter’ foods as female and ‘heavy’ foods, especially meat, as male.” There is a lot of history, symbolism and significance of this gender food bias, and you think they would be easy to shake, but they are engrained in our culture and our media.

One more day until the start of the EcoChallenge ! I know you all have busy lives, so no pressure to do anything drastic, or bring in lots of points. I am looking forward to see what kind of changes (big or small) this brings into my own life, and hopefully that's what it can be for you too !