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As a young environmentalist, Allan Savory was convinced that animals were overgrazing, and therefore, turning fertile land into deserts. Many scientists held that same opinion (and some still do). Now, Allan believes that livestock are “our only hope” for greening the world’s deserts and reversing climate change.
In today’s episode, he explains in detail why many efforts to restore the earth (involving the use of technology, fire, rest, or planting trees or crops) are ineffective or temporary solutions, at best. He addresses directly some of the ideas presented in the movie “Cowspiracy,” including his “tragic error” of culling elephant herds (which he and others thought would help heal the land—it did not).
Notes
The health of the land is tied to our own. Listen carefully to consider how you can get involved to make a difference in the preservation of our world for the survival of what Allan calls “team humanity.”
He also covers:
- the deep-seated belief that overgrazing results from too many animals grazin
- lessons learned as he worked with some ranchers to restore the land,
- why you can’t actually overgraze the land
- the problem of over-resting the land
- why the most popular tools to heal the land–technology, fire, planting trees or crops, resting the land—are ineffective
- why animals are our only hope
- how healthy soil can manage all of the methane gas produced by cows
- the problem of factory farming
- where vegetarians have got it exactly right
- what has kept Allan going amidst constant criticism and opposition
- how to apply holistic management, wherever you live
Resources:
TED talk 2013 – Allan Savory: “How to green the world’s deserts and reverse climate change.”
Savory.global – The Savory Institute website
“Holistic management: A new framework for decision-making” by Allan Savory
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