There is a problem in the way people fertilize their farm fields. Right now, farmers are using chemical fertilizers to fertilize thier fields. Not only does this dry out the fields and destroy the nutritional value of the ground, but chemical fertilizers also drain into our water systems. When chemical fertilizer drains into our water system, it is dangerous for people and animals. This causes an explosion in algae growth which leads to the destruction of lake and river ecosystems. People also drink the ground water that is polluted with chemical fertilizers. This leads to huge health problems in people. So what's the problem? The problem is chemical fertilizers destroy the land and pollute the water. The making of these fertilizers in factories pollutes the air. Ironically, this pollution of land, water, and air could lead to the inability to produce food, and therefore, the eradication of the human population.
Thankfully for humans, manure could prevent the end of humanity. Manure run off does not cause algae growth, therefore keeping lake and river ecosystems intact. Also, manure run off is easily filtered out of people's drinking water. Because manure is filtered out of people's drinking water, it is not dangerous for people to drink tap water. Manure is made inside animals, not inside a factory. While chemical fertilizer factories emit massive amounts of chemicals, smoke, and CO2 into the air, manure "factories" emit natural elements. Finally, manure moistens the ground and adds nutrients to the ground. Manure improves soil quality for years to come, while chemical fertilizers destroy soil quality. Overall, the use of manure versus chemical fertilizers will improve land, water, and air quality.
Is there hope that we humans will make this change? Can our high tech world revert to using a low tech solution like manure? Well, some organic farmers have already started to use manure to fertilize their fields. These farmers have noticed healthier plants than most farmers using chemical fertilizers over the years. This means that farmers using chemical fertilizers on their fields have noticed that their crops have been getting worse and worse as the years go on. Farmers using manure to fertilize have noticed that their plants have been getting healthier and healthier as years go on. The farmers that have been using manure as fertilizer have also been improving manure as a fertilizer. The main way these farmers improve manure's fertilizing qualities is by feeding their animals a healthy diet. By feeding their animals healthier, not only are the farmers creating healthier animals, but also improving the fertilizing quality of their animal's manure. This leads to healthier plants. Another way organic farmers improve manure's fertilizing quality is by adding phosphorus to the manure. The one nutrient manure is low in is phosphorus, therefore by adding it to manure farmers can improve its fertilizing qualities. Another way some farmers have solved this problem is by using dog manure. The reason dog manure has more phosphorus is because dogs knaw on bones all day, which are filled with phosphorus. Because people have been using manure as fertilizer since the beginning of agriculture, farmers have had a lot of time to improve upon manure and see its full potential. Because people have only been using chemical fertilizers for about 100 years, they have not been able to improve on it and have not fully realized its negative affects on the environment.
Common questions about manure
Question: Does manure help plants grow more than chemical fertilizers?
Answer: Go to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100628124559.htm and read about how manure provides higher returns than chemical fertilizers.
Question: Does the type of animal the manure comes from matter?
Answer: Look at this short powerpoint to see which animal feces work better for fertilizing crops.
http://www.slideshare.net/shantanusarora/different-types-of-manure-and-their-uses
Answer: Go to http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100628124559.htm and read about how manure provides higher returns than chemical fertilizers.
Question: Does the type of animal the manure comes from matter?
Answer: Look at this short powerpoint to see which animal feces work better for fertilizing crops.
http://www.slideshare.net/shantanusarora/different-types-of-manure-and-their-uses