Episode description

Hello Earthlings! This week on Earthlings 2.0, we dive deep into the ground beneath our feet with Yard Stick, a company harnessing the transformative potential of soil carbon measurement in sustainable agriculture. As the backbone of food production and a vital carbon sink, soil health is critical—but it’s often overlooked in broader climate conversations. Yard Stick is tackling this challenge with cutting-edge spectroscopy technology to make soil analysis cost-effective and accessible for farmers.

In this episode, Chris Tolles, co-founder and CEO of Yard Stick explores the barriers to soil carbon sequestration, the economic challenges farmers face, and why effective measurement is the key to sustainable land management. From debunking myths about the limitations of harvests to uncovering opportunities for long-term soil stewardship, this episode offers a fresh perspective on the role of soil in the fight against climate change.

Key Points:

• Revolutionizing Soil Carbon Measurement: Spectroscopy technology enables precise, cost-effective soil analysis, giving farmers actionable data to improve their practices and sequester carbon.
• Addressing Farmer Incentives: Many farmers face financial and systemic barriers to adopting soil carbon sequestration practices. Yard Stick focuses on bridging this gap by offering accessible measurement tools rather than agronomic advice.
• The Impact of Industrial Agriculture: Decades of industrial farming have degraded soil health, impacting food security and ecosystem stability. Soil regeneration is essential for a sustainable agricultural future.
• The Path Forward: Long-term thinking and robust measurement tools are foundational for addressing soil health challenges, ensuring the agriculture sector plays its part in mitigating climate change.

• Chris Tolles, CEO and co-founder of Yard Stick PBC
• LinkedIn
• Lisa Ann Pinkerton, Earthlings 2.0 Host, CEO of Technica Communications, and Founder of Women in Cleantech and Sustainability 
• LinkedIn: Lisa Ann Pinkerton
• X - Lisa Ann Pinkerton 
• Instagram - @LisiAnni
• Technica Communications 
• Women in Cleantech and Sustainability

• Yard Stick PBC
• LinkedIn

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