Love for Soil

Location of activities and scope

Finland, Local

Strand 2 – Organization and promotion of artistic/arts-based soil-related activities

Executive Summary

The co-operative Ehta Raha from Humus Campaign, the TOTEM children’s theatre, and the Loiskis children’s music orchestra are collaborating with the aim of introducing worm composting to grades 1-3 in primary school. The Humus Campaign has produced worm composting instructions. TOTEM theatre and Loiskis will create soil related artistic materials. The result is a Worm Box, which includes composting instructions as well as participatory music and theater workshops and artistic exercises.

TOTEM’s community educator, Loiskis’ musicians and coordinator will pilot the Worm Box by touring 20-25 rural schools on the eastern border of Finland. The schools commit to a 4-6 month worm composting trial with 7-9 year old children. Materials will be developed based on the pilot. The finished Worm Box will be distributed to primary school teachers online.

Children will gain experience in composting and concrete climate work. Art inspires soil literacy and civic skills while increasing humus in the soil.

Motivation Statement

Soil hosts a quarter of the biodiversity of the Earth. It plays a key role in the biogeochemical cycle. Today we are aware of ecosystem services delivered by soil (food, carbon sequestration, provision of construction materials, flood regulation, nutrient cycling) as well as the erosion of the arable layer of the soil all over the world.

It can take 1000 years to produce 2 cm of soil and so our soil can be considered as a non-renewable natural resource which should be protected.

Soil awareness includes knowledge of the soils themselves, those who live in it, and how to care for it. Awareness is important as we do not see microbes and other beings living in the soil – they have no voice. Increasing our awareness can help us see and be awed by the beauty of life underground. A deeper connection to nature can give us strength to act.

Sub-project objectives

Develop participatory art workshops as tools to spread worm composting to elementary schools all over Finland.

Challenges and how they will be addressed

In workshops, it is important to take sensory-sensitive children into account and allow everyone to participate in their own way. Getting their hands dirty may be uncomfortable for some children, and this must be taken into consideration. It is important to ensure that the workshops do not feel childish to 9-year-olds.

The busy schedule of teaching staff is taken into account in the production of the material. Artistic and informational materials are readily available and easy to use. Worm composting can be started as a project of 4-6 months with enough time to get to know the worms well.

Expected outcomes

Worm Box (worm composting instructions and soil related participatory music and theatre workshops and artistic exercises) for teachers in elementary schools.