Show Grand Design of Nature In the grand design of nature nothing Is wasted The raw materials of f the earth water and atmosphere fixed atmosphere fixed in amount at the creation of our plane planet planet- are recycled and reused so that new life springs eternally from old The cyclic economy of nature is a model for the economy economy economy econ econ- omy of man Indeed from early agrarian times the good farmers farmers farmers farm farm- ers of many lands have noted the beneficial effects of re returning returning returning re- re turning manure and crop residues residues residues resi resi- dues to the soil solI But modern man with his advanced technologies technologies technologies tech tech- has temporarily disrupted disrupted disrupted dis dis- dis- dis the natural cycle of life N Now ow less conscious of returning returning returning return return- ing wastes to the land from which he gleaned them he too often dumps them into water water- courses oceans landfills burns them or simply allows them to pile up Despite society's concern about environmental problems we have only begun to exploit the tremendous capacity of our soils to degrade wastes For Forthe Forthe Forthe the soil solI Is a kind of massive machinery for keeping the chemical stuff of the planet in circulation Its It's framework is a collection of individual soil soU particles particles particles par par- each tiny particle possessing a remarkably large surface An ounce of soil may have surfaces totaling square feet about six acres The spaces between the soil grains harbor an almost in- in population of microbial microbial microbial micro- micro bial life A teaspoonful of soil from temperate regions teems 1 I with some five billion bacteria I 20 million millon one i I million protozoa and algae and fungi The Lilliputian assemblage of just one acre 1 I of soil soU carries on life so vigor vigor- vigorously I that it expends energy I equal to that of people If it they lived and worked there i I Agricultures Agriculture's long expert expert- ence in harnessing the soils soil's I microbial life to recycle farm wastes has In recent years also I benefited the processing food-processing Industry N Now ow agricultural L science Is seeking ways to adapt this approach to handling organic organic or- or ganic wastes of urban America Ameri- Ameri ca municipal garbage sewage sludge and liquid sewage ef- ef n fluent Urban wastes however contain many materials not f normally found In soils-par- soils heavy metals To degrade degrade des de- de s grade urban wastes It Is vital that scientists develop management management manage- manage f ment and monitoring practices which leave the health and fertility fertility fer- fer of the soil f Industrial nations have shortsightedly shortsightedly shortsightedly short- short overtaxed the resIliency resiliency s ency of water and air to serve as cheap sinks for pollutants In seeking to reverse the process process process pro- pro cess research on the soils soil's Inherent ability to to biologically s break down wastes and return them to the natural cyc cycle e of life deserves widespread sup- sup port Jack W. W Herring Herring- Extension Agent |