Part 7, Chapter 44

In this essay, Zelikova describes playing in the dirt during her childhood in Ukraine. As she grew up and her family immigrated to the United States, her love of dirt did not diminish. She studied ecology in university, and her research revolved around dirt and soil. Her research took her to Costa Rica, where she studied winnow ants and their relationship to the plants and seeds around them. She learned that because of the heat from climate change, these winnow ants were abandoning the plants that relied on them for seed dispersal. Zelikova realized that ecology is all about relationships, and that climate change was changing this relationship between the ants and plants, which took thousands of years to develop, in a matter of decades (288). Our relationship with dirt and soil offers one way to support our ecosystem and halt the effects of climate change. Farming and agriculture have diminished the amount of carbon absorbed by the soil over the last 12,000 years. The Earth’s growing population has increased the need for agricultural land, and this will only continue, putting more pressure on soil—a precious resource in a world full of carbon emissions. Soil regeneration is not a quick process; to bring back soil, we have to feed the microbes that live in it.

Part 7, Chapter 44 Summary: “Solutions Underfoot” by Jane Zelikova

Part 7, Chapter 45

Part 7, Chapter 45 Summary: “Notes from a Climate Victory Garden” by Louise Maher-Johnson

Part 7, Chapter 46

Part 7, Chapter 46 Summary: “Solutions at Sea” by Emily Stengel

Part 7, Chapter 47

Part 7, Chapter 47 Summary: “Characteristics of Life” by Camille T. Dungy

Part 7, Chapter 48

Part 7, Chapter 48 Summary: “Black Gold” by Leah Penniman

Part 7, Chapter 49

Part 7, Chapter 49 Summary: “Ode to Dirt” by Sharon Olds

Part 7, Chapter 50

Part 7, Chapter 50 Summary: “Water is a Verb” by Judith D. Schwartz

Part 7, Chapter 51

Part 7, Chapter 51 Summary: “The Seed Underground” by Janisse Ray

Part 7 Part 7 Analysis

Values & Ideas

Books on Justice & Injustice

Natural World

Climate Change Reads

College

Common Reads: Freshman Year Reading

Society

Community

Community Book Clubs

Community Reads

Science & Nature

The Best of "Best Book" Lists

Literary Area of Study

Women's Studies

Ed. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

Ed. Katharine K. Wilkinson

Adult

Anthology/Varied Collection

Nonfiction

Guide

Study Guide

Book Brief

Explore All We Can Save reviews, reading age recommendations, and essential genre and thematic details before you start reading.

About All We Can Save

title

content

Overview

Get ready to explore All We Can Save and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.

All We Can Save Summary and Study Guide

chapter

chapterType

section

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1: “Root”

Part 1 All We Can Save Part 1 Summary & Analysis

Part 2: “Advocate”

Part 2 All We Can Save Part 2 Summary & Analysis

Part 3: “Reframe”

Part 3 All We Can Save Part 3 Summary & Analysis

Part 4: “Reshape”

Part 4 All We Can Save Part 4 Summary & Analysis

Part 5: “Persist”

Part 5 All We Can Save Part 5 Summary & Analysis

Part 6: “Feel” 

Part 6 All We Can Save Part 6 Summary & Analysis

Part 7: “Nourish”

All We Can Save Part 7 Summary & Analysis

Part 8: “Rise” 

Part 8 All We Can Save Part 8 Summary & Analysis

keyFigure

Key Figures

All We Can Save Key Figures

theme

Themes

All We Can Save Themes

Index of Terms

All We Can Save Index of Terms

quote

citation

character

Important Quotes

All We Can Save Important Quotes with Page Numbers

primaryCharacter

Essay Topics

All We Can Save Essay Topics

All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis

Part 7Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 7: “Nourish”

Featured Collections