Remineralize the Earth (RTE) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Northampton, Massachusetts, and founded in 1995 by Joanna Campe.^[1] The organization’s mission statement is as follows: “Remineralize the Earth (RTE) promotes the use of natural land and sea-based minerals to restore soils and forests, produce more nutritious food, and remove excess CO2 from the atmosphere”.^[2] RTE’s vision is to overcome desertification, increase food security by increasing the yields and nutritional values of food grown in healthy soils, and stabilize the climate by amending soils and forests across the globe with readily available and finely ground silicate rock dust and sea minerals.

Education and increasing public awareness about soil remineralization's potential benefits are some of RTE's primary efforts. They are currently working on a science curriculum for K-12 students encompassing multiple aspects of the soil remineralization topic, such as botany, sustainable agriculture, nutrition, and geology.^[3] The curriculum draws from information compiled on the organization's website, which happens to contain the only research database entirely dedicated to soil remineralization and related projects around the world.^[4] The projects and research papers on the website include information and case studies on "reversing global desertification through agroforestry and reforestation, sequestering carbon, and stabilizing the climate."^[5] Working from that body of knowledge, RTE has recently partnered with the University of Brasilia on an agricultural remineralization project, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst on researching combinations of biochar and rock dust, again for agriculture.

History

Origins

From the mid-80's, Joanna Campe has been folding rock powders into her garden after she came across the work of John D. Hamaker, an engineer turned farmer and writer, who argued that rock dust could mimic the action of soil-enhancing glaciers.^[6] Later in 1986, Joanna Campe launched Soil Remineralization, A Network Newsletter in Northampton, Massachusetts with the goal of facilitating the international grassroots movement of soil remineralization.^[1] In 1991, it became Remineralize the Earth Magazine, with a circulation of 2500 people, before making its transition in 1995, to become the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization it is today.

Remineralize the Earth was founded on the principles and growing movement of soil remineralization, advocating the use of natural mineral sources as fertilizers. Although the use of rocks and minerals for agricultural development has been around for centuries, investigating the power of soil remineralization through natural mineral sources only began in the 19th century.^[1][7] RTE’s foundation can be credited to the individuals and groups who pioneered work in this field. They belonged to one of three distinct groups/areas of work: European research, agrogeology, and the grassroots movement of soil remineralization.

Almost a decade prior to RTE’s conception, founder Joanna Campe was featured in The Irish Independent while speaking at a FIOH (Future In Our Hands) educational conference. There, she suggested soil remineralization as a potential aid to speed up reforestation efforts, which could help absorb CO2 in the face of climate change.^[8] Irish Independent also picked up on that conference, mentioning Campe as “founder of TERRA, and American environmental organization,” which stood for The Earth Regeneration and Reforestation Association.^[9]

As she followed along with the growing environmental and remineralization movements, Campe started Soil Remineralization, A Network Newsletter in 1986^[10] with the goal of facilitating the soil remineralization network, as well as advocating its use for benefits of higher agricultural yields, improved nutritional values of foods, and to stabilize the climate. The newsletter continued for four years, eventually growing into Remineralize the Earth magazine (80 pages) in 1991, which was published until 1997.^[10]

When a grant opportunity finally arose to carry out remineralization research, “Remineralize the Earth was incorporated in 1995 to disseminate ideas and information about remineralizing soils throughout the world.”^[11]

Real Food Campaign

In the United States, the RTE Real Food Campaign sought to bring soil remineralization into the general public consciousness by making information available to consumers, farmers, and food retailers regarding links between remineralization and nutrient density. Dan Kittredge, executive director of RTE 2007-2008, was the director of the Real Food Campaign, which ran from 2008-2013. Kittredge went on to found the Bionutrient Food Association.^[1]

Their website states that the mission of the Bionutrient Food Association is to “increase the quality in the food supply.”^[12] Their constituents are growers, consumers, and purveyors of food. They, aside from training farmers in biological soil management, organize a yearly Soil & Nutrition Conference.^[13]

Renown & Awards

Local Media Attention

In partnership with Grow Food Northampton, Remineralize the Earth was featured in MassLive, a news and media website based in Northampton MA, for their work with rock dust in community gardens. As explained by Remineralize the Earth founder, Joanna Campe, the rock dust in the soil creates “growth in the microorganisms of the soil and...counters the effects of soil acidity, prevents erosion, [and] repels insects.” She continued, “Long term, the silicate strengthens plant tissues so they won’t attract fungus or insects.” “[Don] Weaver who is on the board of advisors to Remineralize the Earth said, 'Remineralize essentially means replenishing the full spectrum of the natural minerals to an organism or an ecosystem.’” “This means restoring the mineral base so that all organisms and ecosystems are fully nourished and can reach their biological and genetic potential.” The director of Grow Food Northampton, Lilly Lombard, commented that they "want to create the best and most fertile soil," and rock dust is a great help, because it “‘instantly washed into the soil,’” making for easy application. ^[14]

As featured in the Daily Hampshire Gazette, Remineralize the Earth “was incorporated in 1995 to disseminate ideas and information about remineralizing soils throughout the world.” Their focus on putting minerals back into soil seeks to reduce the damages of climate change since remineralization reduces carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Campe comments that remineralization “‘is a way of imitating the nature creative forces of the Earth by returning minerals to the soil and is something that can be done by anyone from backyard gardeners to the largest farms.”  Their website features more information on remineralization and is “a clearing house for information, providing a wealth of knowledge and links.”^[11]

National Award for Sustainability (1998)

In 1998 Remineralize the Earth was nominated for a Renew America Award by Bill Holmberg, who is a Remineralize the Earth board member and one of the founders of the American Council of Renewable Energy (ACORE). The National Awards Council presented Remineralize the Earth with a Certificate of Environmental Achievement recognizing the outstanding program in the Renew America 1998 Environmental Success Index.^[15] According to the EPA, this award was given to “programs throughout the nation that demonstrate leadership and excellence in integrating environmental, economic and community sustainability.”^[16]

Partners and Conferences

RTE has initiated numerous local and global projects. Local partners include the Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School (PFSJS),^[12][17][18] Brook’s Bend Farm,^[13][19] Grow Food Northampton,^[14] and New Harmony Farm CSA.^[1][20] International projects include initiatives in Costa Rica, Panama, Barbuda, Cameroon, Senegal and Brazil.^[21]

US-Based Projects

In 1993, the National Task Force on Remineralization of the National Aggregate Association (NAA) met at their headquarters in Silver Spring, MD. The conference was attended by Robert J. Able, Task Group Chairman, Richard C. Meininger and David W. Jahn of the American Aggregates Corp, Sandy Wood of Vulcan Minerals, and other NAA Staff. Attending from the USDA was W.D. Doral Kemper, head of National Programs on Soils, and Ron Korcak, Fruit Lab and the Program on Use of Industrial Byproducts in Agriculture. Also attending was Andrew Euston of HUD, Greg Watson,^[22] Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture, and Joanna Campe of Remineralize the Earth.^[23]

In 1994, the USDA, the United States Bureau of Mines, the National Stone and Aggregate Associations, and RTE co-sponsored A Forum On Soil Remineralization and Sustainable Agriculture at the USDA headquarters in Beltsville, MD.^[24][25] The USDA conducted a series of demonstration trials with rock mineral fines.^[26]

In 1996, RTE received multiple grants to do a two-year research project in the Pioneer Valley at the University of Massachusetts, Hampshire College, Smith Vocational High School, along with organic and conventional farmers. Donors included the Massachusetts Society for Promoting Agriculture, and the International Center for Aggregate Research (ICAR) US.^[27]

In 2008, RTE sponsored an official side event at the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC2008), invited by the State Department and ACORE.^[28]

International Projects

In 2013, Joanna Campe was a keynote speaker at the II Congresso Brasileiro de Rochagem, and presented The Potential of Remineralization as a Global Movement.^[21]