The past 50 years has seen unprecedented exploitation and destruction of the land, which produces the food that sustains each and every one of us. Over one third of the earth’s land is severely degraded and fertile soil is being lost at the rate of 24 billion tonnes a year, in part due to unsustainable agriculture and climate change.

Not only is fertile land becoming unusable, it is impacting livelihoods severely. Over 1.3 billion people live off degraded land.[1] Over 3.2 billion people[2] – close to half of the global population – are impacted by it. The fact that more than one quarter of the world’s productive land is no longer usable is a major force behind the conflicts in Africa or mass migrations in Central America, and beyond.

We are undermining the entire natural infrastructure on which our modern world depends through irresponsible use of the land. Is there anything we can do to help reverse these worrying trends when it comes to our land? Consumers have the power to take action and make simple action to help protect our land -- especially when it comes to “tele-coupling”.

“Tele-coupling” is a modern-day “Butterfly Effect”. It refers to how connections between nature and human beings are growing ever tighter in a more globalized world both for good and for ill.[3] For instance, the price of soy and the rate of deforestation are linked. A palm oil consumer in Africa may be causing a tree to be cut down in Asia.[4]