Electric Vehicles or EVs 

According to the Farmers Electric Cooperative, based on information from the U.S. Department of Energy the following are a variety of reasons why making the switch to EVs can be beneficial:

"Electric Vehicles (EV) Cost Less To Operate Than Gas Powered Cars.
EV operation can be three to five times cheaper than gasoline and diesel powered cars, depending on your local gasoline and electric rates.

EVs Are Environmentally Friendly.
EVs have no tailpipe emissions. The power plant producing your electricity may produce emissions, but electricity from hydro, solar, nuclear or wind-powered plants is generally emission-free.

Never Go To The Gas Station Again.
Electric vehicles do not require gasoline and can be charged at home with a standard 120V outlet or a 240V level 2 charger can be installed for faster, more efficient charging.

EV Performance Benefits.
Electric motors provide quiet, smooth operation, stronger acceleration and require less maintenance than gasoline-powered internal combustion engines.

EV Driving Range & Recharge Time.
EV range is typically around 80 to over 330 miles on a full charge. The average American’s daily round-trip commute is less than 30 miles. Fully recharging the battery pack can take four to eight hours. A "fast charge" to 80% capacity can take 30 min."

Causes of Erosion 

Deforestation

The majority of deforestation is done for the purpose of cattle grazing, followed by soy, palm, and wood products. Since most soy is fed to livestock such as chickens, hogs, and farmed fish, plus an increasing amount of palm products are also being fed to livestock, simply switching to a plant-based diet/farming system can would make a huge impact in deforestation rates.

Bamboo, hemp, recycled paper, and other alternatives would help reduce the impact of the pulp industry. Avoiding new products by caring for and refurbishing old furniture, materials can be recycled, and new products should be made with better, more sturdy techniques. Antique furniture is often stronger than modern furniture, but creating laws requiring better building techniques would help reduce deforestation while also reducing the amount of low quality furniture constantly flowing into our landfills.

Livestock 

• Cattle Destroy Streams

Poor Soil Management Practices

• Including Tilling

Solutions

Streamside Forest Buffers

Limiting Livestock Access to Waterways should be a priority not only to protect waterways from contamination that can make many people sick, but to protect the banks from damage and erosion. A quick way to do this is with Streamside Fencing.

"Installing fences along streams in pasture areas is a simple but essential way to reduce pollution on farms. Fences keep livestock and their waste out of waterways, reducing pollution and erosion and helping prevent the spread of waterborne disease. Water pumps and lines, and even solar-powered mobile watering stations, can provide viable alternative water sources for the animals. In addition, the purchase of necessary supplies and labor benefits local businesses. While streamside fences do not affect greenhouse gas emissions, they are often used together with other practices that do—such as streamside forest buffers and grazing systems." - https://www.cbf.org/issues/agriculture/eight-key-conservation-practices-used-in-regenerative-agriculture.html 

"Forested buffers, also called riparian buffers, are areas bordering stream banks that are taken out of crop production or pasture use and planted with native trees, shrubs, or grasses. Buffers are at least 35 feet wide on either side of a stream. They act as natural filters that slow water flowing off the surrounding fields and allow nutrients from fertilizer and manure to soak into the ground. They benefit both the farm and the streams by reducing erosion of soil, and farmers can select trees that provide additional benefits—such as shade for livestock or fruit and nuts that can be harvested as additional crops.

Trees remove carbon dioxide directly from the air through photosynthesis. They move carbon into the soil, as well as store it in their leaves and branches, keeping it out of the atmosphere where it contributes to climate change. Each acre of forest buffer removes approximately 0.91 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year.

Buffers also cool the surrounding land and waters, a valuable function as temperatures rise and extreme heat events become more common, and provide refuge for wildlife and pollinators." - https://www.cbf.org/issues/agriculture/eight-key-conservation-practices-used-in-regenerative-agriculture.html 

BMPs (Best Management Practices) 

• Continuous No-Till "Continuous no-till, also known as conservation tillage, reduces erosion and runoff by minimizing soil disturbances. Traditional plowing and tilling creates deep furrows in the ground and turns soil over, leaving it unprotected and vulnerable to erosion by wind and water. By minimizing tillage, farmers can build their soil’s health and encourage beneficial microbial life. Healthier soils have a greater capacity to filter water and retain moisture, reducing runoff and keeping nutrients in the ground. Healthy, undisturbed soil can also store large amounts of carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere and benefiting the climate."

• Conservation Crop Rotation " is rotating the types of crops grown on a piece of land in a planned sequence. Crops may alternate, for example, between those with deep roots and shallow roots or those that depend on or fix certain nutrients. Growing the same crop on the same land constantly gradually depletes nutrients in the soil. A well planned crop rotation can reduce reliance on one set of nutrients, reduce pests and weeds, reduce the need for fertilizer, and improve soil structure and organic matter, which increases farm resilience and decreases soil erosion and flooding."

• Cover Crops "are not sold, but provide other benefits to the farm, such as soil improvement, water retention, weed suppression, and erosion prevention. They are typically grown at strategic times before or after cash crops, such as corn or soybeans, to ensure farm fields are continuously covered in vegetation. This both protects bare soil from erosion and makes sure any excess fertilizer in the field is held in plants, rather than washing off into waterways. Cover crops can also enhance the health of the soil. For example, certain crops add back nutrients that were depleted during the main harvest, while others help break up the soil with their roots—providing natural tillage without disturbing the soil overall."

• Nutrient Management Plans (NMPs) "are documents that outline how much and when fertilizers should be used on a farm’s crops. This helps ensure that crops are able to use the fertilizer when it is applied, reducing nutrient runoff into local waterways and minimizing farmers’ fertilizer costs."

No-till on the Plains "is a 501c3 non-profit educational organization whose mission is to provide education and networking on agricultural production systems that model nature."