How to Save the World

This documentary follows Peter Proctor and his dedication to saving our topsoil through biodynamic farming. Peter and his wife, Rachel, tirelessly work in New Zealand to improve the soil and they end up moving to India where biodynamic farming has helped thousands of farmers work with the land and obtain yields. Biodynamic farming is an energy-efficient, pesticide-free, soil-based way of growing food.

This farming method relies on compost, which feeds the soil, and the compost process is thought of as a sacred and vital activity. Green compost, crop rotations, cow horn compost, compost teas, and cow dung compost are all involved in growing a biodynamic farm. The farmers work to create a closed-loop system in which even water is composted, for water is a scarcity in India.

While this film provides important educational material about biodynamic farming, it also raises awareness about how big agriculture is exploiting farmers, degrading the soil, and profiting off of world hunger. In India, and around the world, a staggering number of farmers commit suicide each year; How to Save The World touches on these social justice issues and works to define a fair trade where both farmer and consumer are being morally respected. 

— Nicole Hatfield