(Laughter)

（笑聲）

or rather cow manure.

說得更確切些，是牛的糞便

One cow produces 25 tons of manure every year.

一頭牛一年可以產出 25 噸的糞便

And that's great because manure is a fantastic organic fertilizer.

這是件好事，因為糞便是一種非常棒的有機肥料

It's chock-full of nutrients to grow our grains and vegetables.

它豐富的營養物可以使我們的穀物和蔬菜生長

Humans have been using animal dung as fertilizer for 10,000 years.

人類使用動物的糞便當作肥料已經有一萬年了

Without it, agriculture would have never been possible.

「沒有它，農業就不可能存在」

And that was true until about 100 years ago

直到約一百年前

when we started using petrochemical fertilizers like nitrogen.

我們開始使用像是氮肥的石化肥料為止，這個論述都是正確的

Soon after that, manure as a fertilizer started to become much less valuable.

不久之後，糞便做成的肥料開始不再那麼的有價值

Today, manure looks more like this

今天，糞便長的更像這樣

- this is a manure pit in Switzerland -

── 這是瑞士的一處糞坑

or like this: a manure lagoon in the United States.

或是像這樣：這是美國的一處化糞池

Now, a lot of these farms

現在，很多這些農場

or let me call them what they are, animal feeding factories,

或讓我稱呼他們為實際上的「動物餵食工廠」

don't grow the food for their animals themselves anymore.

不再自行種植給牠們的動物的食物了

So to them, manure is not a precious fertilizer,

所以對他們來說，糞便並不是珍貴的肥料

instead it is just a problem that has to be managed.

而是一個必須被處理的問題

This is but one of many aspects of how our industrialized agriculture today

這只是眾多我們今天的工業化農業

has become so broken

如此崩壞的面向之一

that many now believe that our only ethical response may be becoming vegan.

很多人現在也相信，我們唯一能做的符合道德的事情，是成為一個素食者

I'm here to tell you:

我來這是是要告訴你們：

please do keep eating meat and cheese.

請繼續吃肉和起司

We need animals for a sustainable agriculture,

在永續農業中，我們會需要動物

but please stop eating

但是，請不要再吃

meat and cheese from animals that were fed on human food

用吃人類食物長大的動物製成的肉和起司了

like grains, and corn, and soybean.

像是穀物、玉米和黃豆

Instead, only eat meat and cheese from cows that were fed on grass

取而代之的，只吃食用草長大的動物做成的肉和起司

like they were meant to.

就像牠們原本應該的那樣

I am going to tell you how that one choice is going to allow us

我將告訴你們，這個選擇將如何讓我們可以

to tackle some of the greatest challenges we're facing today: climate change,

處理一些我們面臨到最大的挑戰：氣候變遷

global soil degradation and world hunger.

全球土壤退化、以及世界的飢餓問題

In Switzerland, farmers still tried to use manure

在瑞士，農人們仍在盡力的將糞便

as an organic fertilizer as best they can.

作為有機肥料使用

But in winter, pastures are covered with snow

但是在冬天，牧場被雪覆蓋

so the cows are being kept indoors.

這些牛隻會被帶到室內

So the farmer has to store the manure in a manure pit

農民們需要將糞便儲藏在糞坑裡

until he can bring it out in the springtime.

直到春天可以將它們拿出來使用為止

The problem is that, after a while, manure starts to rot,

問題是，一段時間後，糞便會開始腐爛

and all those precious nutrients start

所有珍貴的營養素開始

to turn into toxic substances like ammonia and evaporate.

變成像是阿摩尼亞的有毒的物質並揮發

Puff! And all those precious nutrients are gone.

噗！所有珍貴的營養素就沒了

In Germany alone, 600,000 tons of ammonia evaporate like this every year.

單單在德國，每年有約60萬噸的阿摩尼亞就這樣揮發掉

Standing next to one of those manure pools can feel like you're inhaling acid.

當站在這些糞坑的旁邊，簡直就像是在吸入酸類物質一樣

And in fact ammonia causes acid rain.

而事實上，阿摩尼亞會導致酸雨

And when brought out to the field,

而當我們把它拿到田野時

that manure seeps into our groundwater and rivers

這些糞便會滲入地下水和河川

and causes massive greenhouse gas emissions.

導致大量的溫室起體排放

Let me take a step back and tell you how I got mixed up in all this shit.

讓我退後一步，告訴你們我如何和這些屎開始有牽連的

I originally studied economics in China where lived for three years

我原本是在中國念經濟學，並在那裡住了三年

until I got dangerously ill from the food I was eating there.

直到有一次，因為吃了那裡的食物差點病危

I had to take a timeout

我必須暫時停止工作

and I was getting really paranoid about food,

我也因此開始對於食物非常的偏執

so I decided to move

因此我決定從

from a country with probably the lowest food safety standards

一個應該是食安標準的最低的國家，搬到...

to... well, here, Switzerland.

...這裡，瑞士

I went to work on an organic farm close to Bern

我到了一個鄰近伯恩的有機農場上班

and that was the first time that I got wind of this problem:

那也是我第一次聽聞這個問題：

organic fields being sprayed with half rotten manure.

在有機田裡面撒的都是半腐壞的糞肥

I always assumed that organic agriculture

我一直認為，有機農業

is equal to sustainable agriculture.

和永續農業是一樣的

But spraying fields with half rotten manure

但是，噴灑半腐壞的糞肥

didn't fit into my idea of sustainable agriculture.

和我想像中的永續農業並不相容

And in fact, this whole manure business is not very sustainable at all.

而事實上，正個糞肥的商業體系一點都不永續

Let's put aside the fact that I came home smelling like shit,

我們先把我回到家都聞起來像大便

and taking one shower wasn't enough to get that smell off me.

沖完澡也沒有辦法把味道消除的事情放在一邊

That manure, when brought out to the field

那些糞便在被拿到田間使用的時候

is so aggressive it literally burns the plants,

已經有侵略性到可以照字面上地「讓植物燒起來」

and the soil takes a real beating as well.

土讓也受到了真正的破壞

Earthworms, that are the backbone of a healthy fertile soil,

做為健康肥沃土讓基礎的蚯蚓

come rushing to the surface suffocating,

也透不過氣地衝到地面上

only to be picked off by birds.

最後卻被鳥兒銜走

I thought there's got to be a better way to do this,

我覺得一定有更好的方法可以做這件事情

a better way than spraying our organic fields with half rotten manure

一個比在田裡面噴灑半腐壞的農藥更好了方法

so I did some research and I came across an interesting master thesis

所以我做了一些研究，並碰到了一篇有趣的碩士論文

where I really thought this is something we ought to try out.

讓我覺得這真的是我們必須要嘗試的東西

Oktoberfest is just behind us

啤酒節近在咫尺

so I'm sure you've all had a chance to eat some nice 'sauerkraut.'

我已我確定你們應該都有吃過一些好吃的「德國酸菜」

But have you ever wondered

但你們是否曾經好奇

why everything in your fridge will go bad at some point,

為什麼冰箱裡的東西到一定的時間點都會損壞

but sauerkraut will stay good, basically forever?

但是德國酸菜基本上永遠都會保持完好？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Well, the reason are these fantastic bacteria called lactic acid bacteria.

原因在於這些被稱作「乳酸菌」的神奇細菌

They take the sugar in the 'kraut'

它能夠吸收酸菜中的糖分

and convert it to lactic acid making the 'sauerkraut' sour,

並將之轉換為乳酸，讓德國酸菜變酸

and thus stopping all other rotting bacteria.

因此讓其他會腐爛的細菌停止運作

In sauerkraut production, we end up with these leftover juices,

在德國酸菜的製程中，我們最後會剩下殘留的菜汁

sauerkraut juice, that is chock-full of lactic acid bacteria.

德國酸菜汁，裡頭有豐富的乳酸菌

Now, some people like to drink that.

現在有些喜歡喝

It's supposed to be great for your digestion,

他應該對消化有益

but let me tell you, I've tried it and I prefer a cold beer,

但是我跟你說，我嘗試過，我更喜歡一杯冰啤酒

and so the most other people,

其他大部分的人也這麼覺得

so this juice ends up as a waste product.

所以，這些菜汁最後並成了廢料

Millions of liters of it in Switzerland alone.

單瑞士就有好幾百萬公升

So I thought: why don't we take that sauerkraut juice

所以我想到：為什麼不們不將德國酸菜汁

and put it into the manure to conserve it,

放到糞便中來保存它

and stop all the nutrients from getting lost?

讓這些營養素停止腐壞？

I told some friends about this idea and got them all excited about it.

我跟一些朋友說的我的想法，讓他們對此非常興奮

We met with some top scientists in Switzerland

我們見了一些瑞士最頂尖的科學家

and put together a concept to actually implement this.

整理出一個可以讓這個想法實現的觀念

So I called the CEO of the largest sauerkraut factory in Switzerland

所以，我向瑞士最大的德國酸菜工廠的執行長打了電話

and told him about this idea,

跟他說明這個想法

and he was actually quite open to it.

而他也十分歡迎

Now I just need to find a farmer who would be willing to join us on this.

現在，我只需要找一個願意加入我們的農場經營者

I ended up getting an invitation to give a pitch at the annual meeting

最後，我受邀瑞士有機牧業者牛肉協會的年會，

of the Swiss Organic Pastor Beef Association.

並做了演示

I was all excited and told the group of farmers

我全然興奮地跟一群農場經營者說明

pretty much what I had just told you now,

大概我剛剛跟你們說的那些東西

and I asked them if anyone would be willing to join me on this.

我問他們，是否有人願意加入我的計畫

And the room went silent.

然後，整個房間陷入沉默

No one put up his hand.

沒有人舉手

It was not very encouraging at all.

這非常的令人洩氣

But after almost everyone else had left,

但在幾乎所有人都離開的時候

one courageous farmer from the Alpine region of St. Gallen,

一位從阿爾卑斯地聖加侖地區來的，勇敢的農場主人

Mr. Pirmin Koller, came to me and said:

Pirmin Koller走向我，並說

"You know what, now that no one else is listening"

「你知道嗎，現在沒有人在聽你說話」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

"I'll give this a try with you."

「我跟你一起嘗試」

So, together with the Zurich University Applied Sciences,

所以，和蘇黎世大學應用科學系合作

we put together some research parameters, and within a few weeks,

我們整理了一些研究參數，在幾周之內

we were pouring thousands of liters of sauerkraut juice into Pirmin's manure.

我們便將好幾千公升的德國酸菜汁倒進了 Pirmin 的糞肥裡

And you know what? It worked!

然後你們知道嗎？它成功了！

That manure didn't smell anymore,

這些糞便再也不會發臭

and all those precious nutrients didn't turn into toxic substances

這些珍貴的營養素也不再變成有毒物質

like ammonia anymore and evaporated.

像是阿摩尼亞並揮發掉

And Pirmin's grass turned just a little greener as well,

並且， Pirmin 的草皮也變得更綠了一些

making his neighbor's little bit jealous

讓他的鄰居有點嫉妒

- I guess sometimes the grass really is greener on the other side of the fence -

── 我猜有時候真的是鄰家的草分外青（雙關語：總是覺得別人的處境好）──

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

so suddenly, this wasn't just a crazy idea anymore.

所以突然之間，這不再只是一個瘋狂的想法了

A whole bunch of people got really excited about this.

非常多人開使對於這個感到興奮

The World Wildlife Foundation awarded us a grant,

世界自然基金會頒給我們補助金

and at the Falling Walls conference in Berlin,

在柏林的 Falling Walls 會議時

we won the first prize out of 1,000 projects.

我們在一千個專案之中獲得了第一名

And that caused quite some media attention;

這也引發了一些媒體的關注

Swiss and German TV did segments on us

瑞士和德國的電視台對我們做了報導的片段

and we got a whole lot of coverage in Swiss and German newspapers as well.

我們也在德國和瑞士的新聞報紙上獲得了很大的新聞篇幅

And that was great because after that,

這很棒因為從此之後

farmers from all over Switzerland, all the way to America and Australia,

瑞士、美國甚至到澳洲所有的農場經營者

contacted me,

都與我聯繫

and within three months, we had six pilot projects up and running.

在三個月之內，我們就開啟並營運了六個實驗專案

But, as the results started to come in,

但是，當結果開始出來

we realized that manure has

我們發現，糞便的

a much higher buffer capacity than we originally anticipated.

緩衝容量遠比我們起初預期的高

We needed about ten times the amount of sauerkraut juice

我們需要10倍的德國酸菜汁

to conserve the manure over a six-month period.

才可以將糞肥保持六個月以上的期間

Instead of a few thousand liters,

不是幾千公升

we now needed tens of thousands of liters.

我們現在需要幾萬公升

And that's not great news because it's not Oktoberfest every day

這並不是個好消息，因為不是每天都是啤酒節

so we don't have enough sauerkraut juice available to really scale this idea.

所以我們沒有足夠的德國酸菜汁將這個想法規模化

I realised that if I want to tackle this manure problem,

我認知到，如果我想要解決這個糞便的問題

I'm going to have to understand farming from the ground up,

我得從頭頭開始徹底地了解農業

so I decided to become a farmer.

所以，我決定自己當個農夫

I'm now in my third year of a four-year vocational training program

現在，我在四年職業訓練計畫的第三年

to become an organic dynamic farmer living and working on a farm.

成為了一個活躍的有機農夫，在農場生活並工作

But not just any farm.

但不是隨便的農場

I work on an organic cattle farm

我在一個有機的牛場工作

where they do something pretty special with their manure.

在那裡，他們對糞便做了非常特別的事

They turn their manure into pure fertile compost.

他們將這些糞便變成純淨的堆肥

Now let me quickly explain to you how that happens

現在讓我快速地向你們解釋這是怎麼發生的

and how that is going to help save our climate and soils

以及這會如何幫助我們拯救氣候與土壤

and help make the world's most disadvantaged regions

並幫助讓世界上生活條件最差的地區

food independent again.

在糧食上再度自食其力

I'm going to have to go back 3,000 years to the Indios of South America.

我要回溯到3000年前的南美洲的 Indio 人

South and Middle America was home to some highly advanced civilizations,

中南美洲是許多高度進步的文明的故鄉

with cities as large as 300,000 people.

有三十萬以上人口的城市

When we Europeans were still taking a dump in our backyards

當歐洲人還在後院上大號、

and dying of the plague,

因為瘟疫而死亡的時候

they had already figured out an intricate sanitary system.

他們早就想出了一個錯綜複雜的衛生系統

They would use clay pots as their toilets.

他們用陶壺作為他們的馬桶

When they were done doing their business in the pot,

當他們做完在壺裡要做的事情時

they would sprinkle charcoal in the pot.

他們會灑一點木炭在陶壺中

Now this charcoal - today we call it biochar -

這些木炭──今天我們稱它為「生物炭」

is extremely absorbent.

是極度的具有吸收性的

Like a sponge, it soaks up all the nutrients,

像海綿一樣，它會將所有的營養素吸收進來

stopping them from getting lost.

讓他們停止消失不見

So when that pot was full,

所以當陶壺滿了的時候

they didn't just end up with a pot of poop,

他們不只是以一壺的糞便作結

but an extremely fertile pot of poop.

而是一壺極度肥沃的糞便

They'd probably bring that out to their fields

他們很可能把糞便拿到田地裡

and plant some beans or corn and have fantastic yields.

種植了一些豆類或是玉米，並有了美好的產出

But what the Indios probably didn't know

但是 Indios 人或許不知道的是

was that biochar has a negative carbon balance

生物炭有負碳平衡的特性

and it stays in the soil for thousands of years.

他們會留在土讓中幾千年的時間

So they ended up creating the world's most fertile soils:

所以，在們最後創造出了世界上最肥沃的土壤：

the Terra Preta.

亞馬遜黑土

And we marvel at them even today, [500] years later,

（五百）多年以後，到今天為止我們仍對此驚嘆不已。

So, at the farm work I'm at,

所以，在我工作的農場中

the farmer has been implementing a system for the past 15 years

農場主人在過去十五年中實行了仿效

that mimics the Indio clay pot toilet.

Indio 人陶壺馬桶的系統

He would make his cows

在冬天，他會幫牛隻

a clean bed of wood chips and biochar over the winter,

鋪上用木屑和生物炭做成的床

instead of storing the manure in a manure pool.

代替將糞便儲藏在化糞池中的方式

Those cows would live and sleep there every day,

那些牛隻每天會在上面生活、睡覺

and every second day he would add a new layer of wood chips and biochar,

第二天他再加上一層新的木屑和生物炭

thus conserving the manure.

如此保存糞便

In the springtime, we would take all that wood chip-biochar-manure

到了春天，我們會把所有的木屑生物炭糞便

out of the stables and compost it.

取出牛棚，並用來堆肥

Now, composting is just a little bit like baking.

現在，施肥有點像是烘焙

You have to take the right ingredients in the right amounts

你需要正確分量的正確原料

and mix them up in just the right way.

用正確的方式混合他們

So we take that wood chip-biochar-manure,

所以，我們在木屑生物炭糞便上

and we add a layer of freshly cut grass,

加上一層新割下來的草

and a little bit of finished compost, and a little bit of clay,

一點點現成的肥料、和一點點泥土

and we mix it all up, and that's when the magic happens:

把他們通通混再一起，這就是魔法出現的時候了

a whole army of microorganisms

整個微生物軍團

starts to take apart all that organic matter devouring it.

開始分解這團有機物並吞噬它

That composting process turns really hot

這個堆肥的過程變得非常地熱

- over 70 degrees [Celsius] for three weeks -

── 持續三個禮拜超過攝氏七十度

And those microorganisms take apart all the organic matter

這些微生物分解了所有的有機物

including antibiotics and growth hormones,

包含抗生素和生長激素

and whatever other chemicals might be in there.

以及任何可能在裡面的化學成分

And the heat sanitizes the manure from pathogen bacteria.

這樣的溫度對糞便做了高溫殺菌，去除了其中的病原體細菌

When all that organic matter's broken down to its chemical building-blocks,

當整個有機物被分解成化學模塊時

a whole new army of microorganisms

整個微生物軍團

takes those building blocks and puts them together to pure fertile soil.

便將這些化學模塊組裝成純淨的堆肥

In this form, all of the nutrients are locked up safely,

在這樣的形式下，所有的營養素都安全地被鎖住

none of them evaporating or leaching into the groundwater.

沒有揮發或是過濾到地下水中

I'm now involved in an EU project

我現在參與了一個歐盟的專案

where we're turning this concept large-scale on the farm with 1,500 cows.

在專案中，我們將這個觀念規模化，運用在有一千五百頭牛的農場

So this concept is applicable on every scale.

所以這個觀念是在任何規模都可以被運用的

From the Indio clay pot toilets,

從Indio人的陶壺馬桶

all the way to large-scale cattle farms.