Researchers have encouraged citizens to play and paint so they understand why it is important to save our increasingly deteriorating Earth.

Written by Michael Marshall
Edited by the editorial team

Between 60 and 70 percent of the soil in the EU is in poor condition. Urban development, pollution, and intensive agriculture have worn it down. This also affects the plants and animals that depend on the soil.

This is what the EU project iCOSHELL aims to address. In six EU countries, the project has established so-called Living Labs. These are local experimental communities that map out soil problems in their area and come up with solutions.

The researchers do not do this alone; politicians, businesspeople, and ordinary citizens are also involved. The idea is to find solutions collectively so that they are effective and can garner broad support.

But this requires certain conditions. To agree on how a piece of land should be managed, everyone needs to know what they are talking about. Therefore, the project is launching a series of initiatives to strengthen people's understanding of soil.

It is indeed unclear how much one needs to know to make wise decisions. An ordinary citizen does not need to know the details of soil particles, nutrients, and microorganisms.

According to Jannik Schüürmann, who is the project leader at the Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP) in Wuppertal, Germany, it might be enough to know that soil health is crucial for our food supply, and that much of Europe's soil is degraded.

This basic knowledge is sufficient for most people to be said to understand soil. It is also the first step toward engaging and acting for healthier soil.

Soil in the escape game

However, there is only limited knowledge about how much Europeans know about soil. A review from 2024 by the 'Soils for Europe' project showed that no studies have measured this. There are also no good metrics that researchers can use for this purpose.

To create fundamental awareness, the project's partners are experimenting with various activities. At a project meeting in October 2025, the Living Lab in the Basque Country created an escape game with soil as the theme.

"In this game, you learn about soil because you have to answer specific soil-related questions, quizzes, or activities to solve the puzzle," says Jannik Schüürmann.

According to him, this active learning method worked for people of all ages. In another activity, participants painted pictures using soil-based paint. This happened after they discussed how soil is managed.

From poster to prototype

The project's goal is, however, to involve people in developing solutions. Awareness alone is not enough for this, even though it is essential.

Therefore, the team behind iCOSHELL has created a five-step staircase designed to lead people from basic knowledge to active participation.

The first step is to inform, for example with posters. Jannik Schüürmann calls this "the least you can do."

The second step is more interactive, such as the escape game.

At the third step, feedback is collected from various stakeholders or the public in general, via comment walls and polls. The first three steps can be achieved through simple pop-up events.

Next, the aim is to involve people in focus groups and other dialogue meetings, where a facilitator guides the conversation. Finally, they enter the actual Living Labs. Here, they collaboratively develop prototypes of solutions to improve the soil.

"Managing a Living Lab with so many different voices is 'difficult' and 'very hectic'," says Jannik Schüürmann — because organizers must ensure everyone is heard.

"It's largely about bringing everyone together, creating a shared picture, a common vision."

Part of a larger community

Soil understanding is not a sideline but a prerequisite for the functioning of Living Labs. The solutions only work if people understand the challenges, trust the process, and can contribute something meaningful.

For example, the project's Greek Living Lab is trying to restore soil damaged by former mining activities. Here, it is crucial that the local community is aware of the effort and supports it, explains Jannik Schüürmann.

The project benefits from being part of the broader Mission Soil community, where many initiatives promote soil understanding from different perspectives.

"We try to share new knowledge among the supported projects so that it can be immediately integrated into their specific activities," says Jannik Schüürmann.