By Emily Moore*
Sitting on a picnic blanket in the Langdon Courtyard, I gaze up at the night sky through the branches of a tree. Twinkling stars and a radiant moon shine down, providing ample light to the gathering below. People are sipping on tea and snacking on popcorn, and, on the screen in front of me, I watch a farmer talk passionately about the food forest he’s grown. For the next 90 minutes, I hear stories of soil microbes, composting, and carbon drawdown. I begin to understand the ground beneath my feet.
Attendees enjoyed the screening in the lovely Langdon Courtyard.
On Thursday, February 12, 2026, the Office of Sustainability, in partnership with the Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences Graduate Student Association, held the first screening in our spring semester film series. The film was Kiss the Ground, a 2020 documentary about how regenerative agriculture may be one of our greatest tools to fight the climate crisis. 20 attendees showed up to learn more about the power of soil, as well as enjoy some freshly popped popcorn.
With Samford Hall in the background, this event was distinctly Auburn!
My favorite part of this event was the attendance of the Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences Graduate Student Association. The CSES GSA set up a table to sell their Valentine’s Day cards, complete with agricultural puns, to raise money for the club. This table was a fantastic addition to the screening, as it allowed film-goers to support the students doing the work towards agricultural research right here on Auburn’s campus!
A selection of the CSES GSA’s punny cards.
Though I am majoring in Environmental Science myself, Kiss the Ground taught me some new and interesting things about the work that people are doing around the world to regenerate our planet’s soils. This event was a fantastic way to kick off our film series, and I am so excited for our next film – Future Council – on February 26!
Emily Moore is the office’s Event Coordinator.
