URBANA, Ill. — Germán Bollero, dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty for the sake of science. After being invited by Champaign County Farm Bureau and Champaign County Farm Bureau Foundation, Bollero took on the “I Soiled My Undies” challenge on Oct. 30 at the Energy Farm.
Bollero first encountered the “I Soiled My Undies” challenge when University of Illinois Extension’s Michelle Cox and Sarah Farley (who serve Lake and McHenry Counties) partnered with teacher Brian Greene to bring the experiment to John R. Lewis Middle School in Waukegan, Illinois. Bollero helped Greene’s students dig up a pair of thoroughly decomposed underwear — a testament to the soil’s microbial activity.
“I was inspired by the students’ enthusiasm and the tangible way this project demonstrates the importance of soil health,” Bollero said. “This hands-on experiment reflects our mission at ACES and Illinois Extension to connect communities with science that matters. It’s a meaningful way to bring science to life and foster environmental stewardship for people of all ages.”
The “I Soiled My Undies” project is a hands-on demonstration of soil biodiversity and a fun way to engage with the environment. By burying clean cotton underwear and monitoring their decomposition over time, participants can gauge the level of microbial activity in the soil. The more decomposed the fabric, the healthier the soil ecosystem.
There’s still time to join the fun!
If you want to get in on the action, there’s still time! Students and community members in Champaign County are encouraged to bury their undies by Nov. 4 — but you can try this at home any time! Here’s how to participate:
Read the full article from the College of ACES.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.