A Green Journey from France to India: Cyclist Nathalie Massè Says 'We must save the soil'

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This year, on March 21, Indian yoga guru Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev launched a movement called "Save Soil". He visited 27 countries with his motorcycle in three months. A 64-year-old man, alone with his motorcycle, had only one mission, saving our planet. On June 21, he arrived in Coimbatore, and on the same day, Nathalie started her journey. She calls her journey "Wheels for Soil", and visits schools, colleges and universities to protect the soil, revive the ecology and raise awareness about the climate crisis. She meets with children during her visits and asks questions to them about the soil. Let them speak up.

She believes the movement should continue and plans to arrive in South India, in February of next year.

How many countries have you visited so far?

I crossed seven countries now. Turkey is the seventh country. I crossed France, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, and now Turkey. 4,000 kilometers I did till Ankara now.

What was people's response to you in the countries you visited?

In all the countries I went through I had a very warm welcome. I had very nice meetings in every country that I went to. First, when I crossed France and Italy, I made some steps toward eco-friendly farms. I had one month and a half to prepare my project. I had some time to discover these organic farms in France and Italy. This was an organized plan. I had a very nice welcome on those farms. I could see the people who are doing this kind of agriculture, they are really trying to have good practices but they don't have time to get into the movement or to go on social media. When I was on those farms, I made some videos and photos and I put those on social media and made those practices known. It was really good on those farms, I think. In those farms, people were really happy when I came and I could do this for them. It was not always planned after this. Sometimes I had some meetings on the road. For instance, I met a major in one town and he said to me to go there and there. You know, connections happen in this way. It is really nice because, at one point on my trip, everything is going in this kind of atmosphere. Connections happen day by day, I met some people that I didn't expect this way.

When you visit schools, you are aiming to raise awareness of children. Do they aware of the soil issue?

It depends on which school I go to. Because sometimes I visit preschool children, sometimes colleges, and universities. Yesterday I was with children who are five years old. They were interested in soil. This connection is natural for them. What I do is not only explain. Actually, I wouldn't say explaining something to children. We go on the ground because this is important to be on the soil and then I ask them questions. This is very different because asking them questions even if they are three or four or five. Sometimes we think they don't know. They have many things to say and we have to let them have time to think about the question. What do they answer? If I ask them, "what do you think the problem with the soil?", "do you think there is a problem with the soil?" and let them say something. They always say something. This is very important. What I do is raise awareness.

Recently, more projects and campaigns have been carried out to save the world and the ecology we live in. Do you think these projects achieve their purpose? Can we really save this world together?

I can see a lot of projects indeed. They raise their voices about ecological issues and this is really good. I saw some of them this weekend at the fair "Food is our Future". As I am cycling with my bicycle, I am not wondering about what are my goals. I think I am much in the present. I am doing what I have to do and trying to make it happen. Also, what we have to do is gather together more and more around this issue. So politician leaders can see that many people are concerned. We want some laws to protect the soil. Revitalize the soil by three to six percent minimum organic matter in the soil. That is what the founder of the movement Sadguru asked.

What are your suggestions to save the soil?

I can't say what is my perspective. I don't know how to solve this problem because there are so many things to do. What I know is I can feel my lungs from the pollution since I am crossing the countries and big roads. That is terrible for my lungs. How to make it better? Well, I think we need some laws. The founder of this movement said that we can make a change on an individual scale, everybody can do little things in their garden, not using pesticides but it is not a matter of individuals anymore. That is what he said. It is too late. Now it is on a bigger scale. We need those laws because otherwise, we won't be able to reverse the process. That is what Sadhguru said. It tried me because I was not conscious of the state where we were. I think on a bigger scale we must do something. That is why we are trying to use social media to have this kind of visibility.

Gender discrimination is a huge issue in Turkey when it comes to a matter of cycling. Most women have raised the mentality of "boys ride bikes" and "girls play with their dolls" in their childhood. I don't think you have faced such discrimination in France, but what do you think is the connection between "women and bicycles"?

I always ride a bicycle since I was little. For me, it is very natural and I always enjoy riding a bicycle. I think we have to go on with what we are as human beings and just do what we can do. If we think in terms of women are not equal to men, men do this and that. I don't think we will be able to go forward. Also, many people told me, "You go on your own. You are a woman. Aren't you afraid of danger and things?" and what I can see is that why should I be afraid? We must get rid of all those things we have in our heads and just do what we have to do in life with pleasure and joy. Share it with others. That's how this idea can go away.

What do you intend to do after reaching India? What are your goals after completing your journey to India?

For the moment I didn't plan. I will go to Coimbatore, Isha Yoga Center where Sadhguru the founder of this movement launched the movement. So I will go there. Hopefully, I will arrive there in February.

Before we wrap up, Is there anything else you would like to say?

I think we really put our attention on what is essential. What is essential is our soil because that is what gives us food. This is basic in our life. The soil is dying at the moment. You don't have to be an expert to see how much the climate has changed. This summer could talk by itself. Drought everywhere. I think we have to look at what is essential. The way we look at things is because sometimes we are very materialistic. We live in cities and think about Money. I think nature is the real connection that we need and if we want to live something for our children that is what we can do together at the moment. Support this project. Share it and you already do something by doing this.