.earth Chronicles

SPUN.earth Protecting Underground Networks

Dec 6, 2021

In this Voices.Earth podcast interview, we speak with Vasilis Kokkoris with SPUN.Earth, the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks, which aims to protect underground networks that are vital to our planet’s health.

Most of us might not realize that there are vast and complex microbial networks that are underground, and are critical for regulating the Earth’s climate and ecosystems.

Unfortunately, forest fires, pollution and deforestation are rapidly destroying these fungal biomes, which play a role in removing carbon from our atmosphere.

Thankfully, the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN) is uniting scientists, business leaders and activists to preserve underground networks. The organization aims to make underground conservation a global priority, preserve critical underground systems via a map-and-protect strategy, and drive new innovations to utilize the underground as a climate solution.

The organization, whose website is SPUN.Earth, chose to use the .Earth domain because protecting our planet is a critical part of its mission.

“The Earth is first for us,” said Vasilis. “We want to draw attention to the preservation and protection of the planet, and that’s the very reason why we chose to use a .Earth domain.”

Following are highlights from our interview:

  • A high-level overview of SPUN, the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks. (:54)
  • About the complex microbial networks that are underground, and why they are critical for regulating the Earth’s climate and ecosystems. (2:40)
  • An overview of the threats to these underground networks. (9:45)
  • How is SPUN.Earth addressing these threats. (13:48)
  • Why they chose to use a .Earth domain. (16:32)
  • What the future holds for SPUN.Earth. (17:00)

To learn more about SPUN, please click here. If you are also launching an organization that aims to preserve our planet, the .Earth domain can be a foundational marketing and branding element. Click here to secure your own .Earth domain name.