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Alexi ChislerVertical farms, many stories high, will be situated in the heart of the world's urban centers. They offer the promise of urban renewal, sustainable production of a safe and varied food supply, and year-round crop production. The concept of indoor farming is not new, since hothouse production of tomatoes, a wide variety of herbs, and other produce has been in vogue for some time. What is new is the urgent need to scale up this technology to accommodate another 3 billion people. An entirely new approach to indoor farming must be invented, employing cutting edge technologies. The Vertical Farm must be efficient (cheap to construct and safe to operate). Vertical farms, many stories high, will be situated in the heart of the world's urban centers. If successfully implemented, they offer the promise of urban renewal, sustainable production of a safe and varied food supply (year-round crop production), and the eventual repair of ecosystems that have been sacrificed for horizontal farming.
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Jeff JohnsonVertical farms, many stories high, will be situated in the heart of the world's urban centers. They offer the promise of urban renewal, sustainable production of a safe and varied food supply, and year-round crop production. The concept of indoor farming is not new, since hothouse production of tomatoes, a wide variety of herbs, and other produce has been in vogue for some time. What is new is the urgent need to scale up this technology to accommodate another 3 billion people. An entirely new approach to indoor farming must be invented, employing cutting edge technologies. The Vertical Farm must be efficient (cheap to construct and safe to operate). Vertical farms, many stories high, will be situated in the heart of the world's urban centers. If successfully implemented, they offer the promise of urban renewal, sustainable production of a safe and varied food supply (year-round crop production), and the eventual repair of ecosystems that have been sacrificed for horizontal farming.
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By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth's population will reside in urban
centers. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends,
the human population will increase by about 3 billion people during the interim.
An estimated 109 hectares of new land (about 20% more land than is
represented by the country of Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed
them, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today. At
present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising
crops is in use (sources: FAO and NASA). Historically, some 15% of that has been
laid waste by poor management practices. What can be done to avoid this
impending disaster? -
Advantages of Vertical Farming
Year-round crop production; 1 indoor acre is equivalent to 4-6 outdoor acres or
more, depending upon the crop (e.g., strawberries: 1 indoor acre = 30 outdoor
acres)
No weather-related crop failures due to droughts, floods, pests
All VF food is grown organically: no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers
VF virtually eliminates agricultural runoff by recycling black water
VF returns farmland to nature, restoring ecosystem functions and services
VF greatly reduces the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired
at the agricultural interface
VF converts black and gray water into potable water by collecting the water of
evapotranspiration
VF adds energy back to the grid via methane generation from composting
non-edible
parts of plants and animals
VF dramatically reduces fossil fuel use (no tractors, plows, shipping.)
VF converts abandoned urban properties into food production centers
VF creates sustainable environments for urban centers
VF creates new employment opportunities
We cannot go to the moon, Mars, or beyond without first learning to farm indoors
on
earth
VF may prove to be useful for integrating into refugee camps
VF offers the promise of measurable economic improvement for tropical and
subtropical
LDCs. If this should prove to be the case, then VF may be a catalyst in helping
to reduce or even reverse the population growth of LDCs as they adopt urban
agriculture as a strategy for sustainable food production.
VF could reduce the incidence of armed conflict over natural resources, such as
water
and land for agriculture
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Cee Bee
By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth's population will reside in urban centers. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends, the human population will increase by about 3 billion people during the interim. An estimated 109 hectares of new land (about 20% more land than is represented by the country of Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today. At present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is in use (sources: FAO and NASA). Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices. What can be done to avoid this impending disaster? -
Joanne LangsethA Potential Solution: Farm Vertically
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Jack ParkBy the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth's population will reside in urban centers. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends, the human population will increase by about 3 billion people during the interim. An estimated 109 hectares of new land (about 20% more land than is represented by the country of Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today. At present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is in use (sources: FAO and NASA). Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices. What can be done to avoid this impending disaster?
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Julia Lesagepromotes the advantages of farming in high rise hothouses
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zeitverschwendungHigh-rise urban mass agriculture
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