No other species other than man has been able to radically alter the planet in order to sustain agriculture. There are tropical ants that harvest leaves in order to raise fungi for the colony, but most vertebrates must rely on the natural food chain. Centuries of technological development have allowed humans to spread to every livable spot on Earth, but at a very high environmental cost. Vertical farming systems today are becoming an increasingly realistic option.
As climate change makes marginal agricultural areas less productive, acreage and available water supplies are decreasing in some areas. The need for adopting revolutionary methods of food production has gained a greater sense of urgency. The idea of raising crops inside high rises has existed for several decades, but the conditions that humanity currently faces are making those concepts seem far more practical.
The bucolic vision of a small family farm is disappearing. Modern practices suited to a world population in the multiple billions rely on industrial-style production methods and heavy pesticide use in order to make a profit. While no one realistically argues that food production should be cut, growing methods that dominate the world today are responsible for lost habitats and fragmented ecosystems.
Back-yard or deck gardens often make use of multi-tiered pots having several growing levels, and large-scale vertical agriculture uses the same principles. Many plants that are traditionally raised on large outdoor plots actually thrive when planted in upright structures. When applied to high-rise agriculture, comparable harvests are produced using less soil and supplemental fertilizer, allowing farms to flourish in the shadow of skyscrapers.
These methods expand on the same principles used by greenhouses, which have existed in various forms for hundreds of years. Theoretically, the inhabitants of a major city could grow enough food for all inhabitants without resorting to imports. Although most of the experimental farms today concentrate on plant-life, animals such as chickens or pigs already adapt well to life in small spaces.
The advantages of this type of growing system are numerous. As long as the power supply remains consistent, there is little or no weather-related crop damage. Pesticide runoff that currently plagues agricultural areas becomes practically non-existent, as does reliance on fossil fuels to power machinery or make field fertilizers. Water can easily be reclaimed and reused, and there are fewer opportunities for plant and animal disease transmission.
Most crop field waste would be reduced, and the remaining vegetable materials recycled. Big agriculture produces large quantities of methane, a gas that can be scrubbed and burned for electrical generation in a high-rise production facility. Unused power could be fed to the grid, much like solar panels do today. Urban workers with grim employment prospects could find rewarding jobs raising crops on a year-round schedule.
The biggest winner would be the natural environment. When powerful civilizations in past centuries have collapsed due to war or famine, nature began to reclaim the cities immediately. Cutting back on destructive agricultural practices might help accomplish the same result minus the social upheaval. Traditional methods of farming will never disappear altogether, but vertical agriculture is an idea whose time has arrived.
As climate change makes marginal agricultural areas less productive, acreage and available water supplies are decreasing in some areas. The need for adopting revolutionary methods of food production has gained a greater sense of urgency. The idea of raising crops inside high rises has existed for several decades, but the conditions that humanity currently faces are making those concepts seem far more practical.
The bucolic vision of a small family farm is disappearing. Modern practices suited to a world population in the multiple billions rely on industrial-style production methods and heavy pesticide use in order to make a profit. While no one realistically argues that food production should be cut, growing methods that dominate the world today are responsible for lost habitats and fragmented ecosystems.
Back-yard or deck gardens often make use of multi-tiered pots having several growing levels, and large-scale vertical agriculture uses the same principles. Many plants that are traditionally raised on large outdoor plots actually thrive when planted in upright structures. When applied to high-rise agriculture, comparable harvests are produced using less soil and supplemental fertilizer, allowing farms to flourish in the shadow of skyscrapers.
These methods expand on the same principles used by greenhouses, which have existed in various forms for hundreds of years. Theoretically, the inhabitants of a major city could grow enough food for all inhabitants without resorting to imports. Although most of the experimental farms today concentrate on plant-life, animals such as chickens or pigs already adapt well to life in small spaces.
The advantages of this type of growing system are numerous. As long as the power supply remains consistent, there is little or no weather-related crop damage. Pesticide runoff that currently plagues agricultural areas becomes practically non-existent, as does reliance on fossil fuels to power machinery or make field fertilizers. Water can easily be reclaimed and reused, and there are fewer opportunities for plant and animal disease transmission.
Most crop field waste would be reduced, and the remaining vegetable materials recycled. Big agriculture produces large quantities of methane, a gas that can be scrubbed and burned for electrical generation in a high-rise production facility. Unused power could be fed to the grid, much like solar panels do today. Urban workers with grim employment prospects could find rewarding jobs raising crops on a year-round schedule.
The biggest winner would be the natural environment. When powerful civilizations in past centuries have collapsed due to war or famine, nature began to reclaim the cities immediately. Cutting back on destructive agricultural practices might help accomplish the same result minus the social upheaval. Traditional methods of farming will never disappear altogether, but vertical agriculture is an idea whose time has arrived.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire