Jan 21, 2009

VERTICAL GARDENS & GREEN LIVING - LEAVE THE COW BEHIND

    When an opinion is hell bent on the notion that animal agriculture is "beneficial" or "natural", I enjoy taking the opportunity to show them what "sustainable food" really looks like: I'm referring to sky gardens, living walls and vertical farms. Highlights:
    1. Year-round crop production; No weather-related crop failures
    2. VF food is grown organically: no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers
    3. Virtually eliminates agricultural runoff by recycling black water
    4. Converts abandoned urban properties into food production centers
    5. VF may prove to be useful for integrating into refugee camps
    6. Dramatically reduces fossil fuel use (no tractors, plows, shipping.)
    but this one: "We cannot go to the moon, Mars, or beyond without first learning to farm indoors on earth."
    reminds me of a sci-fi I saw... the crew of a spaceship lived and traveled on resources of hydroponically grown vegetation... Their whole journey depended on plants for food, water and air.
    And here on earth... a future where hydroponics, aquaponics and horticulture would sustain the world many times over. I imagine floating platforms with acres of produce, perhaps greenhoused? Using a fraction of (desalinated) water? These platforms could also be an energy source - with wind farms and solar panels? Are we talking about (almost) "free" food ? For the world? Maybe....
    But clearly we will not get there on the course that animal agriculture is taking us, so says Scientific America "Only energy production generates more greenhouse gases than does raising livestock for food."
    So when boarding that spaceship into the future - given the option of the cow or the plant - as much as Provoked loves cows... She's bringing the plant. ;)
    Living Walls
    The Living Tower
    Times Slideshow

    10 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    Oh My! I want to live in one of those! If I am ever rich, I am building one.

    Site Closed said...

    Wow that is some super high tech and expensive looking building! It almost looks scary. I'd still prefer my food grown in the ground, but in these days of limited space I guess it makes for a good alternative!

    Would fit into the urban landscape of places like Japan quite well actually! :)

    ~K~

    Bea Elliott said...

    Yes, if I had the money I'd build one of these too... complete with an aviary (for rescued birds) and a butterfly atrium.

    An endless salad bar in the middle of paradise :)

    Oh Klem... yes, there are a few of these in Japan already - Built on the concept of residential dwellings. I've seen drawings where apartments are spaced around a central garden - Each floor tends to their space... and of course, reaps the food.

    Neat idea huh?

    Site Closed said...

    Well it certainly beats the little box I call a herb garden on my window sill, haha! :)

    ~K~

    Anonymous said...

    how to live green, practical advice and tips only..no bs

    Anonymous said...

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    Bea Elliott said...

    Well thank you! I do believe we are on the right course to a sustainable world...
    Best wishes to you!

    Lain said...

    This truly is heaven on Earth, and same as you, my dream for our human future on Terra! Thank you for sharing your vision, and I think your are correct that we are "talking about free food for the world"!

    I especially want to thank you for setting the cows free :) It is about time they had their life, land, and freedom back; that was never ours to take in the first place! ♥

    Ronda said...

    This sounds perfect.

    Bea Elliott said...

    Hi Lain! Hi Ronda! It is a good vision! All it requires is a major shift in Wall Street and a re-tooling of our whole economic system to support! Ha!

    Still, I have no doubt in time - When we've nearly run out of all other options we'll scramble our brains trying to fix the wrongs... I just hope it's not too late. I really would love for our species to thrive too - We could be so far ahead if we just cast the anchor of animal use aside.

    I know we're all working on it just as hard as we can - Thanks for doing so!