Vertical farming, the way of the future?

Research shows building up may be best option for sustainability 

 

BY GAVIN LEIGHTON FOR GREENING OF OIL

We hear the figure almost constantly: there will be 9.5 billion people sometime around the year 2050.  This also means that there will also be roughly 9.5 billion mouths to feed.

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Unfortunately, we have already used up much of the arable land and the arable land left is few and far between.  How can we address this problem in a suitable manner?  Many contend that we need not look beyond how we addressed the issue of a rising population, build vertically.  Constructing vertical farms may be the most straightforward way of producing more food to date.  But until doing so is both efficient and feasible, we can begin to address the rising food demand ourselves.

How much could a tall building really produce?  As is described in a recent article, a 30 story building situated on one city block could produce the equivalent of a 2,400 acre farm.  Nested inside the calculations are the assets of vertical farming: a constant growing season, controlled light exposure, and the utilization of plant varieties that can grow in denser assemblages. 

The benefits of vertical farming seem considerable. An important fact is that communities will be able to buy their food from a local grower.  Up to 30% of food shipped to consumers can be lost due to spoilage and infestation, both of which could be reduced if the food came from a nearby supplier.  Proponents stress that in moving these farms closer, suppliers are incorporated into local communities, and credit consumer feedback with a supplier’s ability to respond to demand, reducing waste.

Like any new technology, challenges lay ahead, but as individuals we can start small and begin to address the situation of food supply.  While we may not be able to purchase a large vertical farm in San Diego, there are several ways of growing food indoors.

Everyday products like heads of lettuce can feasibly be grown indoors in well-lit areas. Using a back-of-the-envelop calculation if you happened to eat three heads of lettuce per month and grew them all yourself, you would save a little over $100 in a year (assuming heads of lettuce cost between $2.50 and $3).  Hydroponic systems range in price, from $50 to upward of $200; however, in many cases you can recoup the cost within the first year of use. With more research, crops such as tree-tomatoes can also be grown for personal consumption. 

In essence, we can fulfill many of our daily vegetable requirements through household growing systems.  So while waiting for vertical farming to become established we can take a few collective steps toward sustainability.

Links of interest

Scientific American: Growing Skyscrapers, the rise of vertical farms

About Gavin Leighton

Gavin Leighton is a first year graduate student studying biology at the University of Miami.  He is focusing his efforts on the maintenance of a cooperative behavior in an African passerine. 

Born and raised near Philadelphia, PA, Leighton attended Colgate University in New York. At Colgate he majored in environmental biology and was the president of the environmental student group on campus for two years. He was also a member of the sustainability council at Colgate University, a group composed of faculty, staff, and students that made advised the administration on environmental decisions. 

Contact Gavin Leighton through his website.