The concept of “vertical farming” seems more fitted for a sci-fi novel, or maybe a project in Dubai.
The tall, skyscraper-like structures set in urban areas would grow enough produce to replace traditional farms. Instead of growing tomatoes in the Midwest and shipping them to New York City, burning valuable fossil fuels and contributing to global warming along the way, farmers could raise vegetables in these towers only a few miles from the corner stores in the city.
One proposed device, the Omega Garden Carousel, takes up 150 square feet of floor space, but its output could equal 1,500 square feet of farmland.
Dickson Despommier came up with the concept almost a decade ago, and he’s been championing it ever since. He list many advantages to vertical farming, including year-round crop production, plants protected from severe weather, no need for pesticides or fertilizers, and less stress on farmlands, among others. He estimates it would cost $20 million to $30 million to make a prototype of a vertical farm, but hundreds of millions to build one of the 30-story towers that he suggests could feed 50,000 people.
Dr. Despommier is a professor of public health at Columbia University, and joins Word of Mouth for the next installment of our "next green thing" series.
(Image and design by Chris Jacobs)
