There’s been an innovation in urban food growing. It’s not earth-shattering, and it’s not so new, it’s just one of those things that makes sense and given the right conditions could really change agriculture. In sprawling cities with limited growing space, why not start growing up? It’s the vertical growing movement.
Valcent is one of the pioneers in developing vertical crop technology. Although their strap line “High density vertical growth” sounds more like a building complex than a food source, they boast some pretty impressive crop yields- up to 20 times the normal production volume and only required 5% of the average water used in conventional growing conditions.
There have been questions over the amount of energy use required to manage the rather unconventional design (think matrix style tubing up the sides of a structure) but as the technology is still in its early days, no doubt it will be an important consideration.
Vertical farming isn’t at all limited to massive companies or big areas, you can vertical farm at home. These Woolly pockets are a cool, all-consuming idea.
Made from 100% recycled bottles, the pockets let you grow stuff virtually anywhere- inside or outside, and you may not even have to get on your hands and knees to tend to your garden. You can even make your own version of a vertical farm.
(Spotted on Treehugger)
Katherine Hui is currently the Social site editor at Green Thing, a web-based public service in London that inspires people to lead greener lives through creative content.
Before this, she worked as the Development Manager at Social Innovation Camp, an organization that encourages people to use web and mobile-based technology to mobilise social change. She oversaw 300 ideas submission and helped build 20 prototypes – five of which have gone on to get further funding or investment.
Katherine’s came over to the UK form Canada in 2007 for an MSc program at the London School of Economics. Before arriving in London, she managed a small environmental start-up in Vancouver called the Canadian Climate Change Alliance.
Katherine is football mad. She is a loyal supporter of Arsenal FC, plays for Islington Borough Ladies FC and coaches for Gunners in Islington in her spare time. Her second favourite hobby is kite surfing and she can sometimes be found chasing the wind.
