Vertical Farming

[Dubh Aingeal]

The BBC is running a look at the potential for Vertical Farming in the Big Apple, a concept that promises to reduce the environmental impact of farming and increase the efficiency of food production by building multi-story farm complexes in urban areas. The vertical farm is envisioned as a self sustaining complex of greenhouses stacked on top of each other. More details can be found on the project web site.

[Destroit]

That's badass. I hope that becomes very commonplace, most people are not realizing that the shit that needs to be done to help the environment needs to be done NOW, or very very soon. If we don't, it may be too late. Also the fact that not only do these farms help the environment, but the point that they're even more efficient than normal farms is amazing. I think that should be encouraged along with rooftop gardens like they have over in Europe. Rooftop gardens are more scenic, in my opinion, private, space saving, and do a massive amount of good for our environment and cleaning all that pesky CO2 out of the air and giving us oxygen. At least we're trying to take a step in the right direction.

[Msterbeau]

Having production local to the population is awesome. It gives people the ability to get personally involved (If the want) while taking a big chunk out of transportation costs. The veggies are fresher too, since they don't take as long to get to market.

[Destroit]

Having production local to the population is awesome. It gives people the ability to get personally involved (If the want) while taking a big chunk out of transportation costs. The veggies are fresher too, since they don't take as long to get to market.

Wow, you is so smart, whereas I never ever even thought of that one. Very very good idea then, because it's production effective, environmentally effective and now cost effective. One of the reasons poor/low income families have a higher rate of obesity and health problems is because the food that is cheap is the fake-meat kind of stuff and the tv dinners with 26 grams of fat a pop that are chock full of preservatives and things our body really doesn't need. If veggies go down in price due to this new method of farming, then low income families will now have the option to eat healthy and watch their weight more effectively.

[Msterbeau]

Wow, you is so smart, whereas I never ever even thought of that one. Very very good idea then, because it's production effective, environmentally effective and now cost effective. One of the reasons poor/low income families have a higher rate of obesity and health problems is because the food that is cheap is the fake-meat kind of stuff and the tv dinners with 26 grams of fat a pop that are chock full of preservatives and things our body really doesn't need. If veggies go down in price due to this new method of farming, then low income families will now have the option to eat healthy and watch their weight more effectively.

Not sure the costs will go down a ton. Remember land costs more in the city then it does in rural areas. At least they would be using less fuel and there would be less pollution.

I really like that (at least as proposed) it's a very natural and environmentally friendly process. No pesticides or other chemicals. Recycling of water and unused urban spaces. (Imagine how much of this you could do in Detroit!!) And it's a lot more efficient per unit of land in terms of crop yield. Something they don't mention: In cities where there is high unemployment, this would be a natural (No pun intended) source of jobs. Part of the pay could be a small quantity of the produce for home consumption?

Cool idea....

[Destroit]

Hmm even so though, they wouldn't have to put it in heavily urban areas where the land value is astronomical, they could put it in the suburbs of the city or even slightly outside of that. It would take up less land than a traditional farm, so to me that would cut costs a little bit, I'd think. I dunno, like if they were going to put one here, if they put it in some place that's fairly close to the city yet far away enough for farms like, oh say, Armada or something, I could see it still cutting down a little on cost.

[Msterbeau]

It would work differently in different cities. Detroit has a lot of space in the heart of the city that could be used.. and is probably pretty cheap. Most other big cities wouldn't work like that.

[Destroit]

True dat, either way, still better than normal farming hands down.

[Dubh Aingeal]

It would work differently in different cities. Detroit has a lot of space in the heart of the city that could be used.. and is probably pretty cheap. Most other big cities wouldn't work like that.

Think of all the burned out, abandoned, crack houses, or factories that could be converted. Heck Detroit could become a farming community and still have that big city feel and noone whould be the wiser. And maybe they could clean it up enough that if it were nuked from orbit someone might actually be able to tell something happened.

[Msterbeau]

Think of all the burned out, abandoned, crack houses, or factories that could be converted. Heck Detroit could become a farming community and still have that big city feel and noone whould be the wiser. And maybe they could clean it up enough that if it were nuked from orbit someone might actually be able to tell something happened.

[ZhukovCodeslinger]

How many of you have actually farmed? There is a reason why we make illegals do that sort of thing for us... farming sucks. The farming in those buildings is going to be extra labor intensive (i did not once see them mention bees... so that means you have to pollinate by hand.

anyway... americans dont want to farm because the work sucks, you dont get paid all that much for the work you do, you smell like farm, and since it is a commodity, the return is not constant and is very hard to predict.

By the way... i grew up on a farm. I never thought I would like working in an office.... now I would never dream of trying to make a living on a farm.... did I mention how much farming sucks?

[Destroit]

How many of you have actually farmed? There is a reason why we make illegals do that sort of thing for us... farming sucks. The farming in those buildings is going to be extra labor intensive (i did not once see them mention bees... so that means you have to pollinate by hand.

anyway... americans dont want to farm because the work sucks, you dont get paid all that much for the work you do, you smell like farm, and since it is a commodity, the return is not constant and is very hard to predict.

By the way... i grew up on a farm. I never thought I would like working in an office.... now I would never dream of trying to make a living on a farm.... did I mention how much farming sucks?

We'll just throw some illegals and some bees in the vertical farm buildings and see what happens.

(waits to be flamed for comment lol)

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

I'm reading an artical in Pop-Sci about it... does that webpage you posted mention that it would cost about a 1 Billion dollars to build the first one? We wont be able to convert any existing building. The center of these things is a huge sewage treatment plant. You know, human shit, piss and what ever else you happen to flush.

Does it mention that not all plants do well growing inside? Does it mention all the genetic research that has to be done to get a diverse crop?

BTW.. they have no money to buld one. They are, at this time, looking for people to send them money and trying to get the Federal government to subsidize them, give them tax breaks and get the power companys to to give them special rates. If they get all of that... and a BILLION dollars.. they will build a prototype to see if it works.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

BTW... My first job was on a potatoe farm. 14 hour days with 20min for lunch @ 3.35per hour. Fuck farming.