The world’s population is expected to reach 9.7 billion people by the year 2050. The additional land needed to grow food for that many people will further exacerbate one of the biggest threats to wildlife – habitat loss. This means we need to find new ways to produce our food. What if, instead of expanding our cropland out, we expand up? That is exactly the theory behind vertical farming. This innovative approach to food production uses hydroponic technology to save not only land, but also water, energy, and chemical use. A related process – aquaponics – brings fish into the mix to create a closed system of nutrient cycling.
While the earliest example of vertical gardening may be the Hanging Gardens of Babylon all the way back in the 6th century, modern development of the technology began in the late 1920’s when Dr. William F. Gericke first coined the term “hydroponic” from the Greek hydro, meaning water, and ponos, meaning labor. Hydroponics is a system of growing plants without soil, instead using nutrient-rich water to do the work of supplying the plants with everything they need to grow. Eliminating soil means there are fewer problems with soil-born pests and diseases. Aquaponics incorporates an aquarium of living fish into the system. The aquarium water, along with the nitrogenous waste from the fish, is filtered through the plant roots, bringing nutrients to the plants and clean water and oxygen back into the fish’s aquarium, thus creating a harvest of both plants and meat.
The most beneficial application of this technology is to urban agriculture. Indoor, climate-controlled, vertical gardens can minimize transportation costs of produce to cities where approximately 80% of the citizens of the U.S. live. Hydroponic and aquaponic systems also save 90% of the water used in traditional agriculture because it never leaves the system; it is constantly recycled. While energy costs associated with the LED bulbs used to supply just the right wavelengths – red and blue lights which create a purplish hue that optimizes photosynthesis – are not insignificant, using renewable energy can offset this problem and food production can also take place year-round. Farming indoors also means there are no pests or weed problems and, hence, no need for toxic pesticides and herbicides.
Camille Boylan of Princeton University asserts, “Hydroponic farms offer a pathway towards a more sustainable food ethic that prioritizes the health of our food, bodies and environment without the heavy use of chemicals. Far from being a pipe-dream, hydroponic farming is already being rapidly integrated into current food networks.” Indeed, right here in our own Colorado there are a surprising number of farmers turning to hydroponics. Here is a list of producers in our area:
Fresh Greens Colorado in Pueblo - As part of Pueblo Diversified Industries, Fresh Greens Colorado grows a self-determined workforce to harvest premium fresh produce for the community’s table.
Infinite Harvest in Lakewood – this producer supplies several food markets in the Denver area and at Whole Foods Markets.
Edible Beats in Denver – this producer supplies produce to several restaurants in the Denver area.
Fresh Farms in Fort Collins – this producer operates a Farm Stand on Timberline Road from May – October.
Mountain Roots in Gunnison – more than just a farm, this producer invites people – children and adults – to learn about all kinds of farming and they also run a CSA.
EP Greens in Estes Park – you can find this producer selling microgreens and herbs at the Estes Park Farmers Market on Thursdays, at the Longmont Farmers Market on Saturdays, and at the Fort Collins Farmers Market on Sundays.
Emerge Aquaponics in Colorado Springs – closest to home, this producer operates a farm stand at 4135 Shroup Rd. in Colorado Springs every day from 8am – 7pm.
The future of farming will determine the future of biodiversity. As Hannah Ritchie of Our World in Data has found, “Habitat loss is the largest threat to biodiversity. Most of this loss is driven by agriculture. On our current path, researchers project that we’d need an extra 3.4 million km2 of cropland by 2050: an area the size of India and Germany combined. This would destroy habitats for hundreds if not thousands of species of mammals, birds and amphibians.” This month let’s try something new and support a local farmer. If you are out and about on a summer jaunt and find yourself in the neighborhood of one of these innovative growers, buy some lettuce, herbs, or microgreens and taste the future of farming. And if you want to dive in even deeper, you can purchase a grow tower of your own, like we did! Seedlings have already been started by our intrepid ZooALIVE teen volunteers and their fearless leader, Elissa Velasquez. Pretty soon our education animal ambassadors will be feasting on sustainable lettuce, endive, and arugula grown in a compact vertical garden from Zipgrow.
Stop on by the Discovery Room soon to see what sustainable farming looks like!
Anne Casey, Director of Education