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London Food Bank Is Going Greener With Greenhouse
CTV's Nick Paparella check in on the progress as the food bank aims to grow some of its own fresh produce for use during the winter months.
Nick Paparella CTV News London Reporter
Inside the London Food Bank's greenhouse in London, Ont. on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. (Nick Paparella / CTV News)
LONDON, ONT. -- The outdoors may be covered in a blanket of white in January, but at the London Food Bank these days everything seems to be coming up green.
After a year of planning and with donations from the community, the new greenhouse is bearing fruit - or in this case vegetables.
“This is what Londoners a few years ago wanted more than anything else, to donate funds towards fresh fruits, fresh produce and that's what they have done,” says Glen Pearson from the London Food Bank. “So we've just taken it to a different level so we can grow our own as well.”
The man with the green thumb here is horticulturalist Luis Reyes.
“A couple of weeks ago we received the heaters and since then you can see the growth in only a couple of weeks,” says Reyes.
Like many from the food bank, Reyes is passionate about helping those in need.
“I am a grower and that's what I like to do and now to do it directly to people makes me proud,” he says.
The greenhouse is expected to grow about 15,000 plants a year which amounts to about four tons of food.
“You're not going to get anything fresher than this in a supermarket,“ says Reyes. “So probably you're going to harvest today here and the people or clients are going to receive it tomorrow or the same day.”
In the winter months, they are growing cold-weather plants like lettuce, spinach and even kale, but once summer arrives they will switch to tomatoes, cucumbers and fruit-bearing plants.
Adds Pearson, “It just expands the nutrition we're able to give to other people.”
What Is Hydroponic Farming?
It is the process of growing crops with nutrient-rich water kept in contact with the plant roots without using soil. This process is touted to significantly reduce the risk of wastage and pollution that can harm the produce and cause diseases, making it popular to health-conscious consumers
Kemkar wants to make a difference through urban farming by introducing the technique of hydroponic farming to all so that they have access to grow their own vegetables at home.
Manjula Ramakrishnan, Gulf Today
The science of urban farming has become hugely popular in recent times and hydroponics is leading the way in this green revolution. Jui Kemkar, a passionate young entrepreneur with a quest to make a difference through urban farming co-founded Waves Enterprises with a vision to introduce the technique of hydroponic farming to all, such that they have access to grow their own vegetables at home.
“From residential balcony gardening, community farming, or indoor/outdoor commercial farming, hydroponic farming methods prove to be beneficial for all. Residential enthusiasts of hydroponics can grow herbs, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, cumbers, and even small plants or flowers in the comfort of their own homes,” explains Jui.
Jui’s impressive repertoire of work comprises humanitarian work in rural, urban farming projects in India and empowerment of women. It was when she moved from India to Dubai that she chose to promote hydroponic farming in order that healthy food supplies can either be grown by families in their own homes or produced by companies and supplied at affordable rates in the UAE.
Jui talks about her conviction that the future of farming lies in hydroponics.
What is hydroponic farming?
It is the process of growing crops with nutrient-rich water kept in contact with the plant roots without using soil. This process is touted to significantly reduce the risk of wastage and pollution that can harm the produce and cause diseases, making it popular to health-conscious consumers. This method saves up to 70 percent of water while allowing for a longer growing season and avoiding harmful chemicals.
Jui Kemkar, co-founder of Waves Enterprises.
How suitable is this for Middle East consumers?
The extreme climatic conditions and limited agricultural land availability in the Middle East makes hydroponic farming an excellent agro-solution as it increases farming capability. The absence of soil in the growing process makes it conducive for this method of growth to be used in an indoor or outdoor setting.
Can you explain the actual process behind this?
Plant growth happens through a combination of water, sunlight, carbon dioxide, and mineral nutrients. In traditional farming, these nutrients are derived from the soil. Through photosynthesis, plants transform light energy into chemical energy to form sugars that allow them to grow and sustain themselves. This is the basic premise behind hydroponics where all the elements required for plant growth are the same as with traditional soil-based gardening but only taking away the soil requirements, hence making it convenient to perform the farming process anywhere within a controlled environment.
What are the advantages of this kind of farming?
For one, plants can grow both indoor and outdoor and there is growth observed throughout the year. There is complete control over the nutrient balance with a proven technology that ensures high yield. Research shows that growth is faster with hydroponics and 70 percent less water is consumed in the farming process. No harmful contents enter the plant, as no soil or fertilizer or other harmful chemicals are used. The overall economy of a nation will benefit by promoting local farming and reducing the import of vegetables from other countries.
How affordable is this type of farming?
Residential setups are affordable and can be customized to individual budgets; however, commercial farms can be expensive depending on the extent of growth required. But despite the heavy investments for commercial set-ups, profits of up to 60 percent or more are visible in a short period of time. Profits will vary and depend largely on the type of crop cultivated. For example, due to low operational costs, green leafy vegetables yield more profits.
What kind of environment protection does this offer?
As global warming becomes a bigger issue for the world, there is a constant need for better ways to cut down on CO2 emissions to help the environment thrive. Perhaps one of the greatest ways countries can cut back on harmful greenhouse gasses is through examining how they produce and distribute their food supply. Hydroponic growing has numerous possibilities to produce larger, better-tasting vegetables. This method of growth uses less land, 70 percent less water, and minimum to no use of pesticides or herbicides.
Due to controlled growing environment, growth is possible in all types of climatic conditions. Dry and arid climates are not conducive to the growth of berries, bananas, and citrus fruits; however, one country was able to successfully adopt the hydroponic growing process on a large scale. The produce was grown in 40ft large containers and transported to consumer markets for sale.
What is the future of hydroponic farming?
Hydroponics is the fastest growing sector of agriculture, and it could very well dominate food production in the future. As population increases and agricultural land declines due to poor land management, people will turn to new technologies like hydroponics and vertical farming to create additional channels of crop production.
Piero Lissoni Designs Conceptual New York Skyscraper To Be "Self-Sufficient Garden-City"
Italian architect Piero Lissoni's studio has designed a conceptual skyscraper in New York as a self-contained community and vertical urban farm that would provide an example of living in the post-Covid era
Eleanor Gibson | 14 August 2020
Italian architect Piero Lissoni's studio has designed a conceptual skyscraper in New York as a self-contained community and vertical urban farm that would provide an example of living in the post-COVID era.
Lissoni Casal Ribeiro, the architecture arm of Lissoni's studio, imagine Skylines to be a self-sufficient skyscraper by providing its own energy and resources as well as facilities for occupants to live, like school, sports facilities and a hospital.
The studio said the idea of self-sufficiency within a building has become even more important in light of the global coronavirus pandemic in 2020.
"Covid-19 has made us reflect on how weak we are in the face of a pandemic and has served as a warning after the whole planet essentially closed down for three months, teaching us that the infrastructures of the future must also be imagined to take account of life in the possible event of another lockdown," said Lissoni Casal Ribeiro.
"The year 2020 and the arrival of a global pandemic have indeed highlighted our weaknesses and shortcomings at a structural level, causing us to devise new ways of thinking the city and the infrastructures."
Designed for an imaginary urban plot in New York City measuring 80 by 130 metres, the scheme uses geothermal energy and photovoltaic panels for power and would use a rainwater recovery system and water use management for water.
A curtain of steel cables would form the tapered structure and would hold up hanging garden platforms that run around a glazed tower in the centre.
According to the studio, the idea is that over time these platforms would be covered with trees and shrubs to create a "vertical urban forest".
"The equilibrium between the external and internal spaces gives life to a sort of self-sufficient garden-city," it said.
"A system that produces, optimises and recycles energy, a perfect microclimate that filters the air, absorbs carbon dioxide, produces humidity, reuses rainwater to irrigate the greenery, in addition to providing protection from the sun’s rays and the noise of the city."
Within the glass tower, the living spaces would be arranged vertically, with public and cultural activities on the lower levels and the soilless vegetable gardens and sports facilities above this.
Next would be the hospital "which is also immersed in greenery and well-equipped to face any health emergency".
Above this, there would be schools and a university and spaces for offices and co-working, which the studio argued would be an important part of the programme post-Covid.
Residences, meanwhile, are placed on the top floors to take advantage of the views.
Lissoni Casal Ribeiro designed Skylines for the international architecture competition Skyhive 2020 Skyscraper Challenge and received an honorable mention.
Lissoni founded his interdisciplinary practice Lissoni Associati in 1986. In recent years, he has become better known for his product design and interiors, working with a host of leading brands like Cappellini, Flos, Kartell, and B&B Italia.
His other architecture projects include a proposal for a submerged circular aquarium, which won a speculative competition for a site on New York's East River, and a curved residential building that will be built in Vancouver's new Oakridge community.
Project credits:
Design team: Piero Lissoni and Joao Silva with Fulvio Capsoni
Read more: Architecture Conceptual architecture Skyscrapers News Conceptual skyscrapers Piero Lissoni New York skyscrapers Coronavirus
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