Local food becomes even more local

Vertical farming is being called an excellent alternative to feeding much of the world’s booming population(another 3 bill by 2050). It seems hard to imagine but it also seems worth looking into.

Bringing world expansion from “out to up” seems very logical as land becomes scarce. Professor Dickson Despommier, of Columbia University, cites one of the positives as disease elimination from crops and less transportation measures. For example: There are studies that show nursing mothers having jet fuel in their breast milk. Could a more isolated environment cut certain risks?

One of the drawbacks would be is the need for power to grow the crops. Some levels would need artificial sunlight some of the feeding would be done by machines. It seems as if maybe a reduction on machine reliance could open jobs.

Already in Arizona, Eurofresh Farms, a 265-acre greenhouse in Arizona, has done well. There is still more research needed in hopes of cutting down electrical consumption to grow the plants


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21154137/