Imagine staring out over the observation deck of the Empire State
Building and seeing a greenhouse covered Manhattan skyline able to provide
fresh fish and produce for all of their buildings’ tenants. Thanks to the
technological breakthrough of Aquaponics, urban food sustainability might
actually be a reality.
Aquaponics is best explained as a closed system in which fish and
vegetable are able to thrive and mutually benefit one another, with the
vegetables utilizing the waste water of the fish and in turn delivering water
free of particulates back to the tank. Basically, by enabling the water supply
of fish to flow from the tank through the gravel bed of the adjacent garden,
the vegetables are both watered and fertilized, enabling the growth of produce
ranging from lettuce to tomatoes and limes. Furthermore, the required water
supply free of waste materials for the fish is delivered via the filtration
effects of the vegetables which enables the full maturation and harvesting of
delicious species such as Yellow Perch and Tilapia. This amazing Aquaponic
technology is already being deployed in building rooftops across the US and
Western Europe, encouraging urban food sustainability in the following 3 ways :
1. It’s self-contained – Unlike the traditional agricultural method of
crop or fish production requiring thousands of acres of land or huge tanks and
logistical support, the Aquaponic growth method requires little more than a
storage container size of available rooftop space. Additionally, the growth
system simply requires daily maintenance, a little electrical power, and labor,
enabling an apartment building or home to produce their own organic food and
fresh fish supply anywhere in the world.This method has the potential to
eliminate the environmental damage of topsoil run off and over-fishing and
promote long term urban food sustainability.
2. It’s affordable – As
previously stated, the cost of purchasing the land, equipment, and labor
resources necessary for commercial farms is extremely expensive and often
prohibitive to nations establishing their own urban food sustainability
programs. However, the start up cost of a Aquaponic system starts at only 3,000
dollars for a beginner package to 7,000 dollars for a package able to
significantly impact a family’s annual food costs. Furthermore, the
construction of a simple rooftop greenhouse is extremely cheap, and necessary
for both environmental protection and the maximum fish and produce yield of the
Aquaponic system.
3. It provides a source of income – As an added incentive, the market
for organic produce and fresh fish is in high demand and given the relatively
low start up costs of the technology and accompanying greenhouse, the Aquaponic
system can serve as a viable source of income. Even better, by forming a co-op
among buildings tenets for the construction of several Aquaponic greenhouses on
a roof top, the fresh fish and produce can be sold at local farmers markets and
to fish mongers, generating a passive source of income. Given the ability of
the Aquaponic technology to be deployed anywhere in the world, building tenets
from Manhattan to Moscow can enjoy the income generated from fresh, year-round
fish and produce which not only enriches the inhabitants wallets, but also
encourages urban food sustainability.
– Brian Turner
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