Outdoor gardening is one way to enjoy fresh, local produce, but what if you don't have space for soil beds? Using hydroponics, it's easy to grow lots of edible plants in very small spaces all year round.
Windowfarms are vertical, hydroponic, modular, low-energy, high-yield edible window gardens built using low-impact or recycled local materials.
Hydroponic gardening uses no soil; rather, plant roots are suspended in specially formulated clay pellets and bathed with liquid nutrients. This keeps roots tightly compacted, which allows you to hang dozens of growing plants in a single window. You can build your own hydroponic garden using recycled materials or purchase a kit from Windowfarms, an organization that was featured at the recent World Maker Faire in New York.
Researchers have argued that to grow some of his own food is the most effective action an individual can take for environment, not only because of the food industry’s heavy carbon footprint but also because participating in agricultural production cultivates a valuable skill set around sustainability issues.
Many neighbourhoods (particularly low income ones) in cities around the world are considered food deserts, meaning little fresh food is easily accessible. Residents tend to consume processed, packaged, and canned food having depleted nutrients.
