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The Benefits of Vertical Farming

Topics: Acre, Sustainable agriculture, Greenhouse Pages: 2 (640 words) Published: July 20, 2006
There have been many improvements in the farming industry. Indoor farming, like greenhouses have come along way in the past century. The constant need for food combined with the lack of sufficient land to grow food has increased the need for scientists to come up with modern advances in the farming business. With the growing need for land and the growing population scientists have come up with the idea of vertical farming. The idea of vertical farming is continually growing. According to Wikipedia online, the encyclopedic definition of vertical farming is a form of farming done in urban area high rises that utilize greenhouse growing methods and recycled resources year-round to grow crops. Using these Vertical Farms will allow the populations of the future to rely more on themselves and not depend on others so much. There are many beneficial advantages to vertical farming. (Wikipedia)

One advantage of vertical farming is that there is very little "land" that is needed. One indoor acre is equal to 4-6 outdoor acres or more, that is depending on the crop that is being grown. For instance, to grow a crop of strawberries indoors, one acre inside is equivalent to 30 acres outside. (VF) Instead of vast acres of land that would have been needed in greatly growing urban areas, there will be high rises full of many levels of different crops being grown. Also instead of going through all the trouble of building these high rises they will reactive and utilize existing buildings that are already within these urban areas, some that have long been used. Another interesting thing is that there is a projected walkway to be built under the high rise which they will have chambers underneath to release methane to a nearby power plant and sewage to a nearby sewage treatment plant. (Vertical Farm)

Another interesting but beneficial advantage to vertical farming is that it would bring so much to a growing urban area. For instance, if a vertical farm was built in an urban area it...

Cited: Despommier, Dickson. "The Vertical Farm Project @ VerticalFarm.Com." Vertical Farm. 2005. Environmental Health Science of Columbia University. 15 July 2006
"Vertical Farming." Wikipedia. 4 Apr. 2006. 17 July 2006 .
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