Urban agriculture, build it up!

[Tonington]

This isn't the first I've heard of this, but Dr. Dickson Despommier of Columbia has been working at this project for 6 years now. It's kinda like a biosphere project and he has received interest allready from countries like the Netherlands and Dubai.

As population growth continues to explode, more innovative practices will need to be employed to deliver clean drinking water and food. Dr. Despommier even hopes this concept could one day develop into a net energy and resource exporter.

http://nymag.com/news/features/30020/

There are 5 pages or so with some drawings detailing the concept. Very interesting stuff.

 

[youwho]

The only real answer is fewer people.

 

[s243a]

I think if we have large populations in the future then yes we will need to build a lot of indoor green space. Canada is pretty sparsely populated though and has a lot of room for parks and trees. The only real exception it Toronto. However Toronto is no where near the population density of a city like Tokyo. It is the Japanese that really need this and perhaps they are adding indoor green space. I know in Japan they are building a building so big it is almost like its own city. The United Arab Emeritus Certainly have indoor spaces that are like outdoors. For instance they have an indoor ski hill.

 

[hermanntrude]

The only real answer is fewer people.

Is that really a real answer, though? population cntrol doesnt seem to work.

 

[karrie]

Very neat article Tonington. Thanks. I don't have anything directly relevent to share, but it made me think of conversations hubby and I were having today.

Hubby and I were sitting out on our expansive back deck, staring out over our huge yard overlooking the river today... enjoying it before we have to say 'farewell', and it got us discussing life in a congested city setting. We were talking about yard and deck design, and ways to plan our back yard so that it's an extra living space, doesn't contain any lawn (running mowers to maintain lawn seems a waste of fuel in this day and age), and can bear fruit, so to speak. Ways of making it ecofriendly and hopefully productive with some tomatoes and carrots and such, seems like a more ecofriendly plan than planting entirely lawn and relying on someone else to feed us.

 

[Tonington]

Very neat article Tonington. Thanks. I don't have anything directly relevent to share, but it made me think of conversations hubby and I were having today.

Hubby and I were sitting out on our expansive back deck, staring out over our huge yard overlooking the river today... enjoying it before we have to say 'farewell', and it got us discussing life in a congested city setting. We were talking about yard and deck design, and ways to plan our back yard so that it's an extra living space, doesn't contain any lawn (running mowers to maintain lawn seems a waste of fuel in this day and age), and can bear fruit, so to speak. Ways of making it ecofriendly and hopefully productive with some tomatoes and carrots and such, seems like a more ecofriendly plan than planting entirely lawn and relying on someone else to feed us.

Have you considered rock gardens, I don't know what growing zone you'll be moving into, but perhaps some alpine plants could grow there.

We have a rock garden on my campus, in fact the campus is engineered to have growing zones typically not found in Nova Scotia.

Heres a pic of the rock garden

 

[karrie]

Have you considered rock gardens, I don't know what growing zone you'll be moving into, but perhaps some alpine plants could grow there.

We have a rock garden on my campus, in fact the campus is engineered to have growing zones typically not found in Nova Scotia.

That's gorgeous. A rock garden feel, with raised growing beds, is what we'll likely end up doing, with a multi-level deck against the house.
Hubby has some neat deck design books with all sorts of funky ideas. We're even batting around design ideas to incorporate clothes drying racks into our privacy screens. lol. An outdoor kitchen, lots of hanging planters for tomatoes, lettuces, edible flowers. We're hoping to try our hand at really making it a useful area. Mind you, we can't remember just how big the yard is, so we'll see when we get there, just what we're working with. lol.

 

[hermanntrude]

I saw a documentary about a guy who said that all buildings in cities should have grass and weeds on their roofs so as to encourage clean air and insect diversity

 

[karrie]

I saw a documentary about a guy who said that all buildings in cities should have grass and weeds on their roofs so as to encourage clean air and insect diversity

One of my pet peeves is the lack of trees. It's one of the first things we do, plant trees. My yard here has over 30 trees in it, and it's only about the size of two big city lots. My new yard in Edmonton, I don't think it has a single tree in it.

 

[Tonington]

I saw a documentary about a guy who said that all buildings in cities should have grass and weeds on their roofs so as to encourage clean air and insect diversity

I think I saw that, at least something similar. Some buildings in Chicago I believe. The same program talked about painting the roof of houses white to cut down on heat and air conditioner use.

 

[Tonington]

That's gorgeous. A rock garden feel, with raised growing beds, is what we'll likely end up doing, with a multi-level deck against the house.
Hubby has some neat deck design books with all sorts of funky ideas. We're even batting around design ideas to incorporate clothes drying racks into our privacy screens. lol. An outdoor kitchen, lots of hanging planters for tomatoes, lettuces, edible flowers. We're hoping to try our hand at really making it a useful area. Mind you, we can't remember just how big the yard is, so we'll see when we get there, just what we're working with. lol.

There is lots you can do, a good imagination and a couple good books can really help. Your plan sounds very nice, I'd love to see some pictures when it's finished:smile:

 

[karrie]

There is lots you can do, a good imagination and a couple good books can really help. Your plan sounds very nice, I'd love to see some pictures when it's finished:smile:

ha... in a couple years, if we're both still around cancon, I'll send you pics. Chances are it will be a long, drawn out project. lol.

 

[Tonington]

True, perhaps I'm a little hasty

 

[karrie]

True, perhaps I'm a little hasty

Typical male. ;-)

 

[Toro]

I really don't think you need to be encouraging grow-ops.