The current population of planet Earth is seven billion and it just keeps growing. It is estimated that by the year 2050 it will reach well over 10 billion. Providing food and resources for this much people puts a tremendous strain on our delicate ecosystem. Agriculture requires ridiculous amounts of water and energy, not to mention the pollution and habitat loss.
So, what can we do about this problem? Most people feel that there isn’t much that they can do about this issue and that’s just the way things are. Well, most people are wrong and ill-informed. There is actually a solution that will benefit both our planet and our personal lifestyle as well. More and more people world wide are turning to urban farming. This way you can make your food as local as possible and decrease the large amounts of fuel spent on transport. Also, with urban farming you are making an efficient use of available space on rooftops, balconies, and so on. By growing your food near your home, you get the freshest seasonal produce that money can buy. Another great thing of adding greenery to urban environments is eliminating the heat island effect, increasing shading, and improving air quality.
Right now you are probably thinking “it’s easier said than done”, but it really is quite easy. I don’t know if you have heard, but today we are able to grow plants in space. Yeah, space, the final frontier and all that. Growing plants in cities is a walk in the park, literally! You don’t even have to worry about basic farming tasks such as watering. All you need to do is get a plastic self watering planter, some dirt, seeds of your own choice and you are good to go.
A plastic self watering planter is a great way to save time and precious water while making sure your plants will thrive. They are designed with two separate containers. The one on top is the planting container and the one at the bottom is the water reservoir. You can either fill the reservoir with water periodically or you can connect it to an automated irrigation system. Either way, since it is a closed water system, it will keep the soil moist and your plants healthy even in dry environments.
A fun fact is that this technology isn’t new at all, it is just a modern take on the Aztec’s floating gardens. They used to create floating plots for growing vegetables, herbs and fruits, with the use of aquatic weeds, mud and earth, and this type of self-watering gardens proved to be very efficient.
What kind of future awaits us and our children depends entirely on ourselves. So stop blaming everything on “the man” and start taking some action. You will be amazed by the rewarding feeling you get when you first reap the fruits of your labor.
