Monthly Archives: September 2016

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Urban Farms Do It Better

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Learning about aquaponics in class led to a heated debate about its application and benefit in an urban atmosphere. Many people in the class questioned who would spend the money on these indoor systems and even have the space to begin growing their own greens. Turning to GOOGLE, an urban agriculture search automatically introduced me to the words “vertical farming.” To my surprise, all the articles were fairly recent so this signaled to me that some of my classmates and I had been missing out. One article I had read discussed an indoor farm in Newark, New Jersey – so close to home!

The Jersey restaurant owner of Mompou, Steven Yglesias, began to use greens from AeroFarms. AeroFarms is a vertical farming company which began in 2014. Yglesias describes the greens to have a special and fresher “flavor profile.” This description alerted me because I realized that I seem to ignore or forget the fact that most of the groceries we get at the supermarket have been genetically modified or tampered. However, better taste and appearance was just the beginning. Studying the effects of varying fertilizer, light, and growing times is allowing growers to increase crop nutrient absorption rates. So, these crops are also better for us than their traditionally grown alternatives!

AeroFarms is able to harvest up to 30 times a year due to shorter growing times and grow 75 times more crops per square foot compared to traditional farming, while using 95% less water. Without soil or sunlight, LED lighted vertical gardens grow many leafy greens like kale, spinach, lettuces, and arugula. This system is producing crops in greater numbers more efficiently. Finding fresh food in your area may not be as difficult to find or as pricey as it used to be with an indoor farming system.

AeroFarms Vertical Farming
AeroFarms Vertical Farming

Experimentation is being conducted to produce tomatoes, cucumbers, spices, and berries. There is no telling how far these indoor farms can go, but their progress has proven to be advancing the agricultural world and giving our urban neighborhoods the chance to enjoy what once seemed like a rural luxury. I, for one, am impressed and all for indoor farming!

The article mentioned is cited below:

Gorce, Tammy La. “How Does This Garden Grow? To the Ceiling.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 23 July 2016. Web. 22 Sept. 2016.

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Aquaponics in New York City

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The modern version of aquaponics has been developed fairly recently, and this system is increasingly being used. Within New York City, there are three aquaponic farms. The benefits of using this system to raise fish and grow edible greens is being recognized. Aquaponics allows the water to be reused, uses fish excrements as fertilizer and plant food instead of chemical fertilizers, and removes complications of using soil such as certain diseases and weeds. These are only a few of the benefits of using the aquaponics farming system.

Aquaponics may be a good system if it is carried out in a large-scale manner. For home uses, it is almost impossible. A good aquaponics system will require a green house, or a glassed in area that allows sunlight, and allows the temperature and humidity to be controlled. There needs to be a constant supply of energy to be used to control the temperature and to run the water. The farm needs to be supervised to make sure everything is running smoothly and safely.

With all of these complications, aquaponics is not meant to be used for home gardens. For commercial use, it may be a good choice, for the positives of aquaponics listed above. Observations also show that leafy greens grown in an aquaponics system grow faster. Aquaponics farms in the city also allow fresh vegetables to be sold within the city, as large traditional farms may not be possible. It is an alternate method, that can ultimately benefit the people of the city.

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Aquaponics and Zooarchaeology in Antigua & Barbuda

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Monica Saw-Aung: Blog Post 1
For most New York City residents, access to fresh food is just a short walk to the grocery store. We take the fruits and vegetables that line the aisles of our supermarkets for granted. Even if we don’t choose to eat these nutritious foods, we know that we have the option to do so.
For the inhabitants of Antigua and Barbuda, healthy food is a luxury. In 2011, the country spent EC$240 million – about $92 million in US dollars – on imported food, greatly outweighing local food production. Sanctions and diminishing ocean resources restrict the residents from fishing nearby, and the island suffers from a lack of fertile land due to housing construction waste and low water supply. This situation is especially dangerous for Antigua and Barbuda because it is a small island susceptible to hurricanes, droughts, and other natural disasters. Any shock to the system could interrupt shipments and leave the country vulnerable.

This is where the Barbuda Research Complex (BRC) comes in. Hailing from Brooklyn College, Dr. Sophia Perdikaris and her team combine the field work of zooarchaeology with the goal of food security.  Students interested in the program commit hours in the lab learning how to differentiate between species, rocks, and pottery shards. As a freshman, I had the pleasure of working in Dr. Perdikaris’ lab sieving and sorting through the excavation samples from the seaview location at Antigua and Barbuda. From a medical perspective, the hands-on experience offers insight into the anatomy and physiology of animals from snakes to land turtles. From an anthropological perspective, pottery burn and other artifacts allow researchers to glean information about past cultural practices. From a sustainability perspective, zooarchaeology helps form a better ecological profile of Antigua and Barbuda and builds the foundation for the Barbuda Aquaponics Facility next door to the BRC.

The Barbuda Aquaponics Facility breeds tilapia and grows edible plants. Using rainwater and local seeds, the facility focuses on agriculture without introducing potentially harmful invasive species. In the drought of March and April 2014, the facility was even able to continue operating with very little rainwater, producing lettuce and other leafy greens. Although the aquaponics grows enough to offer produce to local markets, the project is still being tweaked and refined to match the climate conditions. In the field of sustainability, aquaponics has so much more room to expand and help other communities like the ones in Antigua and Barbuda. I hope that the future brings more funding for facilities similar to the Barbuda Aquaponics Facility and more interest in local food production.

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Sources

http://infoagro.net/programas/seguridad/politicas/RegionCaribe/politica_antigua.pdf

http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/web/academics/international/opportunities/past/AntiguaBarbuda_Winter2016.php

http://barbudaresearchcomplex.weebly.com/aquaponics.html

Special thanks to Reaksha Persaud, the most enthusiastic and learnèd research supervisor I could have asked for.

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Causes and Effects of lead in drinking water

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Water is the basic necessity of life. Almost 75% percent of the human body is made up of water; thus the quality of water is unequivocally a major element in playing an imperative role in our good health.

Before the discovery of the adverse health hazards of lead to the human body it was utilized in the manufacturing of everyday household objects, just as aluminum and steel are used today in making cooking utensils. In fact, Lead pipes/waterworks were quite abundant up until the mid 20th century and are still present in numerous old buildings. This is a problem because the Lead from the pipe contaminates the water flowing through it, even though Under normal circumstances lead does not react with water, nevertheless when it makes contact with moist air, it’s reactivity escalates. This is represented in the following reaction:

2Pb(s)+ O2(g) + 2H2O(l) -> 2 Pb(OH)2(s)

This shows us the the lead reacts with the oxygen in air and water to form lead hydroxide, which is somewhat corrosive in nature and causes damage to the major organ systems of the human body. Another major source of lead contamination was mining; i.e. when silver or other ores were mined lead was a byproduct which usually contaminated the soil and in turn the water table when it rained or when mines near rivers were flooded.

Until recent years (in some cases it still is), lead had been widely used in paints as a pigment or as a base, this lead mixed in with the water table when it rained because the paint ran off with the water ultimately ending up in our drinking water supply. Conversely organic lead was also pragmatically used in petroleum products ending up as a major source of lead because as the fuel was used the lead was released into the atmosphere which in turn mixed in with the water table/drinking water when it rained.

Recent Studies have shown that Lead in drinking water reduces the IQ of the consumer especially in children below the age of six, furthermore; overexposure to lead can cause: colics, skin pigmentation, paralysis, lead poisoning, necrosis of neurons, axonal degeneration, demyelination, cerebral edema and congestion.

Asad Ilyas.

 

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Aquaponics in Brooklyn

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Aquaponics is a farming method that utilizes water from a fish tank to sustain and grow plants. The fish waste provides nutrients to the plants, and the plants filter the water that the fish live in. Although the aquaponic systems discussed in class were located in Hawaii, this method of farming is also ideal for cities. Several aquaponic farms have emerged in Brooklyn, including Verticulture, Edenworks, and OKO farms.

Verticulture Farms, located on a roof in Bedstuy, Brooklyn, focuses on agricultural sustainability through efficient technology. Their aquaponics system is environmentally conscious and allows for the conservation of natural resources. In addition to having environmental benefits, the farm also helps provide local communities with healthy, fresh food such as kale, basil, and tilapia. Powered by nearly 200 tilapia fish, the farm is able to produce 30 to 40 pounds of basil each week.

aquaponics

Like Verticulture Farms, Edenworks is also powered by tilapia, but on a much larger scale. The company is capable of producing 130,000 pounds of leafy greens a year, along with 50,000 pounds of fish. In addition to sustainability, aquaponic farming requires less space; Edenworks can produce nearly as much output as a 1,300-acre farm in central New York.

Oko Farms, located in Bushwick, also brings a high yield of vegetables to surrounding communities while also reducing pollution and fish consumption. This farm is the largest outdoor aquaponics system in New York City, supplying many local restaurants and institutions.

Sources:

http://www.okofarms.com/projects/

http://www.theverge.com/2016/6/15/11937882/verticulture-aquaponic-farm-brooklyn-fish-poop-fertilizer

http://www.ecowatch.com/3-aquaponic-farms-in-brooklyn-killing-it1891176412.html

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Green Roofs

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Coming from upstate New York, I am used to seeing green everywhere: from trees, to shrubs, to grass. However, coming to New York City for the past year, I have been disappointed with the lack of vegetation. To solve this problem and suggest an eco-friendly solution, I want mention green roofs which are plants grown on top of a rooftop. Green roofs combat the issue of population density in urban settings. In modern times, people are prioritized over plants which creates a lack of plant life in many cities, however, green roofs take advantage of this unused space above the residents’ roofs. In addition, these gardens reduce carbon emissions because they provide insulation in the winter and protect from solar heat in the summer, decreasing the amount of oil needed for heaters and air conditioners. Furthermore, these gardens help with the flooding problems in cities caused by a lack of drainage. The plants on the roof retain rainwater, make run off cleaner, and decrease total run off, taking a major stress off a weakness in infrastructure. The plethora of benefits combined with the nice touch of green the gardens offer should influence inhabitants and lawmakers of urban settings to further construct these structures.

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BioBlitz

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Hi class,

I will be coming in to your Friday class to distribute t-shirts and talk a little bit about what to expect from BioBlitz. If for some reason you have not already registered for your shift, you need to do so now as today is the final day of registration. Go the BioBlitz registration page now.

If for any reason you can not make your shift and need to switch, or there are no longer any shifts open that you can attend, you must email Lisa at bioblitz[at]macaulay.cuny.edu as soon as possible. In your email, please use the subject line “Shift Swap Your Name” (but you know, your actual name). Please only do this if you have a serious conflict with your shift.

Also please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns- my email is on the left sidebar of this page. See you all Friday.

Best,

Benjamin Haber