When I have 6 years old, my parents decided it was time for our family to move into a large house. On their search for new abodes, one of their biggest criteria was to have a decent sized yard, because their dream was to have a garden where there was fresh produce which we would cook with. Living in that same house 12 years later, I look out at the once-promising yard, struck by the remnants of the garden we abandoned years ago. With the overwhelming amount of care required, along with North Carolina’s temperamental weather and vibrant bug population, it was infeasible for my parents to keep our garden thriving as we had wanted.
From what I have heard, my story is very similar to many others in the United States. The situation is even worse in urban cities, where there isn’t any land to grow crops at all. While there have been many attempts to solve this frequently occurring problem in cities, one of the more unique ideas has been the creation of an item called the Rotofarm. Marketed as a zero-gravity, hydroponic vegetable farm, this 11-inch circular contraption continuously rotates 360 degrees an hour in an attempt to train plant roots to grow laterally rather than downward. The point is to be able to grow fresh produce quickly in your own home, which is a significant issue for many people who live in cities. The product contains its own light and steam producer which works to create humidity within the Rotofarm and allows plants to grow quicker. Being indoors, caretakers don’t need to worry as much about pests and climate, which makes it significantly more sustainable. The technology has even been approved by NASA as a good alternative to farming. The best part is that it fits in with the flow of a modern household, it can simply be put up on your kitchen counter and won’t interfere with anything else in your life.
With the issue of food insecurity growing significantly in the United States, and the amount of urban development occurring, the use of a product such as the Rotofarm will most likely be inevitable. Likewise, with climate change becoming rampant and desires for policy change are increasing, one of the first issues to deal with is the amount of land being cleared for development. Rotofarm’s mission is to reduce deforestation and land clearing, reduce food wastage and individually wrapped plastic, and emphasize commercial refrigeration and transport. Hopefully, with the introduction of products such as this into the market, it will make the transition to a more sustainable planet possible and pave the way for similar revolutionary products.
Insider, WIRED. “How Rotofarm Is Changing the Sustainable Farming Landscape.” Wired, Conde Nast, 24 Sept. 2019, https://www.wired.com/brandlab/2019/09/rotofarm-changing-sustainable-farming-landscape/?intcid=polar&utm_source=polar&utm_medium=nativetile&mvt=i&mvn=9ae2329c2fc24673b9ed09290799f7df&mvp=NA-WIRE-11238836&mvl=Key-aside+[Verso+Article+Aside].