Bottom Line: Growing food on rooftops reduces your carbon footprint, saves money, builds local economies, and adds diversity to the environment.
Keith Agoada started Sky Vegetables in April 2008. At the time, his sustainable-urban-farming business plan had just won a competition at the University of Wisconsin School of Business. The concept takes advantage of the ‘fields' of flat rooftops found atop supermarkets by using that space to grow crops. Prototype ‘fields' would not look like conventional farming. Vegetables would be grown in greenhouses in a high density arrangement. Water needs would be supplemented by rain stored in tanks. Wind turbines and solar panels would supplement energy demands. Composting bins would provide rich soil. Right now, Mr. Agoada and his partners are looking to build a prototype on a Bay Area supermarket.
At the time Mr. Agoada wrote his business plan, oil prices were in $150/barrel range and salmonella scares were rippling through the marketplace. While oil prices may fluctuate, concerns about the costs of transporting vegetables thousands of miles are still legitimate. Greenhouse gas emissions do the same amount of harm whether oil costs $20 or $200. The negative impacts of petroleum based fertilizers, field hands receiving substandard wages, and genetically modified crops are additional problems associated with conventional farming practices. Sky Vegetables' business plan is a viable alternative to conventional farming practices. The public's willingness to consider novel alternatives to existing practices may be the best benchmark of how society evolves in a resource scarce world.
Take Action:
• Join the Roots of Change Network and follow their Action Menu.
• Plant an heirloom tomato (sunny location) or bell pepper (shady location) around May 1st, or Grow sprouts on top of your refrigerator for your own mini roof greenhouse garden. Visit Golden Nursery (650.348.5525) or Carlmont Nursery (650.591.6845) for vegetable starts.
• Contact Keith Agoada at keith@skyvegetables.com to develop your own rooftop garden.
Other Tags: Water Quality, Transportation, Energy Use, Ecological Footprint, Pesticide Use, Green Collar Jobs, Green Building, Community/Children's Health, Population Growth. , Keith Agoada, Sky Vegetables
Pic - computer rendering, www.skyvegetables.com
