tech
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Credit: Petr Magera/Unsplash
Indoor farming's impact on the environment scrutinized amid tech advances
Amid rising environmental concerns, high-tech indoor farms present a paradox, offering water-efficient agriculture that heavily relies on energy from fossil fuels.
In short:
- High-tech greenhouses and vertical farms provide controlled environments for crops, potentially mitigating the impacts of climate change on agriculture.
- These systems use a significant amount of energy, mainly from burning fossil fuels, to create perfect growing conditions.
- The industry is growing, with an increase in greenhouse space and a notable market presence in some regions, despite the energy concerns.
Key quote:
"It's a lot of the same technologies you'd see in a building for human comfort, but being put to use for plants. There’s extraordinary water efficiency in these facilities, but energy is really the Achilles’ heel."
— Jennifer Amann, senior fellow at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
Why this matters:
One of the standout benefits of high-tech indoor farming is its remarkable water use efficiency. However, the energy demands of high-tech indoor farms can be substantial. Farms powered by renewable energy sources, like solar or wind, can offer a more sustainable alternative, significantly reducing the operation's carbon footprint.
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Photo by Hans-Jurgen Mager on Unsplash
As Churchill waits for ice, more polar bears come into town
Climate change and El Niño conditions have a unique consequence for northern communities: polar bears — the largest land predator on the planet — are encountering people more often as they follow their noses to find food.
Councilperson calls for change as Suncor keeps violating rules
When Colorado's largest polluter spewed gases into the air this weekend, the state warned people to stay inside. That kind of warning is rare, but the Suncor refinery in Commerce City emitting gases that could make people sick isn't.
U.S. Department of Agricu/Flickr/Public Domainhttps://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
Matt McIntosh: Farmers want to restore Ontario’s natural landscapes, but we can’t do it alone
As a sixth-generation farmer in Ontario’s Essex County, I know that the desire to restore wetlands and woodlands is real. But so are the barriers of time, money and political creativity.
Photo by Fábio Alves on Unsplash
Spanish scientists create a new type of hops so that climate change does not kill beer
A group of Spanish scientists made up of 11 agronomists, chemists and biotechnologists who are part of the Ekonoke startup, have managed to cultivate a new species of hops with the aim of saving the world’s beer.
Gerry/Flickr/Commercial use & mods allowedhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
‘See justice done’: Elder on major B.C. mining case
Gilaskamax (Allan Brown), 86, has been at the B.C. Supreme Court witnessing Gitxaała and Ehattesaht First Nations’ fight for changes to mining claims on their territories.
Martin Cathrae/Flickr/Commercial use & mods allowedhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Ontario just cut protections for farmland — again
Housing minister Steve Clark could get stronger, as the Ford government pushes to turn areas zoned for farms and industry into subdivisions.
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