Chemo #5

For chemo #5, I read an article about vertical farming. The article basically states, why and how the world has come about this method of crop growth. It is a great movement among large U.S. cities as it avoids the use of contaminated fields and the consequences of areas in drought. It has also come to my attention how much of a problem global warming truly is. People go on about some ideal strides to help fix this specific issue of global warming now. But did you know that you’re enlarging your carbon footprint by buying food from the grocery store?

Non-local food is food that needs to be transported a large distance to be sold in your grocery store. Your carbon footprint is enlarged since traveling all that food requires a lot of gas. Since the city of Ottawa is trying to be more eco-friendly, we’ve been trying to grow as much food locally, so a good consumption of our nutrition does not come from abroad and doesn't require it to travel as much.
Canada’s breadbasket (Prairies) is filled with rich soil, and it’s used to grow lots of grains which we can all eat locally.

Now, you may be thinking, "what about winter?" Crops are incredibly hard to grow during those cold times, especially during the Ottawa's harsh winters. However, after research, I was able to discover a new way of farming; which is called vertical farming. Vertical farming is basically plants being grown inside a tall, temperature-regulated building so they don’t take up too much land, and can ultimately be grown in winter which was a bigger issue for Canadians and their aspires in growing local foods.

"So, how does vertical farming work?" Well, to begin, plants are put in racks with comfortable space where they get to grow. In these racks, they are fed nutrients by soil-free systems, and are lighted by LEDs which substitute sunlight. However, natural sunlight is used whenever possible since it is a more efficient and healthier source for the plant.

Vertical farming is a good alternative, since it doesn’t rely on natural sunlight and only requires artificial/coloured lights to do the sun’s work and ultimately uses a lot less water. Another interesting part about vertical farming is the fact that it can be monitored from something as small as your phone! Being in the 21st century enhanced us to technology and we are now able to solve quicker issues with these tools.
People are also feeling good about vertical farming and proponents see it as a new way to feed our rapidly urbanising world. According to the UN, 86% of people in developed countries are expected to live in cities by 2050. Farmers, who should be able to protect their indoor plants from pests, will ensure that vertical farming will have no need for herbicides and pesticides. From reading this, it seems that if everyone involved in these farms plays their part properly and responsibly, that there can be no flaw to such farming and it can be done in an efficient manner. Now, my question to you guys is what can Ottawa, as a city, do to promote local growth? Will they have to announce the improvement on our carbon footprint?

Chemo #4

Fertilizer & the Environment

There are many different kinds of solutions, and many different factors that affect solubility such as temperature and energy. Depending if the  chemicals are soluble in water can affect how they interact with their environment. This is especially important when discussing pollution; different types of chemicals can pollute the environment in different ways, such physical pollution or water contamination.

For example, the use of fertilizer for lawns and agriculture has a detrimental impact on waterways. Nitrogen, which is one of the components of fertilizer, is extremely soluble, so it can leach downwards through the soil and contaminate groundwater. When there is an excess of nitrogen in water, an excess of algae and other sea plants grow. When these plants die, they begin to suck all the oxygen out of the water, and make it hard for fish and other organisms to survive. This results in things called “dead zones." Dead zones are massive stretches of water that contain no life, and are getting increasingly larger as agriculture grows. Water with over 10 parts per million nitrate-nitrogen can cause a disorder that inhibits the ability to use oxygen as infants

The interesting part about this whole thing is that recently in the U.S government has begun to push for the increased production of ethanol fuel, made of corn, in an attempt to cut down on greenhouse gases. However, the increased number of corn crops could increase the nitrogen pollution in water by up to 34%. Scientists have said that the only way to both increase ethanol fuel production while reducing nitrogen pollution would be for Americans to stop eating meat.

This is a bold statement—But the damage caused by fertilizer is too obvious to ignore. So what’s the next step? Is there a middle ground between having nitrogen pollution and greenhouse gases? Though it may seem bizarre now, at what level of environmental damage would banning the consumption of meat be a realistic and reasonable measure? How far is far enough to force a whole country to make such a dramatic lifestyle change?