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The Root of the Problem
Global food transportation contributes 3.0 gigatons of CO2 equivalent annually. Average food travels 1,500 - 2,500 miles from farm to consumer in the U.S. and globally.
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization warns we have only 60 years of harvests left if current soil degradation continues¹. We're losing topsoil 10x faster than nature can replace it, with the U.S. having already lost 50% of its topsoil in the last 150 years. Once degraded, it takes over 500 years to form just one inch of new topsoil naturally.
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Smart Control System: Our GreenThumb OS, accessible via iPad, puts the power of precision farming at your fingertips. Operators can monitor and adjust growing conditions in real-time, ensuring optimal plant health with user-friendly technology. It's like having a high-tech command center for your personal urban farm.
Harvesting Innovation
Our Urban Grow Pods are reimagining how we grow and distribute food
Advanced High-Pressure Aeroponics: We've taken hydroponics to new heights – literally. Our plants grow in air, their roots misted with a nutrient-rich solution. This method supercharges nutrient absorption, allowing plants to thrive on even less fertilizer than traditional methods. The result? Faster growth, higher yields, significantly less water usage, and a reduced nutrient footprint.
Modular Design: Whether you're feeding a family or a city, our pods scale to fit. Start small and grow big – just like our plants.
Artificial Ripening Processes
Ever wonder why store-bought tomatoes often lack that sun-ripened flavor? It's not your imagination – it's food miles at work. To survive long journeys, tomatoes are picked while green and firm. They're then artificially ripened using ethylene gas, a process that changes their color but can't replicate the complex flavor development and nutrient accumulation that occurs naturally on the vine.
The Price of Distance
Ever wondered why produce prices keep climbing? The culprit might be cruising down the highway. Long-distance food transportation racks up hefty fuel bills, while constant refrigeration keeps the meter running 24/7. In 2020, the U.S. spent approximately $160 billion on food transportation alone. These costs don't just disappear – they're passed on to you, the consumer, inflating prices at the checkout. For some fruits and vegetables, transportation can represent up to 50% of the total wholesale price.
Overuse of Chemicals
Your fruits and vegetables might be frequent flyers, but their in-flight meal isn't very appetizing. To survive long journeys, produce is often doused in a cocktail of pesticides and fungicides. These chemicals act as a suit of armor, protecting against pests and decay during transport. But this protection comes at a cost.
Residues from these chemicals can linger on your produce, raising concerns about potential health impacts from long-term exposure. Meanwhile, the environmental toll is steep. Pesticides and fungicides can contaminate soil and water sources, harming local ecosystems long after your apple has left the orchard.
Compromised Flavor and Nutrition
The supermarket standard, Waltham broccoli, is bred for uniform growth and long shelf life, surviving long-distance shipping but compromising on flavor and nutrients. In contrast, the farmer's market favorite, De Cicco broccoli, is prized for its superior taste, texture, and higher nutrient content, especially antioxidants. However, it has a shorter shelf life and is best enjoyed fresh.
Broader Environmental Impact
When your produce travels long distances, it leaves more than just tire tracks. Long-haul transportation and continuous refrigeration pump greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. To survive the journey, fruits and vegetables are often wrapped in excessive packaging and treated with preservatives, generating more waste. This cycle of shipping, cooling, and packaging not only contributes to air pollution and climate change but also depletes our natural resources.