Logical Extension

External view of the 11.7 square meter Agri-Cube E garden factory From gizmag.com

So, this was pointed out to me over at gizmag.com. Daiwa House is producing the Agri-Cube, a technological marvel that takes the industrial food system to its logical conclusion. The Agri-Cube is a self-contained box that grows large amounts of hydroponic vegetables. Now, as nifty as the design work is, let me just point out one thing: it has optional solar panels that allow the Agri-Cube to store electricity to run its flourescent lamps. Check out the video....



This is the total abstraction of food from the environment.There is no dirt, no sunlight. The only thing that still has to come from nature is the seed. Sunlight, which has grown plants quite successfully forever, now is turned into electricity which is then converted into artificial sunlight.
That even I think this is cool is a perfect example of how insane our culture has become. Here, food growing has been de-linked completely from the natural world. This isn't like tunneling to extend the growing season. This is season-free. Everything is as controlled as a space station. And yet we've seen the decline in nutrient levels in vegetables from current techniques of industrial agriculture. What kind of vegetables will this spaceship grow? And Gaia help me, I really do think its cool.