JD Lightings, Inc: October 2011

Monday, October 24, 2011

Powerbox™ Compatible

The JD 1000watt and 600watt Ballast by JD-Lightings have been tested to be 100% compatible with Powerbox™ Light Controllers. Alongside the most popular digital ballasts, JD Ballasts are definitely climbing the charts to be the most dependable and affordable ballasts for consumers. With a 15 minute hot-start delay built-in, JD Ballasts will protect bulb life if your power ever goes out and will wait for the bulb to cool down before lighting again. The ballast runs cool, is light weight for its solid exterior, safe and is UL Listed. The dimming system can boost up to 110% or dim down to 50% depending on what you need to focus on when growing.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

TEDx Bermuda Conference

At the 2nd Annual Tedx Bermuda Conference (held on 10.15.11 at the Fairmont Southampton), Dickson Despommier spoke on how vertical farming is "a solution to feeding the world in the 21st century amid a pending food crisis". There is no doubt it can also help if a natural disaster struck our food supply. Jeff Masters, Co-Founder of The Weather Underground Blog, spoke about warnings in climate change such as stronger hurricanes, rising sea levels and flooding. One of the major problems he discussed was the three dams that separate the Mississippi River from the Atchafalaya River. The rise in warmer climate creates more moisture in our atmosphere, which also breeds heavier rainstorms. With flood heights continually breaking, devastation can hit local communities like New Orleans and near the river if flood plains are not up to date with climate change. Jeff Masters warns that if the Mississippi River switches, it will certainly affect us on a economic level where "60 per cent of US grain is exported down the Mississippi River on barges and if you lose that barge track it could shut down the US economy". To be prepared for such events, his solution is to buy out people who are in the flood plains and allow the river to expand more and not constrict it to such a narrow space during floods. Read more on Tedx Bermuda Conference highlights here.

Rooftop Urban Farming

Continuing on vertical farming above, CNN highlights how rooftop urban farming has taken root in New York City. Dickson Despommier and Gotham Greens are paving the road for us to adapt greenhouse hydroponics in our local cities. It's become prevalent that restaurants like Bell, Book and Candle are currently using rooftop vertical farming to grow their vegetables, pointing out their lettuce produces 25% faster with hydroponics than normal soil-base growing. In the hydroponic industry, innovation in products will help streamline sustainable ways for urban farmers to grow more easily.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Chipotle's "Back to the Start" Commercial

Shown above is Chipotle's recent release of their "Back to the Start" commercial (filmed by Johnny Kelly) and tells a story of a farmer who slowly transforms his family farm into an industrial animal factory. With the somber version of 'The Scientist' performed by Willie Nelson in the background, we see animals being genetically modified (growth hormones, antibiotics, fed with byproducts). We also see the environmental impacts of water, soil and air pollution as our food is transported to far away places. At the turning point of his faults, the farmer chooses to find better ways to run his farm including giving animals more space and access to the outdoors, organically feeding them, and delivering our food locally.

Amazingly, this short film illustrates the impacts of our food industry today. GMO or Genetically Modified Organisms are "plants or animals, whose DNA has been altered... these products have undergone only short term testing to determine their effects on humans and the environment" (Helpguide.org). The term "Organic" really means the way agricultural products are grown and processed and how it relates back to food safety, nutrition and sustainability. Chipotle's new campaign highlights how we can transform back to a more sustainable future with their vision of Food with Integrity. Find out more on Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle and their campaign here.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Underground Life

LED lighting for indoor gardening has become increasingly popular and Plant Lab in Den Bosch, Netherlands is taking it to the next level using LED lighting with zero natural sunlight. Their growing rooms consist of exact controlled climate for each plant using a specific Plant-ID. Red and blue light is used for photosynthesis and far-red (a light only visible to plants) creates their 'plant paradise' where no pesticides are used. However, they do depend on air conditioning to help them control the excess heat from the lights.

PlantLab is on the dot when they state that "an average kilogram of tomatoes travels an average of 1,300 miles from growing area to store shelf. It’s ridiculous" - theworld.org As the food supply transportation system continues with air pollution and that lingering thought in your head of where your food really comes from in our urban setting (cue in Mark Zuckerberg's personal challenge), the need for local urban farmers only grows. On a larger note, with China's limited soil space for food development, they will have to keep a lookout for new innovation in the indoor growing community. Plant Lab is three stories underground which makes them the 'the world’s first and perhaps only “up-side-down” vertical farm.' (Urban 360)

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Vertical Farming in 2011

Vertical Farming has taken flight. In Dr. Dickson Despommier's "The Vertical Farm", his book demonstrated the idea on a grander scale of greenhouse skyscrapers growing hydroponically and aquaponically designed to be adapted by urban settings. The goal was to attain a more sustainable way to live by growing food locally and provide fresher, more affordable produce. It would empower impoverished cities and help solve the food crisis, cut down on air pollution from less food transportation, allow gradual repair on abandoned farmlands, create more jobs in local cities, and greatly reduce our carbon footprint. The idea has truly come out of the stage of conceptualization and into the production phase as Dr. Despommier comments, "Vertical farming has now moved from the “crazy idea” stage...to construction of functional prototypes in just eleven short years". - Dr. Despommier

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All eyes are on new vertical farming projects this year and this is our favorite so far:

The Plant Chicago

The Plant Chicago (Chicago, IL) - Located at the Stockyards Industrial Corridor, Director John Edel is the owner and developer of the Chicago Sustainable Manufacturing Center. This building was the heart of the old meat packing industry during 1865-1944. Along with his team and local community efforts, the Peer Foods building has been reconstructed into a self-sustaining food production non-profit organization. They plant itself runs on a net-zero energy system where no waste leaves the plant. Through anaerobic digestion by combining a heat and power system, waste is consumed and produced into methane, which is burned to create 300 kWh of electricity to self-sustain the heat and cooling system of the building. Through a closed-loop growing system using aquaponics, the symbiotic relationship of plant and fish will create its own ecosystem. Inside, the fish and plants will be sold at local food markets and restaurants, vertical farming will produce organic produce for locals (SkyyGreens), with a beer brewery (New Chicago Brewing Company), and a fermented tea/kombucha brewery (The Living Well Brewery, LLC). The Plant also includes an aquaponic design and management center for urban agriculture (312 Aquaponics) and a red worm supplier for your local compost (Windy City Worms) with more to come for sure.

What an eye-opening, amazing feeling to see this project come to life as they document their case study on The Plant Blog. When they won $1.5 million in grant funds for Renewable Energy System from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, we felt like we were there with them! The help of community efforts and the goal for self sustainable food production will definitely be a model for urban cities alike. Hint Hint Los Angeles, you're next. We are definitely headed in the right direction with Foodprint Project. Let's keep it going LA, we will be keeping our eyes out for upcoming projects.