http://suitablethoughts.blogspot.com/p/opinions-and-editorials.html
by Jerome J. Peloquin
Anne Thompson's story on NBC's Nightly News last Thursday presents an excellent practical demonstration of how a knowledge of life processes and a little innovation can produce major fundamental change. In this case, by using the natural relationship between plants and animals to help solve two of society's most pressing problems - the availability of wholesome, healthy food and the preservation of our increasingly fragile environment.
Recirculating aquaponics systems, or RAS, are closed-loop fish farming and hydroponics growing facilities that can help eliminate hunger while providing new jobs and helping to clean up our water and the environment. Food and Water Watch, a global watchdog agency touts RAS as a logical solution to food and water quality issues. In RAS, the fish effluent is filtered and bio-digested. The remaining nitrogen is used as fertilizer for a linked hydroponics greenhouse. No fertilizer is ever needed. RAS can grow a wide and continually expanding variety of seafood including tilapia, salmon, and trout, in addition to an equally growing number of vegetables such as Boston lettuce, tomato, and arugula. Shellfish like blue crabs, oysters, and shrimp can also be produced.
The potential societal, environmental, and economic benefits of commercial application of RAS are significant. RAS grows healthy quality fish and restaurant grade produce at a rate roughly twice that of similar in-ground methods. Hardly any water is consumed. Only water that is used for flushing or a small amount of water that evaporates is lost. Water is filtered, digested and over 90% is returned to the system. Since RAS is a closed system, no outside dangerous pathogens (either natural or man-made) can be accidentally introduced. RAS is an efficient, dependable, healthy, and secure food production method.
The demand for high quality local food provides a ready market at a premium price. A small commercially viable system measuring 150' X 50' can produce 15,000 lbs of healthy protein and a similar amount of restaurant quality vegetables annually. Since both fish and produce are locally grown, the time from live to table can be as little as 15 minutes. This maximizes both taste and nutrition.
Rather than grow all the food in a large facility and then transport it to consumers, as is present practice, a number of smaller systems like RAS can be strategically located to assure local availability and limit the need for transport logistics.
RAS is indeed the future of food. This is an idea whose time has come, just in time to help save this small green planet. Thanks, NBC, for helping to make it happen.
