EnviroIngenuity and The Grain Project
The EnviroIngenuity team is currently working with a 501(c)3 nonprofit called The Grain Project in Santa Ana, CA (www.grainproject.org), located in the heart of one of the “food deserts” identified by Michelle Obama. We are working together to design and develop a prototype urban vertical farm and curriculum to educate community youth ages 18-21 on the concept and benefits of urban vertical farming. We are developing an integrated plan that is easily scalable and can be applied to any community.
Our goal is to connect youth with the natural environment by increasing their understanding of sustainable agriculture, specifically vertical farming which encompasses many disciplines including alternative energy, biology, chemistry, water management, computer programming, and numerous other scientific processes incorporated within our AgroPOD.
The yield realized using our system is estimated to be at least 20X that of traditional agribusiness. For example, a 200 sq. ft. enclosure will produce over one acre of food, 24/7/365 in a temperature controlled and pesticide-free environment. When applied to larger applications such as small buildings, the productivity ratio really gets exciting, approaching 100X of traditional agribusiness, not to mention the environmental advantages.
We envision a team of trained youth consultants with veteran mentors, trained in vertical farming processes, which will take the AgroPOD on the road to schools, legislators and other communities and inspire a grass roots movement to get youth in other communities involved.
To support The Grain Project and allow youth to actually earn a job in this new field, we are working with workforce training partners to develop the required curriculum. We have also identified underutilized manufacturing capacity in Sothern California, where the AgroPODs can be built, creating more jobs for youth and veterans.
We believe in People, Planet and Profit.
Our process called HydroSynthesis meets several core criteria in driving our vision to build healthier communities: These include:
- Promoting Better Energy, Water and Land Use
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Supporting Healthy Youth Development Through Education and Entrepreneurship
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Assisting Neighborhoods and School Environments to Support Improved Health
and Healthy Behaviors - Creating Greater Food Security
- Connecting Health Improvements to Economic Development
- Narrowing Health and Opportunity Gaps for Underprivileged Youth
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Promoting Sustainable Business Practices
