How aeroponics could help to grow more trees

Trees are hugely important to our environment for two reasons: the first is carbon capture and the second is habitat creation. Trees can absorb and lock up carbon, preventing it from damaging our atmosphere. Over 1.5 million hectares of new woodland is needed to help reach our net zero carbon target by 2050 - that’s almost the size of Wales!

The UK has lost almost half of its biodiversity since the 1970s. This loss of habitat is mostly caused by commercial farming and construction. 72% of UK land is managed for agriculture, and only 8% of land is built on. The situation is also severe overseas - tropical forests contain at least half the world’s species, yet we are still clearing around 17 million hectares every year for agriculture and harvesting of timber. Forests are currently being lost globally at a rate 10x higher than any possible level of regrowth. 

And biodiversity is also strongly linked to carbon: the IPCC says a 1.5°C average rise may put 20-30% of species at risk of extinction. If the planet warms by more than 2°C, most ecosystems will struggle. 

In Britain, we are far more likely to achieve much needed habitat creation, than we are to offset our carbon footprint through tree planting - this is mostly because we can’t afford to sacrifice enough land for forestry when we have pressing food security issues. That is, we can’t give up agricultural land for forestry at present. However, tree planting projects are still massively important, especially if land that can’t otherwise be used for agriculture is used. 

How indoor farming technology can help: 

At LettUs Grow we use a technology called aeroponics to irrigate crops. It’s a soilless method of providing plant roots all the nutrients and water they need with a mist. This mist is created using ultrasonic technology - it uses far less water and fertiliser as well as zero pesticides.

Continue reading.

Photo Courtesy of LettUsGROW

Source: