For many of us in cities, the ability to have a substantial garden and grow real organic vegetables is a joy that we don't have the opportunity to experience. Whether it is a lack of light or space, or the inability to find a product that looks good in your apartment, there always seems to be an obstacle to finding a true urban gardening solution.
For many of us in cities, the ability to have a substantial garden and grow real organic vegetables is a joy that we don't have the opportunity to experience. Whether it is a lack of light or space, or the inability to find a product that looks good in your apartment, there always seems to be an obstacle to finding a true urban gardening solution. We set out to create the garden of the future that would thrive no matter how small or dark the space.
It all started when we learned more about the chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in conventional farming, and we wanted to take food production into our own hands. We realized that aquaponics—a system that uses the natural, symbiotic relationship between fish and plants to grow produce—could be the answer.
After trying aquaponics himself, one of our co-founders, Ben-Yam Barshi, was inspired to build several large aquaponic projects in regions of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, where lack of rainfall and harsh environmental conditions make it difficult for agricultural practices to flourish. Barshi's childhood friend and Aqualibrium co-founder Josh Rittenberg saw what Ben-Yam was doing and wanted to have the same system in his own house—and realized others would want it, too.
Inspired by sci-fi and the design visions of world renowned futurist Jacque Fresco, we created a beautiful indoor system that can grow a substantial amount of fresh vegetables, herbs, and flowering plants.
The Aqualibrium Garden is a four-foot by two-foot closed-loop ecosystem that empowers people with the freedom to grow food sustainably year-round. While the garden is designed for use as an aquaponic system (utilizing the natural symbiotic relationship between fish and plants to grow produce) it has the capacity to function as a hydroponic system as well.
The garden is comprised of two main parts—the bottom half features a 13-gallon aquarium, while the top half serves as a garden offering two square feet of grow space. Made of durable, scratch-resistant, clear plastic, each garden is easy to assemble and requires little maintenance. It truly brings a bit of nature into the home.
We are trying to change the way people think about sustainability and green products. Our mission is to deliver a perpetual source of organic food for all people—one system at a time.
Please support our Kickstarter Campaign and check out our Facebook page for more info: facebook.com/gardensofthefuture.
This project is part of GOOD's series Push for Good—our guide to crowdsourcing creative progress.
Images courtesy of Aqualibrium
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