Thierry Vrain retired 10 years ago after a long career as a soil biologist and ended head of a department of molecular biology running his own research program to engineer nematode resistance genes in crops. In his retirement career as a gardener he learned five or six years ago how the soil ecosystem really functions and have been preaching ever since. He find himself with a good knowledge of genetic engineering technologies surrounded by people in fear of being hurt by the food they eat. He found that he cannot ignore them anymore and has joined the campaign to educate consumers about the potential health problems reported in the recent scientific literature.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)
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The Future of Vertical Farming: Sustainable Gardens, Sustainable Agriculture

As the cities continue to grow significantly through the years, the need for a more sustainable solution to our food problems is necessary.

Vertical farming of z-farming could be the next step in agricultural evolution, in where inside the cities we could find crops, grow food and find fresh vegetables for our needs. This could also cause a mayor reduction in the food prices, because of the lower transportation and keeping costs.

There are many ways one can install vertical crops or start vertical farming. Ideas like hydroponics or the use of fish to auto sustain crops, are ways in which one can start the urban agriculture.

The advantages are immense and so does the possibilities to create a much better and eco-friendly world with the creation, implementation and use of sustainable agriculture.

For more information visit:
What is Hydroponics?: http://www.simplyhydro.com/whatis.htm
Hydroponics for Beginners: http://www.instructables.com/id/Hydroponics—at-Home-and-for-Beginners/
The Vertical Farm: http://www.verticalfarm.com/
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The Gene Revolution, The Future of Agriculture: Dr. Thierry Vrain at TEDxComoxValley

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27 Comments

  • tralnok

    The Gene Revolution is as disgusting an idea and method as is The Green Revolution. Criminal in every way and a complete violation of all normal and natural biology and microbiology. Real science works WITH NATURE, not against it in full out war with synthetic and very deadly chemicals and Frankenfoods filled with genetic material, that neither we, nor anything on the planet, have any built in defense mechanisms to fight any of it.
    I am an old pro organic landscaper and gardener, and, I learned ages ago, it all begins with healthy soil. Every single commercial or home and yard synthetic chemical, wrecks natural soil health from the first application. Miracle Gro, to Scott's Weed and Feed, to highly deadly and poisonous, Glysophate, Chlorpyrifos, Diazinon, Malation, synthetic fertilizers and on and on. Not one of those things do a single beneficial thing. They kill, from the very smallest of fungi to us and throughout the entire food chain and ecosystem.
    How the total failure of industrialized agriculture happened on a global scale: 1, Deforestation, 2, eradication [or trying to] of all native plant, animal and insect life, 3, monoculture, as there is nothing of the sort in Nature. Complete collapse of crop yields and quality and environment, are built right into the existing greed and control based agriculture. Finally, 4, The use of stronger and stronger over time of fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides and adding GMO death crops, is only a quick fix stop gap measure to make up for the damage of years of heavy environmental abuse.

  • Earl Leonard

    For a guy who would have had to have written quite a few essays and papers in his life, he hasn't learned how to construct a cohesive, flowing, progressive argument very well, has he? Doesn't introduce his topic or what argument he's trying to make, doesn't conect hia points…just kind of talks about one thing a bit, then another only thinny related thing, then something else entirely, then back to the first thing…It's as if he was only asked to do a talk like a couple of days beforehand and just quickly cobbled together some slides and a few anecdotes.

  • Denis Brown

    Let me draw you a parallel for the layman to understand in terms that you can get your head around.

    The gene revolution is nothing less than opening up "Pandora's Box" into the unknown. It's exactly what we are doing across the face of science even CERN are crossing barriers into the unknown.

    But don't let me detract . Imagine for one second that you are the Creator – or as others refer to as God. You decide you are going to play with your lego this morning and you put together the DNA strand. You had a lot of fun doing it as you have created something.

    Then one day in the future the very thing you created decides that you didn't create it terribly well and it's flawed, so they decided to undo your lego blocks and put it right taking out the blocks that didn't need to be there, and removing the flaws… Sounds good, it sounds like the apprentice is learning from the Master and now is reached a stage where he is showing the master what he can do.

    There is only one problem in all of this, firstly we are making a grave assumption that we have all the science and knowledge to do this, and that is where we are flawed. Who is to say we aren't missing a key component in understanding that makes us flawed and worse still we will introduce our own flaws in our own attempt in creativeness.

    If for argument sake God is all knowing all balanced both from the thinking , physical and spiritual realm surely he's ahead of us by a long chalk. Not that I want to give God credit but when you look at the planet it's pretty amazing and then when you look at what we've done hmm. It says it all really.

  • MrChristopherGuest

    The interesting thing about superweeds is that it shows that we didn't need to put genes from other species into plants to get herbicide resistance. So you have to ask, what's the point?

  • acpitw

    The key point is at 13:40

    Genetic Engineering treats the DNA as a static, single dimensional thing that you just snip/stich in the gene you want and as long as the end result appears to be ok. However, as stated in the video, we don't even yet know what a large portion of the DNA is there for (biotech firms treat it as "background noise"?).

    How do we know that when gene #2048 is present, then genes #71904 needs to be actived 5% of the time for protein #13497 and gene #1349032 39% of the time for all proteins it encodes (except protein #29105 if gene #1744 has been activated at least once), but only if gene #39490 is present and gene #9805 is not present and/or gene #7307200 has been activated in the production of protein #493990.

    Of course, the companies that own the patents only care about getting the green light and so do all the big brands you buy all the time. Their only question is: has it cleared FDA?

  • Ono Jin

    Seems to be the same problem with MRSA & Jurassic Park- life finds a way. As soon as we start to interfere in the natural order fundamentally, altering the genetic makeup of organisms or forcing them to evolve by exposing them to our solutions to their existence, the natural order responds accordingly, in a way that ensures survival. Some people call this phenomena "evolution" & it is believed to have been occurring for billions of years. If we try to create something resistant to the rigors of living processes, other forms of life, we also succeed in creating something that is harder to resist by traditional methods. This would seem to be a self-perpetuating cycle, one that removes us completely from the natural order with ever more resistant varieties of life that threaten our ever more synthetic solutions.

  • 123abcbruce

    It is odd that Organic products have to be labelled and certified when they are the more natural method.

    It could just be called growing food and it would be exactly the same thing.  It is, after all, what I do in my own backyard!

    Yet, using pesticides, GMO's, using fossil based fertilizers, which is the less natural way of growing food doesn't need labeling.

    So people have to be told that something is grown more naturally but GMO's don't have to be labelled?

    The lack of transparency is just another reason why I don't want to support the GMO industry.

    Sure labeling GMO's may loose some market share, but stand up, be honest and stand behind your product.  That's the kind of industry I want to support.
    —–
    In a few years the Arctic apple will come on the market.  IT will be obvious to everyone by the name.  Those that want it will buy it and those that don't won't.  That's how GMO marketing should be done!

    Thank you Canada!

  • Greg Gasiorowski

    Retirement seems to have been a good option for this guy, anyone who incessantly speaks of biotechnology as "magic" may have missed their calling in life, perhaps being a priest or mystic alchemist might have been a better path to have taken. 😀  

  • Tony Davies

    Unfortunately he is wrong on many of his claims. Just one example –there is no evidence that GM genes move from the food to your bacteria in your gut. And even if he was correct then this is what happens when you eat anything.  GM genes are nearly always in the environmental in any case. Bt genes are naturally in food in the form of bacteria.  This person is an ignorant man who hasn't really educated himself. That is what ignorant means – not educated about what you are talking about.

    Activists often assume that GM genes are innately dangerous. The opposite is true – they are innately not plus they have been tested the most of any genes we eat.

  • Cary Howe

    Roof top and vertical growing systems are part of the solution but there's no magic bullet and we need to use every method to raise food. Reducing water and transport are two of the most important reasons. The ugly truth is we should have been doing all of this back in the 80s. We have to embrace these technologies but it's too late to avoid the crisis to come.

    One thing, we don't need GMO crops to save us. 90% or more of the GMOs are bred so farmers can use more herbicides and pesticides which are making the problems worst. There are already thousands of types of rice, potatoes, corn and tomatoes. There are varieties adapted to most any climate and are disease and pest resistant. What they aren't is patented by Monsanto so we are sold on how vital patented seeds are. Monstanto's goal isn't feeding the world it's controlling the world's food supply and they nearly do already. If you grow and consume locally you don't have to make tomatoes feel and taste like a tennis ball.

    There are plenty of solutions. We do things the way we do them because they maximize profits and the average person doesn't care where their food comes from.

  • Abrar Sheikh

    I am developing a commercial project for VF in Saudi Arabia and at this stage I am interested to find technology partners, turn key solution providers and proven outcomes. Kindly share with me any information that might be helpful for us to make right decision in selection of our partners and vendors. (mabrarsheikh@gmail.com)

  • Huni Buni

    Great, accept the GE aspect of the plan is a big problem if these crops are supposed to be nutritious, strong and healthy. If the system will not grow natural crops properly, then that is a sign of a flaw in the system and not a flaw in the plant.

  • krrrruptidsoless

    Aren't there projects like this already started. And there is a rotisserie style of growing cage that can grow lettuce in extremely shortened amount of time. The "future" is robotic hydroponic/aquaponics warehouses/buildings powered by magnetic propulsion engines. And fiber optic lighting. How about sun reflected indoor lighting. Having mirrors power angled with the moving sun. Surely small servos needed to move the mirrors a few times a day would significantly be less than lighting and the wires needed for it. Not to mention the heating that reflective mirrors could contribute along with using them for their energy.

  • Paul Goodlett

    I'm in the fund seeking stage of a project using vertical growing to produce crops at a
    rate of efficiency to attract private funding. Any idea's?…..gr8jamaicanproduce@gmail.com

  • Mohammad Arifur Rahman

    I Mohammad Arifur Rahman from Bangladesh. Am interested to doing that kinds of project in Bangladesh but I have no Idea about that. How can i get the proper Idea about the same..

  • Nick Begley

    I am a University of Washington student, I am very interested in urban/vertical farming. I have been doing research on hydroponic growing for the last year or so and plan on continuing to advocate for sustainable agriculture policy with my MA in Environmental policy. I would love to carry on the conversation. Thank you for the post
    LinkedIN: Nick Begley or
    Twitter: @bicnegley

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