Sustainability is important to us here at Perfectly Fresh! and is the driving force behind everything we grow.
Developing more sustainable agricultural methods is more essential than ever, to help farmers adapt to the transforming climate. British agriculture is struggling due to several reasons, including: deteriorating soil health, higher CO2 emissions from imports and dwindling growing spaces.
“Factors including erosion and pollution have stripped the Earth of more than a third of its arable land since 1975, and some 43% of the global population lives in areas affected by land degradation.”1
Studies are suggestions that world crop yields are expected to decrease by 25% over the next 25 years due to climate change. Due to the ever-growing human population, food production needs to double to compensate for the growth.2
It’s clear that, without change, we’re heading into a potential food supply crisis.
That’s where vertical farming comes in.
Vertical farms provide a long-term solution for the future of food due to the innovative method of growing. Here are just some of the reasons why vertical farms are a big help towards creating a more sustainable food supply chain:
Some vertical farming uses up to 95% less water compared to conventional farming. Usually any water used is constantly recycled, to reduce any waste. In addition to this, at Perfectly Fresh! our plants don’t need to be washed before eating – saving even more water!
Growing produce in vertical layers instead of in one horizontal layer enables us to grow much more, in less space. Our footprint is tiny! Reducing land usage has several benefits, including helping the British countryside with soil recovery and rewilding. With less space needed, vertical farms can be built within more urban areas, freeing up the farmland to be used for more needed crops.
Seasonality isn’t an issue. Thanks to specially developed micro-climates using CEA technology, plants can be grown within our farms all year round. This removes the need for imports from other, warmer countries. Building more vertical farms also reduces the transport needs within the UK, and allows people to better support local businesses.
Food waste is a big issue, with around 37,000 tonnes of salad wasted from people’s homes each year in the UK! Our salad leaves are super crisp and fresh, with a longer shelf life thanks to the perfect growing conditions they’ve experienced, meaning they’ll add to more than a few weeknight dinners!
Learn more about Perfectly Fresh! Follow us as we continue our journey to Net Zero status. We’re always looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact.
Great read? You may also enjoy...
