Globally, over 8 million people fly every day, and the start and end point of every journey — whether for business or pleasure — is the airport. In 2016, many airports are trying to change perceptions about what experiences they can deliver. Nik Badminton, a Futurist focused on human and societal change, was asked by Vancouver International Airport (YVR) to envision an airport of the future, this is what he came up with:
Feeding the vegetarian public with vertical farms
Once through security, they are greeted by the centrepiece of YVR’s biodiversity and sustainability initiatives – a multi-story tubular structure made of glass. Inside this tower, workers nurture and cultivate fruit, vegetables and plants, adjust atmospheric controls and gather produce for the day.
A holographic YVR Storyteller is on hand to explain – “Welcome to our vertical farm. We use very little water in our hydroponic systems; the water we do use is collected from rainfall and the power we use is harnessed from the sun, via transparent solar panel windows that surround the Departures area. To supplement the vertical farm’s produce, we source fruit and vegetables from the finest growers here in the B.C.’s Lower Mainland.”
The fact is that we need to find more sustainable ways to grow food as the population grows. Hydroponic and aquaponic farming is on the rise and will become more commonplace in cities. This means more efficient ways of growing fruit and vegetables. And with over 12 million Canadians now choosing plant-based diets, we can see this being a sensible choice for creating an abundance of food for travelers. Vertical farming also means we can produce more in restricted spaces and these are truly amazing sights to see.