By implementing a windowfarm from evolving open source designs, inner city dwellers can grow their own food in their apartment or office windows throughout the year by means of these elegant, inexpensive, vertical, hydroponic vegetable gardens made from recycled materials or items available at the local hardware store.
The Environmental Case
The food industry is responsible for 1/3 of our nation's carbon footprint. Researchers have argued that to grow some of his own food is the most effective action an individual can take for environment. The windowfarms project makes a kitchen garden possible for everyone now.
The Case for People
Little fresh food is easily accessible in many low income neighborhoods around the world, where residents have access only to processed, packaged, and canned food with depleated nutrients. Few other projects provide the public opportunities for such direct personal involvement in environmental movement, make this productive use of existing construction, or so directly target urban dwellers estranged from agricultural issues.
There's more work to be done
- translating how-tos into the many languages of New York City dwellers
- hosting workshops throughout the city
- working with windowfarmers in other countries as they redesign windowfarms to use their own local recyclables
- revamping the site to be more user-friendly
- establishing non-profit status
How you can help
- Donate- Your financial contribution will help the windowfarms project pay for its startup fees and achieve non-profit status. Please consider making a donation of $100 or more.
- Sponsor- The Windowfarms project is also looking for appropriate sponsors.
- Brainstorm- Have great ideas about how we can continue to fund this project? We are researching models to make this project financially sustainable. Please send any ideas to britta [at] windowfarms [dot] org.
- Real Estate- Help the Windowfarms project find a highly visibility home. We are looking for a store front in a diversely populated NYC neighborhood with highly visible windows and room for our desks, a light construction shop area, and a small indoor greenhouse.
- Volunteer- The Windowfarms Project is looking for dedicated help from
- attorneys specializing in establishing non-profits (and social entrepreneurial business) and intellectual property
- programmers
- translators
- windowfarmers in foreign countries who can translate designs in to local materials