One hundred feet beneath the bustling city of London, in air raid shelters used during World War II, a company is growing leafy greens. Welcome to Growing Underground.
Using a hydroponics system — a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions in water — and LED lighting, the company grows nine kinds of veggie and three herbs year long in the 2.5 acres underneath the London Underground’s Northern line.
The "Action spectrum" for biological lighting |
Besides providing eco-friendly food, Growing Underground’s system seeks to reduce “food miles” — or the distance it takes for produce to reach your plate. Because the company grows in, around and under London for London residents, the time between harvest and sale could be as little as four hours.
Root mass of hydroponic lettuce (Cornell University) |
In an effort to continue the growth of the actual operation and not its underground greens, Growing Underground started a crowdfunding campaign on CrowdCube. For now, the company has raised about £45,000 (a little under $75,000) of a £300,000 (about $490,000) goal with 51 days left to go.
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