Nothing new, the food industry is not white as snow in front of the decline of our blue planet. In Switzerland, food consumption produces 2.8 million tons of preventable losses per year. Indeed, 30% of the ecological footprint of the Swiss comes from food. And to continue in this momentum of concerning facts, the considerable increase in population promises the exhaustion of arable land.
You have understood: it is time to turn ourselves to sustainable agricultural alternatives! What if growing our own food at home is one of them?
Maybe you think growing food is a complicated practice that can’t end up in the city. Think again! Feeding oneself on one’s own, regardless of the food industry and its waste, is not reserved only for rural areas or for plant enthusiasts who have a green thumb. Caulys, a Lausanne-based start-up that took off at EPFL, is the evidence that sustainable food in the city is within everyone’s reach.
Caulys and the Agritech
Caulys is a smart vertical vegetable garden that allows the cultivation of fresh and quality products throughout the year without recourse to intermediaries. The Sustainable Development Goals of this start-up are “Zero Hunger”, “Sustainable Cities and Communities” and “Life on Land”. It is aimed at homes (Cauly Homes) as well as businesses (Caulys Pro).
How do Caulys greenhouses work?
Caulys greenhouses are autonomous: they are equipped with sensors that allow to regulate the brightness via LED lamps, the irrigation of the earth via a system of watering, the humidity and the nutrient supply in real time according to the needs of the plants. Thus, these automated greenhouses guarantee optimal conditions for plant growth and minimal work; all you have to do is plant, fill the water tank and harvest!
The ecological impact of Caulys
The irrigation automation saves 92% of water compared to the conventional farm methods.
By not using any food transport, Caulys encourages local food without any packaging. It also promotes pesticide-free agriculture.
By introducing such an urban system of agriculture, the Caulys greenhouses allow the land to regenerate and thus become fertile again.
All this contributes to a satisfactory carbon balance: it is estimated that this farming technique reduces the CO2 emissions up to –85%.
People have a real aspiration to produce their own fruits and vegetables. What they lack is time, place and knowledge.
In conclusion, Caulys brilliantly takes up the challenge of sustainable agriculture by overcoming the difficulties posed by access to arable land, urbanization, the complexity of farming and laziness in front of the investment that food growth requires. Through its greenhouses, Caulys encourages agriculture for all through its financial accessibility, its ease of use and its application in urban life. Today, we strongly encourage you to grow your own food at home, but we also give you the tools to!
