BrightFarms touts rooftop produce system

Max Grones

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Wasted space and “food miles.” These are two areas in which most supermarkets, no matter how sustainable their operations try to be, fail to get a green stamp of approval, but one New York company aims to change that.

BrightFarms hopes to bring the trend of rooftop gardening to supermarkets in order to save both the environment and some cash.  Their business model is both simple and efficient; they handle the construction and management of the rooftop gardens while participating supermarkets sign a 10-year contract agreeing to purchase whatever is grown on their rooftop. According to GOOD, these gardens could produce 500,000 pounds of heirloom tomatoes, salad greens, and other produce a year.

This new model could potentially revolutionize the production of produce. Vegetables grown on site wouldn’t have to be bred for the ability to last well after being picked; they could be chosen more for taste or nutrition value.

BrightFarms plans on having their first greenhouse and garden up and running by 2012. Until then they have a demonstration greenhouse set up at a Whole Foods in New Jersey.

Go Green is sponsored by:

Xcel Energy
Eau Claire

Go Green is sponsored by:

Xcel Energy
Eau Claire