but this old industrial neighborhood

但這個老舊工業區

is an agricultural oasis.

其實是一座農業綠洲

Inside this former laser tag arena,

在這座前雷射對戰場館內，

about 250 kinds of leafy greens are growing in huge quantities,

有將近兩百二十五種葉菜植物在此大量種植，

to be sold to local supermarkets and restaurants.

準備銷往超級市場及餐廳

This is AeroFarms, a massive indoor vertical farm in Newark, New Jersey.

這裡是 AeroFarms ，一座位於新澤西州紐華克的大型室內垂直農場

DAVID ROSENBERG: Our mission is to build farms in cities

DAVID ROSENBERG：我們的任務是在全世界的城市中

all over the world so people have access

建造農場，讓人們可以取得

to fresh, great tasting, highly nutritious food.

新鮮、可口、高營養的食物

NARRATOR: Crops are stacked more than 30 feet high

旁白：在腹地 3,0000 平方英尺（約 2,787 平方公尺）的農場內，

inside this 30,000 square foot space.

總共堆疊了超過 30 英尺（ 9.1 公尺）的作物

They're grown using aeroponic technology.

全部採用無土栽種科技種植

DAVID ROSENBERG: Typically in indoor growing,

DAVID ROSENBERG：傳統的室內種植法

the roots sit in water and one tries to oxygenate the water.

會將根浸泡在水中，並用機器在水中加氧

Our key inventor realized that if we mist nutrition to the root structure,

我們的主要發明人發現，如果我們在根部結構使用營養噴霧，

then the roots have a better oxygenation.

根會得到更好的加氧作用

NARRATOR: AeroFarms says the root misting

旁白： AeroFarms 表示噴根種植法

system allows them to use 95% less water than a regular field farm.

相較於普通田耕，可以減少百分之九十五的用水量

They also use no pesticides or herbicides.

同時，也不使用殺蟲劑及殺草劑

Instead of soil, plants are grown in reusable cloth,

他們使用以回收塑膠製成的可再生布料

made from recycled plastic.

代替土壤

And instead of the sun, there are rows and rows

他們也使用成列的特製LED燈

of specialized LED lighting.

代替陽光

DAVID ROSENBERG: A lot of people say, sunless?

DAVID ROSENBERG：很多人會問，不用陽光？

Wait, plants need sun.

等等，植物需要陽光

In fact, the plants don't need yellow spectrum,

事實上，這些植物不需要黃色光譜，

so we're able to reduce our energy

所以我們能藉由減少特定種類光譜，

footprint by doing things like reducing certain types of spectrum.

來減少能源足跡

NARRATOR: This sophisticated climate

旁白：這套精密的氣候

controlled system cuts the growing cycle in half,

控制系統會將生長週期分為兩半，

so crops can be grown all year round,

讓蔬菜得以全年生產，

but with a much smaller impact on the environment.

且對環境造成較小影響

DAVID ROSENBERG: There's all these stresses on our planet.

DAVID ROSENBERG：地球承受著許多壓力

70% of our fresh water contamination comes from agriculture.

有百分之七十的淡水汙染來自農業活動

70% of our fresh water usage goes to agriculture.

百分之七十的淡水使用在農業活動上

One third of our arable land has been

過去四十年間，已經有三分之一的可耕種土地

degraded in the last 40 years.

土壤退化

All these macro trends point to the fact

這些大趨向都指向了一件事實，

that we need a new way to feed our planet.

就是我們需要新的食物生產方式

NARRATOR: One of the early champions of vertical farming

旁白：早期垂直農場的支持者

is Columbia University ecologist Dickson Despommier.

為哥倫比亞大學的生態學家 Dickson Despommier

In 1999, Despommier and his students

1999 年， Despommier 和他的學生

proposed that vertical farms could feed overpopulated cities

提議垂直農場可以滿足人口過多城市的需求，

while using less land and less water.

並同時使用較少的土地及水資源

They would also cut greenhouse gases by eliminating the need to transport food over long distances.

這也可以免除長途運送食物，以減少溫室氣體排放

And the idea is finally taking root.

而這個想法終於實現

Over the past few years, vertical farms

在過去幾年間，垂直農場

have sprouted all over the world,

已經在世界各地萌芽，

including in Vancouver, Singapore, Panama,

包括溫哥華、新加坡、巴拿馬、

the UK, and around the US.

英國及美國各地

Here in Newark, AeroFarms is building out another new farm

在紐華克， AeroFarms 正在前煉鋼廠內

in a former steel mill, one that's

建造另一座農場，面積

bigger than a football field.

比一座足球場還大

Once it's fully operational,

一旦完全運轉，

it's expected to produce two million pounds of greens a year

預估每年將生產兩百萬磅（約907,184公斤）的蔬菜

-- all grown vertically.

－－全由垂直耕種法生產

DAVID ROSENBERG: We listen to the plants

DAVID ROSENBERG：我們非常細心

very carefully to try and understand

觀察這些植物並了解

what they're telling us and try and optimize

這些資訊，努力使這些

all these different qualities of the plant.

不同特質的植物達到最佳化生產

It's a tough business, but it's one that's going to stay

這是一個艱難的事業，但也注定存留，

and it's going to have a bigger and bigger impact.

並將造成越來越大的影響

NARRATOR: Do you think vertical farms will help solve our food production problems?

旁白：你認為垂直農場可以幫助我們解決食物生產問題嗎？

Let us know in the comments below.

在下方留言告訴我們

And check out this next episode to see

下一集我們將帶大家看看

how this major US city is striving to become zero waste.

這座美國的主要城市如何力拚零浪費

ROBERT REED: When I started at Recology 23 years ago,

ROBERT REED：我二十三年前創立Recology時，

the recycling rate was around 38%.

回收率大概百分之三十八

Today, we've more than doubled that.

今天，回收率是當時的兩倍以上

NARRATOR: So far, San Francisco has diverted 80% of its waste

旁白：目前，舊金山已減少了百分之八十

away from landfills, and its success has

送至垃圾掩埋場的垃圾量，且其成功已得到

been getting global attention.

全世界關注

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謝謝您的收看，記得訂閱頻道觀看更多 Seeker Stories 影片