There are an unlimited number of approaches to building the Next Economy. Some of them are large-scale movements. Others are small actions you can take in your daily life.
Let’s talk about food systems. In some places, getting a hold of fresh food can be difficult, or expensive, or both. Just Vertical, a venture in our Climate Ventures Earth Tech accelerator, wants to make produce accessible for everyone.
“I’ve spent a lot of time in the Canadian Arctic studying and understanding food systems and supply chains,” says Kevin, one of Just Vertical’s co-founders. “I’m a banana-a-day kind of person, but fresh produce is expensive up north — if you can find it at all. With waits of up to six weeks for brown, mushy bananas that cost $2 each, I wasn’t a banana-a-day guy anymore.”
That’s where the idea for the AEVA— a vertical indoor garden — came from.
The benefits of growing your own produce reach beyond having a secure and sustainable food source. Caring for your plants, or even just having a bit of green in your home, can be therapeutic.
“Our dream is to increase food security around the world,” Kevin remarks. “We hope our indoor farming technology will enable individuals to grow their own nutritious food, all year round, and help create a sense of food sovereignty within remote communities. As a complement to the existing food system, Just Vertical can help people eat better while lightening their impact on the planet.”
If you want to learn more about the AEVA’s origins and heartwarming effects of indoor gardening, you can read the full interview on our Climate Ventures website.
Pictured: sprouting red robin tomatoes from CSI’s very own Audra Williams‘ AEVA!
