alaska food crisis

Alaska Food CrisisAlaska’s Sustainable Future Starts Now

Alaska’s Food market

How bad could it be?

• Alaskans spend $1.9 Billion each year buying food produced outside of the state.• This is a conservative figure with others calculating this total to be $2.5 Billion• Food Insecurity figures ranging from 12%-36%

How much do we grow?

• Alaska Farmers produce only $11.8 Million of food that is destined for human consumption• Alaska imports 95% of the food it purchases• Rural Villages are at a disadvantage due to

logistics in harsh climates in Alaska

Why no one has done anything about it?

• Great question• Many have tried traditional methods of

growing• Some are successful, (762 Farmers

Statewide, producing $59 Million of Farm Products in 2012)• Many fail and the farms close

How we are different

• Our methods were developed through years of growing cannabis

• We’ve combined technology, agriculture, and innovative design to create a farm like never before seen

• Many other companies around the world pioneered this design and currently sell completed grow operations to customers all over the world

Traditional Agriculture1. Traditional Agriculture2. Crop Cycles: 1-23. Year Round Production: No (Seasonal)4. Guaranteed Production: No5. Yield per acre: 9 Tons *USA Lettuce6. Water Use (annual):

270,000 Gallons / Acre *University of Arizona7. Fertilizer Use / Acre: 90lb N - 175lb P - 100lb K8. Flavor: Extremely High Variability9. Distribution: Complex & Inefficient

GreenHouse• Evaporative Cooled Greenhouse• Crop Cycles: 6• Year Round Production: Sometimes (Climate)• Guaranteed Production: No• Yield per acre: 213 Tons *North Carolina State University *USA Lettuce• Water Use (annual):

321,200 Gallons (2,200sf greenhouse)*University of Arizona• Fertilizer Use / Acre: 75% less• Flavor: Seasonal Variations• Distribution: Complex & Inefficient

Shipping Container• Crop Cycles: 8• Year Round Production: Yes• Guaranteed Production: Yes• Yield per acre: 1347 Tons *USA Lettuce• Water Use (annual):

27,000 Gallons• Fertilizer Use / Acre: 80%• Flavor: Consistency• Distribution: Simple & Close to customer

Benefits of Shipping Containers

• Air tight• Water tight• Modular• Customizable • Controlled• Automated

Example

Utilizing Vertical FarmingVertical farming is a method of farming

developed with NASAUsing Aeroponics, which was also developed

in Space

Why Shipping Containers?Many shipping containers due to our massive

amount of imports and lack of exports for goods that use shipping containers leave Alaska half

empty to return to Tacoma, WA

Maritime Makes Up 90+% We can cut the shipping costs by removing shipping

containers from being shipped to Tacoma half empty.

To put these numbers into context

• Shipping containers are not effected by the elements

• Shipping containers are water tight and air tight

• Shipping containers can utilize cubic space that can not be utilized in other construction or agricultural methods

• Traditional agriculture has not been able to keep up with the demand of an ever growing population

• Traditional agriculture produces ¼ of all greenhouse gases in the U.S.

• Traditional Agriculture is Traditional

Possibilities

Solving five problems at once1. 90% Less Water than traditional agriculture2. 80% Less Fertilizer than traditional agriculture3. Recycle used shipping containers4. Logistics of food to Alaska and Rural Communities with

perishable products5. Creating a sustainable food market that will not be effected

by weather, pests, and other issues that plague traditional agriculture

Conclusion

Shipping containers offer us many great benefits• Creating a more sustainable future for all Alaskans• Removing the need to ship half empty containers back to Tacoma• Opportunity to grow crops that would traditionally not be able to

be grown• Taking advantage of cubic feet allows this to happen in a much

smaller footprint

The Rest of the PlanUtilize Renewable Energy and sustainable building

practices for the majority of our project