Situated somewhere between the Biosphere 2 construction of the late 1980’s and the dystopian future imagined by the film (flop) Waterworld, lies artist Mary Mattingly’s experimental vision for creating a floating ark of sustainability. The project, appropriately named Waterpod, is a livable sculpture housed on 30×100 foot barge, combining elements of hydroponic farming, alternative energy, rainwater collection and waste recycling to form a working model of self-sufficiency.
Mattingly along with three other permanent artist/crew members will call the converted vessel home for the next five months as it docks at various ports throughout the five boroughs of New York City. The Waterpod is currently [...]

 
From Mumbai to Manila, cities in emerging economies are looking to urban farming to bolster job growth, improve food security and make more productive use of organic waste. The surprising role model for off-farm farming is Havana, Cuba where 90% of fresh produce supply is grown in the city. Nationwide, urban farming has created 350,000 jobs for Cubans and has boosted the average caloric intake from 2,323 per Cuban per day in 1993 to 3,547 today. Apparently, one main cause of this shift in food sourcing is the inefficiency of state-owned farms.
China is also exhibiting how to industrialize the trend [...]