By Anonymous
Interactions
For my area of focus, I chose to look at the hydroponic food production in the President’s Park Greenhouse. This is a student lead space, where food and plants are grown for sale and consumption. Students here have the opportunity to volunteer their time tending the plants, propagating, testing water chemical balances, and many other jobs. In 2014, this greenhouse became a site on campus for year-round food production. Lettuce, tomatoes, herbs and microgreens are the main produce grown.
Resource Characteristics
Hydroponics is one of the main mediums for growing here, which is a technique that does not use soil to grow its plants, but rather vertical columns with water flow and trellises. By using the absence of soil, growth can take place more efficiently, and because the same water is recycled and recirculated, the total amount is less than if soil was being utilized. By recirculating the same water through the pipe system, fertilizer is kept out of the watershed. (University Sustainability, 2022). (Sardare, 2013).
Governance/user characteristics
This Greenhouse was built in 2009, and was made possible by grants from Auxiliary Enterprise Management Council, Facilities Administration and the Patriot Green Fund. Profits made from selling the goods produced are used to buy equipment, seeds, and anything else the Greenhouse might need to keep up and running. (University Sustainability, 2022), (Jensen, 1997).
Social/cultural/economic/political settings or related ecosystems
Being on such a progressive campus with such close proximity to D.C. I can see why students would be so inclined to want to actively help sustainability efforts on campus. Not only are there many environmental students who look for ways to contribute to their on campus community, but students with many different majors come to volunteer their time at the on campus green sites. It is in students best interest to spend their time doing things they are passionate about, because not only is it helping them gain helpful experience within their field, but it’s helping these on-campus sustainability hotspots stay active and able to provide to their Mason community.
What can we do
Volunteering your free time at this Mason Greenhouse helps keep their promise of sustainability alive. With volunteer help, this wonderful opportunity is able to provide fresh options to Mason dining (Ikes), keep an on-site composting center, and be able to grow plants that are then sold to students. In terms of things that could be done differently, I think more ecology classes at Mason should require at least 1 or 2 volunteer expeditions at this location. The things you are able to learn just by walking around are worth the experience, and for any future environmentalist, getting experience with different kinds of sustainability projects is crucial to staying informed.
If relevant
Currently, the University is extremely conscious of its carbon footprint, and knows its students/ faculty are as well. It states on their Green Campus mission statement “The university is actively taking steps to reduce its environmental impact, primarily the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with the university’s operations, to achieve climate neutrality.” By holding them accountable, we can keep Mason a beacon of sustainable hope to other Universities, and show them what is possible with the right funding, attitude, and student involvement.
Citations
Jensen, M. H. (1997). Hydroponics. HortScience, 32(6), 1018-1021. https://journals.ashs.org/downloadpdf/journals/hortsci/32/6/article-p1018.pd
Hydroponic Food Production. University Sustainability. (2022). https://green.gmu.edu/campus-sustainability/campus-gardens/presidents-park-greenhouse/hydroponic-food-production/
Sardare, M. D., & Admane, S. V. (2013). A review on plants without soil-hydroponics. International Journal of Research in Engineering and Technology, 2(3), 299-304. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shraddha-Admane/publication/331731460_A_REVIEW_ON_PLANT_WITHOUT_SOIL_-HYDROPONICS/links/5c89f19aa6fdcc38175277e9/A-REVIEW-ON-PLANT-WITHOUT-SOIL-HYDROPONICS.pdf