Hydroponics: It’s not illegal anymore

It still surprises me the reaction I get when I mention hydroponics. I’m used to getting a lot of slack from coworkers and friends about being a vegetarian treehugger. I’ve even become used to being accused of a being a pothead since I’m such a “hippie” already. So given hydroponics’ history, I should probably expect adverse reactions from the omnivore, SUV driving, carbon burners that I associate with. I did think that with the introduction of the Aerogarden on TV and in the malls that hydroponics would get a better reputation. But, the Aerogrow International people know much more about advertising than I do, and they’ve left out “hydroponics” in their literature and explanations.
With that as the case, it doesn’t mitigate or change the benefits of hydroponic gardening. NASA even has instructionals online to teach how to grow food hydroponically and a few videos online as well. They see it as a viable way to produce food in space and in future colonization efforts. Well, if it’s good enough for space, it should be good enough for the rest of us.
With apartment vacancy dropping in the Denver metro area, looking to hydroponics for your gardening needs is more relevant than before. Most apartments don’t have a backyard space that can be used for gardening and, while guerilla gardening has its high points, it’s not likely to be as fruitful as one might need or want.
The yields of a hydroponic system can be much greater than with ordinary soil yields. For instance, in the U.S., we are able to grow an average of 6-10 tons of potatoes per acre. With hydroponics, we could grow 62.5 tons per acre. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroponics - Douglas, James S. Hydroponics. 5th ed. Bombay: Oxford UP, 1975. 1-3.)
One thing that may be standing in the way is perceived cost. There’s no need for that to be a boon at all. You can easily start out with minimal equipment and start-up cost and get your garden going quickly. You may even have what you need in your apartment already. Just open up your imagination and get creative with the jars and other containers you have lying around. And they’ll be much better off growing food for you than sitting in a landfill.
Hydroponics is by no means a new technology, but it certainly has practical applications in today’s world – especially considering the potential environmental impact.