There are at least four intrinsic characteristics of the PFC that address sustainability:
Human Life
PFC harvests are not dependent upon climate or weather which allows for the growth of food regardless of location or season! As a result, a PFC helps sustain human life because food can be grown anywhere, at any time, and in any climate.
Natural Resources
The PFC requires fewer resources to grow, store, and ship food in comparison to traditional farming. For example:
- The PFC only uses about 10% of the water required by conventional growing techniques.
- The PFC does not need soil.
- PFC crops take 25% less time to yield versus those grown in fields, which decreases the overall energy needed per yield.
Human Health
Did you know that in the U.S. the average apple is eleven months old by the time it reaches a store shelf? This also means that at the consumer point of purchase 90% of the apple's nutrients have been depleted.
The PFC helps solve this problem, given it has the ability to bypass the shipping and storing processes that strip fresh food from its nutrients. Therefore, the PFC helps sustain human health by providing a true farm-to-table experience with nutrient-dense food.
Agricultural Knowledge
The PFC helps build agricultural knowledge because PFCs utilize the internet to connect and create a network of digital farms and farmers. Within this digital food warehouse of knowledge, farmers are able to record, share, exchange, and store their recipes. Thus, by making this agricultural knowlegde accessible, anyone with PFC can become a farmer!