Some experts have recently advocated for a practice called vertical farming, in which large city buildings, rather than countryside fields, are used to grow crops such as leafy greens, herbs, vegetables, or perhaps even grains. Crops could be grown on each level of the tall buildings in containers of soil or water. Vertical farming offers several advantages over traditional farming.
Increases profits
First, vertical farms would create greater profits for their owners than traditional farms. This is because, unlike traditional farms, vertical farms would be able to produce crops all year. In many areas of the world, crops cannot be grown on traditional farms year-round because the weather is too cold in the winter. However, crops on vertical farms would be in buildings that can be heated, allowing crops to grow even in the winter. Producing and selling crops year-round could increase profits dramatically, even after heating costs are taken into account.
Less pollution
Second, vertical farms would produce less pollution than traditional farms. Crops from traditional farms have to be transported long distances to reach people in cities where most food is consumed. This transportation requires energy from burning fuels, which produces pollutants like carbon dioxide. By contrast, vertical farms would already be located in cities. The crops they produce would not have to travel far to reach the consumer, and much less pollution would be produced.
Solves the problem of farmland
Finally, while traditional farming requires large open fields, tall city buildings that house vertical farms occupy only a small plot of land—meaning that many more crops than in traditional farming are produced from the same amount of land. This is important because the number of people in the world is quickly increasing, and more crops will have to be produced to feed all these people. In the future, there may not be enough farmland, so vertical farming may be necessary.
Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they challenge the specific theories in the reading passage.
In the lecture, the professor casts doubt on the reading passage’s idea that vertical farming would offer major advantages over traditional farming. The professor asserts that there are several practical and economic drawbacks that undermine the benefits claimed in the reading.
Firstly, the passage claims that vertical farms would be more profitable because they can grow crops year-round. By contrast, the professor asserts that the costs of setting up vertical farms are extremely high. Constructing tall buildings or renovating old ones and installing the necessary equipment involves substantial investments, which would significantly reduce any potential profits from year-round crop production.
Secondly, the author of the passage points out that vertical farms would reduce pollution by eliminating long-distance transportation. However, the lecture notes that vertical farms rely heavily on artificial lighting since crops on many floors of a tall building don’t receive natural sunlight. Generating artificial light requires large amounts of electricity, usually from fuel-burning sources. This energy use could actually produce more pollution than is saved through reduced transportation.
Lastly, the reading states that vertical farms help solve the problem of limited farmland. On the contrary, the professor contends that there are better ways to preserve farmland, such as changing how we use it. For example, much farmland is currently used to grow grain for cattle feed. Since raising cattle is land-intensive, switching to less resource-demanding meat like chicken could be a more efficient solution than vertical farming.
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