More environmental solutions will be needed as the planet’s surface temperature continues to climb, with the planet’s ten warmest years all occurring since 2010, according to a January 2023 study published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) believes enacting true change for future generations requires us to rethink modern systems of living entirely.
Methods of traditional farming need to be reconsidered as we aspire towards creating a more eco-friendly world, especially in America, where some farmlands use up more water than entire states. New practices that will be less dependent on a dwindling water supply should be introduced, according to environmental advocacy organizations like the National Environmental Education Foundation.
This past year, McCormick fourth-years Bill Yen, and Callista Sukohardjo led two of ESW’s largest projects to date: AutoAquaponics and SmartTree.
AutoAquaponics provides potential for water conservation
Two floors below street level of Sheridan Road, in the sub-basement of the Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center, Yen and ESW are working on a proof of concept AutoAquaponics system with the goal of running as much of the system remotely as possible. The project will demonstrate how just about anyone could build an urban, indoor farming system that can be operated from a distance.