Background
During the spring semester of 2018, students from the Engineering 305 Appropriate Technology class at Humboldt State University will implement a vertical food growing operation in Eureka, California. The project is in conjunction with Cooperation Humboldt as a directive to increase community access to local food. “Cooperation Humboldt exists to help develop a solidarity economy across the North Coast. We identify, support and nurture cooperative economic efforts that help people meet their needs without exploiting or oppressing anyone, without being exploited or oppressed by anyone, and without destroying Mother Earth.”
Problem statement
The objective of this project is to increase community access to local, organically grown food. The implementation of our vertical garden is aimed to be constructed with 100% recycled and refurbished materials, aligning our design with the goals of Cooperation Humboldt and the community of Eureka. The vertical garden has the opportunity to reduce the pressing need for fresh produce in the area.
Project Evaluation Criteria
The following Criteria will be used to assess the success of the vertical garden located at Abuelita's Garden in Eureka, California. These criteria were selected based on the goals identified by the students and approved by the partnering organizations, Cooperation Humboldt and North Coast Community Garden Collaborative. The scale (1-10) represents the importance level of meeting the constraint of each listed criteria.
| Criteria | Constraints | Weight (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| Building Materials | More than 75% of the materials are upcycled or salvaged sourced | |
| Seasonal Production | More than xx pounds of produce | |
| Maintenance | Less than 2 hours per month | |
| Environmental Justice | Seeds and/or plant starters are locally sourced | |
| Public Accessibility | Accessible 24 hours a day | |
| Distribution | More than 80% of produce goes to service organizations |