Green Technology

5.7.19A Low-Carbon Citrus Greenhouse in Canada
Growing Subtropical Fruit with Minimal Inputs for Heat, Water and Nutrients
On Salt Spring Island, in Canada’s Pacific maritime climate, oranges and avocados flourish in an innovative, energy-conserving greenhouse. The subtropical fruit greenhouse, called simply “The Garden,” uses renewable energy, thermal mass, nutrient cycling, and rainwater harvesting to grow citrus fruits […]

10.26.17Inside a Shipping Container Farm
Year-Round Indoor Farming at Bright Greens Canada
High-tech shipping container farms like Bright Greens Canada can produce fresh vegetables and herbs year-round using indoor vertical growing. (Article continues below video.) Video: Year-Round Growing inside a Shipping Container Farm

1.20.17Harvesting Sea Salt — The Canadian Way
Vancouver Island Artisan Sea Salt
In waters off the coast of British Columbia, a small number of culinary-minded farmers are doing what people dwelling near the sea have done for thousands of years—harvesting sea salt.

1.20.17Sultans of Salt
Harvesting Sea Salt on Vancouver Island
Jeff Abel takes us on a tour of Saltwest Naturals Sea Salt Harvestry on Vancouver Island, where he and his partner, Jessica Abel, use steam evaporation to harvest flaked fleur de sel and fine grain sea salt. The tour includes […]

11.29.16How Oregano Can Help Fight Global Warming
Culinary Herb Reduces Cow Belches and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Can a simple herb help fight global warming? The aromatic herb oregano, a staple in most modern kitchens, commonly meets our taste buds mixed with tomato sauce as a topping on pizza. This versatile plant’s virtues, however, extend beyond the […]

6.9.16Renewable Energy Independence: Portugal Leads the Way
Alternative Power Lights up a Nation’s Electrical Grid for Four Days
Last month the small European state of Portugal set an example for the rest of the world by running its electrical grid entirely on alternative power for four days (May 7–May 10). This country of ten million people, which occupies […]

9.5.15Six Ways to Screen and Winnow Seeds
Low-Tech Tools for Threshing Seeds
Gardeners who save seed, or grow and harvest grains, know that separating seeds from their pods or husks can be a time-consuming job. While large industrial growers use machines to thresh and winnow seed crops, home seed savers can look […]

9.5.15How to Screen and Winnow Seeds
Simple Ways to Thresh Seed
Screens, strainers and wind power can simplify seed threshing. This slideshow demonstrates three simple ways to separate seeds from chaff and debris. Want more slideshows like this one? Leave us a tip! More about threshing and seed saving: Threshing […]

10.7.14Threshing Dried Beans
A Low-Tech Method for Small-Scale Growers
Small-scale dry bean growers often lack the large equipment needed to quickly thresh their crop. In this video, Rebecca Jehn of Rebecca’s Garden in Victoria, BC, demonstrates a fast, low-tech method she uses to thresh dried beans.

3.26.14Pesticide Free?
A Low-Cost Way to Detect Pesticides in the Food We Eat
It’s no secret that Canada’s food growing system is heavily invested in pesticides. These chemicals are dangerous environmental pollutants because of their long-term effects on living organisms, including humans. Many Canadians try to avoid eating foods grown with pesticides by […]