Ruud van der Vliet’s Post

#greenhouse 🍓 Creating optimal conditions for plants and the environment and thus developing a highly efficient greenhouse using green energy - that is the legacy of Cecilia Stanghellini and her colleagues. After 40 years of greenhouse research, Stanghellini is retiring as a research associate. She sees plenty of opportunities for further sustainability improvements in greenhouse cultivation. 🏎 During all these years, Cecilia Stanghellini approached her work like a Formula 1 mechanic, the person tasked with maximising the performance of a car to ensure that the driver gets the best result too. Stanghellini does something similar for greenhouse horticulture. She is fascinated by understanding the technical system in a greenhouse and improving it based on her knowledge of physics. 'A greenhouse is not just about the plants, but also the technology. That’s the strength of greenhouse horticulture.’ When Stanghellini started in the 1980s, energy was expensive and greenhouses used much more energy than they do today. That has steadily changed: 'Greenhouse horticulture has become much more efficient but not nearly efficient enough.' Energy savings eventually stagnated due to the general lack of financial incentive for horticulturalists. 'Gas was too cheap.' Now Stanghellini is increasingly hearing calls for sustainable greenhouses. ‘We need to move away from using gas and finally become climate neutral.’ 🌸 The desire to achieve sustainability led to the design of the most sustainable greenhouse in the Netherlands: KAS2030. This demo greenhouse with strawberries and flowers is at the WUR site in Bleiswijk and is powered by green electricity instead of gas. For dehumidification, the greenhouse has a heat pump. This recovers and stores heat for use at night and in the winter. An additional advantage is that the greenhouse remains more closed in summer and spring. Every drop of used water goes back into the system and crop protection is achieved using natural enemies wherever possible. Stanghellini: ‘The first results are hopeful. Sustainable greenhouse horticulture is definitely possible.' Want to know more about Stanghellini's involvement in making greenhouse horticulture more sustainable? Read the full article 👉 https://lnkd.in/ejWKHntJ To mark Cecilia Stanghellini's retirement, a symposium entitled "Resource efficient greenhouse systems" is being held today at WUR. We would like to thank Cecilia for all that she has meant for WUR and greenhouse horticulture 👏 #sustainability #horticulture #KAS2030 #botany

Ten acres of arid, flat, salted landscape 400m below sea level, overgrazed by goats, hardly any rainfall, and temperatures in summer that go over 50ºС. That's what awaited Geoff Lawton and his team when they chose to set up a permaculture site there.  A decade later, there is a sustainable and self-sufficient food forest with a citrus, fruits, and olive understory. It grows vegetables, herbs, shrubs, and vines, even chickens and rabbits. The people behind the Greening the Desert project took one of the world’s worst agricultural scenarios and turned it into a thriving food forest, demonstrating to the world that the solution to desertification and soil degradation exists; and that it can in fact be achieved low-tech and relatively low-cost. Their low-tech methods are easily replicated, scalable, and highly relevant as climate change and desertification threaten dryland communities worldwide. After over 10 years of success, this remarkable project continues to push boundaries for what is possible through ecological design. #permaculture #regenerativeagriculture #desertification #soilhealth #greeningthedesert #geofflawton Image credits: "Discover Permaculture with Geoff Lawton", YouTube

What is Permaculture? Permaculture is a holistic approach to designing agricultural systems that mimic natural ecosystems. It’s about creating sustainable and self-sufficient environments by integrating plants, animals, and human needs in a harmonious way. The term "permaculture" combines “permanent” and “agriculture,” emphasizing systems that are resilient, regenerative, and capable of producing food, energy, and resources indefinitely. At its core, permaculture relies on understanding and respecting natural processes. Techniques include companion planting, where certain plants enhance each other’s growth, and creating swales—contour trenches that manage water runoff effectively. By incorporating diverse species, permaculture promotes biodiversity, which helps control pests naturally and improves soil health. Implementing permaculture principles not only enhances food security but also contributes to the overall well-being of the ecosystem. It encourages local food production, reduces waste through composting, and promotes the use of renewable resources. Curious about how we're applying permaculture principles in our self-sustainable city project? Explore our blog articles to learn more about our journey towards creating a thriving, eco-friendly community. Visit us at https://lnkd.in/gU3nFcHh #Permaculture #SustainableLiving #EcoFriendly #Biodiversity #OrganicFarming #SelfSufficient #RegenerativeAgriculture #SustainableDevelopment #Agroecology

🌍 Sustainable Horticulture: Growing for a Greener Future 🌿 As the world faces increasing environmental challenges, today’s focus is on horticulture's critical role in fostering sustainability. Whether it's reducing carbon footprints through urban green spaces, promoting biodiversity, or improving food security with efficient farming practices, the horticultural industry is at the heart of the solution. By embracing innovation—such as vertical farming, water conservation technologies, and organic practices—we can cultivate healthier crops and a healthier planet. Let’s continue driving the change towards eco-friendly horticulture and plant the seeds for a brighter, greener future! 🌱💧 #Sustainability #Horticulture #GreenFuture #ClimateAction #Innovation

𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗞𝗨𝗕𝗢 𝗠𝗮𝗴𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗲 🌿✨ At KUBO Sustainable Greenhouses, we are excited to present the latest edition of the KUBO Magazine, focusing on CO2 negative cultivation. In this issue, we delve into the innovative technologies and methods that help us create a more sustainable future for horticulture. Watch the video below for a sneak peek of what you can expect in the magazine, and visit www.kubomagazine.nl for the full magazine!

Green Power Forward: Embracing Innovation and Sustainability in Horticulture In the dynamic landscape of horticulture, the call for change resonates louder than ever. Kayleigh A., a stalwart advocate for... https://lnkd.in/e8z3xitN

For centuries, Mexico has successfully grown massive amounts of fruits & vegetables using an agricultural method known as ‘chinampas,’ or floating gardens. Developed by the ancient Aztecs and now drawing interest from scientists, entrepreneurs, and urban planners, these chinampas could offer promising solutions for urban agriculture, food security, and land scarcity across our rapidly urbanizing planet. What’s even cooler about chinampas: they are a haven for wildlife, birds, and fish, they act as a natural air conditioner for surrounding communities, and they directly connect consumers to local farmers—which in itself is really important both environmentally and economically. Check out more here: https://lnkd.in/eQ6iJ8TM And if you really want to deep dive into chinampas and the history of urban farming like I did, Ancient Origins has an amazing feature here: https://lnkd.in/eiFuCNgE #agriculture #urbanfarming #sustainability

Celebrating the opening of the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea this week, we've taken a quick look at the descriptions of each of this years' show garden descriptions to see the sustainable features that are mentioned. The gardens were subject to a ‘green audit’ undertaken by Nicholsons across a range of factors including: - Waste - Sustainability of supplied materials - Biodiversity - Water; quantity and quality - Air quality - Communities This year: 🌲23% of the show gardens had a sustainability theme with water being the most prevalent [1] 🌲80% of this years' show gardens used reclaimed materials (not including timber) [1] 🌲54% of this years’ show gardens include planting to address a specific sustainability issue [1] The @RHS has set out its own sustainability strategy which includes a target for being Biodiversity Positive by 2025 [2] How can you help? There are a number of ways you can help support nature positive actions including: 1.     Planting for pollinators, plants that provide nectar throughout the year 2.     Going peat free 3.     Limiting the use of pesticides Sources: 1 Little Blue Research analysis of show garden descriptions provide by RHS (2024) https://lnkd.in/eJ2YDn2i 2 For more information and for the definition of biodiversity positive please see https://lnkd.in/efBTQiXD

𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐆𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: '𝐔𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐔𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝?' | Yesterday, we attended an inspiring debate on greenhouse horticulture on behalf of Flower Council of Holland, led by Teun Van De Keuken. Among the participants were Frank van der Helm (Hogeschool Inholland), Jago van Bergen (Van Bergen Kopla Architects), Eveline Stilma (Greenport West-Holland / InnoPlant), and Peter van Hulten (Van der Avoird Trayplant). It was remarkable to see how powerful it is to share positive stories about the greenhouse horticulture sector. Prejudices and assumptions were dispelled. The shared knowledge and experiences of growers and industry experts allowed Teun van de Keuken to see the sector in a more positive light. By the end of the debate, his opinion had significantly improved. Additionally, it became clear that innovation and development in greenhouse horticulture are progressing at a rapid pace. Some inspiring examples: Van der Avoird Trayplant: By cultivating extremely efficiently, they return freed-up space to nature and promote biodiversity with their own natural areas and insect habitats. Biological Crop Protection: The new generation of growers is strongly focused on technology and natural methods, viewing chemical agents as outdated. It was wonderful to witness how young entrepreneurs in the sector continue to develop and contribute to a more sustainable future. By engaging in debates, opinions can truly change. We look forward to more of such inspiring meetings and stories! #flowercouncilofholland #greenhousehorticulture #debate #innovation #sustainability #biodiversity