Jackson, WY- The recent uptick in awareness of nourishing our bodies with fruits and vegetables has been accompanied by an increase in awareness of where these fruits and vegetables are coming from. There’s a lot of talk about why eating locally is the way to go, ranging anywhere from financial to health benefits.
Throughout the winter season, like most places that have cold months, most of the fruits and vegetables are shipped in from warmer places such as Florida, California and Mexico. The town of Jackson, WY started a project called the Vertical Harvest, a startup greenhouse that will continue to grow vegetables locally in an indoor vertical farm where the elements can be controlled. The three-story greenhouse hopes to harvest more than 100,000 pounds of locally grown vegetables every year. Not only will this serve as a financial benefit to the town, but it also intends to serve as a way to bring the community together. The project will sponsor education initiatives on the ground floor of the greenhouse in an effort to bring more awareness to what we are eating and where it’s coming from.
Why does this matter?
Most of what is talked about in healthcare is a way to cure a condition or fix an issue. In other words, action is taken after results or diagnoses have been revealed to the patient. Being more proactive and taking action through preventative measures, like educating a community on healthy living and the best ways to take care of yourself can solve so many of these heath issues before they even occur. Simply educating and engaging the community can prevent diseases like Type II Diabetes that are becoming more detrimental everyday. Creating a local greenhouse where the community can actively participate could be a very beneficial trend for the healthcare education industry.
