Challenge 1 Grow your own food

How can we grow food without leaving a huge footprint on the earth? Can technology like aeroponics help us feed more people with fewer resources - and create less waste?

Problem Issues

Large-scale livestock farming

Carbon emissions, land erosion, soil degradation

Food miles

Carbon emissions, decrease in food quality

Industrial large-scale farming across the world has a huge impact on our land quality. The way we farm livestock and harvest our crops takes a toll on our soil and water systems and creates carbon emissions. Below are some of the key problems around farming today - could you find a solution (or become a micro-farmer)?

Possible solutions...

Could you create a robot to assist with improving soil moisture and quality? Try Challenge 2

How far has your food travelled by the time it lands on your plate? Can you source or grow food closer to home? Read our interview with chef Kylie Kwong for ideas or check Foodmiles.com!

Large-scale crop farming

Requires large amounts of land and water

Food waste

Excessive landfill, people who need food missing out

Do farms need to be traditional? Could you grow crops with air rather than soil?

Create a strategy to buy less food and use more of what you have in the cupboard - or take our Food Waste Challenge on page 8

Could aeroponics be the solution?

Aeroponics gardens like the one above, use much less water than traditional farming and leave a smaller footprint on the earth. These systems use recirculated water in much smaller quantities than a normal farm requires. Small gardens like this also mean that you can pick local produce and save on food miles.

1 Become a micro-farmer

Á Design and create a small garden for your home, classroom or school

Á Brainstorm your ideas with your team on a Jamboard

Á Explore options like aeroponics - or start small with a microherb garden on a windowsill

Á Plan your garden and crops out in 3D using Minecraft Education or TinkerCad

What space could you use for your garden?

What materials will you need?

What food would you like to grow (and eat)?

Plan a timeline - when will you harvest?

Plan your garden in Minecraft Education Design your garden in 3D tools

Plan your garden with a Jamboard

2 Create a campaign

Share your farming goals on a poster or infographic –explore how in the Influencer Issue of T4L Kids

3 Share your micro-farming adventure

Á Keep a progress video or photo diary of your garden –explore photo documentary making with iPad

Á Collate a list of tips for gardeners

Á Share and publish your garden on a Google Site

Á Create a podcast about your garden

Á Try cooking with your crops and see if you could capture some recipes or even create a class cookbook - see Challenge 4

Teachers - book an aeroponics kit and check out these resources and lessons!