ENERGY EDUCATION

Presented by Growing PLACE and Spark-Y

Via Verde, LLC is joining the Via campus to grow greens and herbs hydroponically all year-round in an innovative, vertical growing system that conserves land, water, and energy compared to conventional agriculture. This process eliminates the impact of Minnesota weather and reduces the effect of climate change on harvests and the cost of food.

The food grown at Via will be sold to restaurants, grocers, food cooperatives, and will be offered at a discount to Via Sol residents and campus employees.

The ground floor “commercial” space in Via Sol will host the first growing space for Via Verde. Later, a separate building with a commercial greenhouse will be constructed on the west edge of the Via campus to add a great deal more growing space.

Growing PLACE and Spark-Y, both nonprofits, are participating in Via Verde—one as a member and one as the growing expert. Together, they will provide community education around energy, including food as a type of energy. Participants will learn about growing foods in an urban environment, minimizing food “waste,” and collecting spoiled or scrap food, bringing it back into the loop to reduce the carbon footprint of human activity and preserve nutrients. Spark-Y also trains and employs youth in growing and preparing food, providing them with a foundation for future professional employment.

To learn more about Spark-Y’s work around the Twin Cities, click the button below.

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Stay tuned for more news about Via Verde and Via Living’s Energy Education!

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