Designed by Industrial Designer Melody Shiue, Ecotopia is designed to resolve inappropriate energy consumption & waste management by enabling sustainability into the college-wide community of students and staff. What makes the design stand above the rest is the fact that it is an integration of vermin-composting (a.k.a. worm farm) and hydroponics gardening. This innovative amalgamation competently reduces convenience barriers (so students can be involved by means of rosters with minimum requirements of manual work) and simultaneously improves environmental and personal well-being. So, now bid adieu to your kitchen waste without having to worry about the harm it would cause to Mother Nature. In addition, get ready to utilize rainwater and produce your own herbs for the everyday cooking.
How does it work?
Ecotopia is a three in one system, which functions as a worm farm, a hydroponic herb garden and rainwater reservoir. This single vertical unit can act as one miniature herb garden and if you wish to have it on a bigger scale, more units can easily be added to it. It consumes no electrical energy and very little maintenance. It has readily available nutrients that allow the growth of healthy, fresh herbs. Also, there is no risk of over- herbs drowning in the water. What you get in the end are fresh homemade culinary herbs for kitchen use.
The benefits of its various systems:
1) Worm Farm
- Reduce kitchen scraps
- Worm tea produced by the worm castings is an indefinite natural source of fertilizer providing adequate nutrients: phosphate, calcium, magnesium and potash, including nitrogen which is usually an external requirement
- Eliminates the need for extra composting (which produces undesirable odor)
- Natural repellent for aphids, spider mites, scale and white flies
- Help fight common diseases and fungal infections such as powdery mildew, rust, and other common pathogens without the use of toxic chemicals
2) Hydroponic Herb Garden
- No meddling with soil and dirt
- Grows faster and healthier than normal soil-based planters
- Avoids weeds and pests
3) Rainwater Reservoir
- Utilizes natural resource
- No need to check pH level or distill other sources of water
- Reduce leakage through pipe system
Thanks, Melody Shiue