Green for Equity (G4E) has a long history at Demotech, our design initiative is from more then twenty five years ago. Inspiration came from De 12 Ambachten, where many green initiatives emerged. Inspiration also came from project travels in Indonesia and Ghana. The notion that there are almost always a wall waiting to be used and there is always waste water available arose at that time.

What is of interest is the initiative moment in this design. What specific idea was persuaded, what was found, did it stick, what slipped. what chooses have at last (November 2012) been made? Follow this link for considerations behind it.

Collected waste water (quantity guess is 5 persons x 40 liters each = 200 liters daily available) could be used for watering the plants.

Techniques could be applied as used in modern greenhouse agriculture, as done by the Israeli in the Negev dessert. The general setup has to make a small scale use of thconsideration ese greenhouse techniques possible.

The work regarding controlling humidity, heat, nutrients, plant diseases and damage by insects can be done by people who stay home most of the time.

How:

Trays, that hang from a wall holds pots with plants or seedlings in plastic bags. The trays are made out of bits of wood and sheet metal, about 30 cm wide and one meter long. The trays hang from the wall, using space as available, next to and above each other. Such trays are covered with plastic and can hold a thin layer of water. Waste water from the house is pumped up from a tank to the tray that is positioned highest. From there it runs slowly from one tray to an other, placed a little lower. See ClothPump for details on the pumping system.

To protect and control temperature and humidity the set of trays is covered by transparent plastic, hanging down in front of the trays. This plastic can be easily removed to give access to the plants.