Hydroponics: A Growing Field

by Andy Trossello

How do you offset the growing epidemic of overly available, poor quality, cheap food in highly urbanized communities? By providing affordable, nutritious and locally grown hydroponic foods produced by minority youth who will become empowered with the tools they’ll need to pursue STEM careers!

When people think of hydroponics, what often comes to mind is either the exhibit at Disney World’s Epcot Center or some ideas about a futuristic approach to growing food. That pretty much sums up what I thought about it until a little more than three years ago, when I walked into Professor Mike Barnett’s lab at Boston College. The glowing purple aura of LED lights wasn’t nearly as eye-catching as the seedlings of basil, lettuce and tomatoes growing in white plastic trays inside the classroom. Amongst a barrage of questions, I learned that hydroponics is a way of growing plants using nutrient-enriched water. Little did I know how much of an impact this discovery would have on my teaching career and personal life.

During the past three years, students in College Bound, an extracurricular program at Boston College, have been learning how to design, build, grow and experiment with hydroponic as well as aquaponic systems, which are systems that use fish to provide nutrients for plants. As a STEM instructor in the program, I lead students in an ongoing, authentic science experiment on how to use hydroponics as a way to provide fresh, locally grown produce to inner-city communities having limited access to this product. This opportunity allows students to learn and utilize concepts from chemistry, biology, physics, engineering, and environmental science. Additionally, students are exposed to concepts in social justice (by providing affordable fresh vegetables to food deserts in Boston) and in business (such as performing an analysis of growing expenses verses income). The latest project initiative charges our students with the task of growing plants in a more environmentally friendly manner by powering the systems with alternative energy sources.

Beyond my work with College Bound, I, in addition to many other local teachers, have brought a hydroponic system into my classroom. I use it to engage my students in a variety of topics. In environmental science, we explore how this method of growing food could alleviate concerns over feeding a growing human population. In chemistry, we see how light, pH and nutrient concentration are important to plant growth. My work with the program also offered me the opportunity to travel to Los Angeles this past summer to introduce hydroponics and share some best practices with a group of Californian teachers in a professional development program. Seeing students (and teachers!) become invested in how plants grow and design experiments to answer their own questions has been tremendously rewarding for me professionally and personally.

Hydroponics is a rapidly expanding field due to a shift in the consumer market toward local production of food. Compared to traditional farming, hydroponics is faster, requires less water and nutrients, and can be done indoors in climate-controlled environments. The implication is that a farmer can grow crops year-round in less hospitable locations such as cold or dry climates. The consumer market for personal growing has also expanded recently. Hydroponics supply shops are popping up in many locations as a result of the decreasing cost associated with starting your own system and increasing public interest in growing your own food. Perhaps you might consider investigating growing your own basil, tomatoes or kale using hydroponics!

Did You Know?

Andy Trossello graduated from Boston College with a master of science in teaching chemistry and is in his tenth year of teaching. He currently teaches chemistry and physics at Waltham High School in Massachusetts in addition to being an instructor at College Bound. Andy also happens to be married to PSG’s own Annette Cinelli Trossello. With Annette’s editorial expertise and Andy’s science mastery, their two children, Gabe and Amara, are destined for bright futures, most likely including some very well-written lab reports.