BOOK REVIEW: The Vertical Farm by Dick Despommier

Dr. Dickson Despommier is considered one of the world's foremost experts on <a href="http://inhabitat.com/2009/10/13/smarter-cities-vertical-farming-could-ease-worlds-agricultural-woes/" target="_blank">vertical farms</a> - a theoretical concept that may offer the panacea to our food production problems in the future. Supporters and critic of this concept abound, with fans proudly touting the benefits of towering botanical skyscrapers and naysayers concerned with how vertical farming could be misused, poorly executed and could rack up extreme costs. Dr. Despommier spoke to us about his book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vertical-Farm-Feeding-World-Century/dp/0312611390/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1285024918&amp;sr=1-1" target="_blank"><em>The Vertical Farm: Feeding the World in the 21st Century</em></a> - read on for more!

Despommier is a professor at Columbia University and is considered the leading expert in the field of vertical farming. He recently released a new book on the topic.

His new book touts the many benefits of vertical farming and explains that it is the only way for us to sustainably and efficiently provide food for the world in the future.

Although there are no existing vertical farms, Despommier says that we have all the technology we need to create them -- we are just lacking in funding.

Despommier is also rumored to be working on a vertical farm for Newark, New Jersey in collaboration with Weber Thompson, but he says that it is only a rumor for the time being.

Despommier's book is an expansion on a previous essay about vertical farming. He lists the many benefits of the concept and why it will be needed in the coming years.

As Despommier said to us in an email, "Farming itself is a blight on the natural landscape. Its only 12,000 years old. We have been a species for over 200,000 years. Farming has eliminated our hardwood forests. Producing food in tall buildings will allow us for the first time to feed everyone on earth and still return land to its original ecological function."