Sustainable Development Goals
for our life
Greentopia Founder Richard Mayus
Greentopia was founded in April 2022 by Richard Mayus with a vision to lead a new type of urban farming movement in Japan.
Drawing from a wide range of growing experiences—such as teaching urban farming workshops, building greenhouses, and experimenting with DIY home hydroponics—Richard established Greentopia Japan to address climate change directly.
His goal is to make delicious, healthy, and nutritious produce accessible to everyone, everywhere.
Soil-based 'modern' farming is taking an environmental toll.
Unsustainable agricultural practices, deforestation, and resource depletion pose a significant threat to both our environment and global food security. By converting forests into farmland, we not only lose vital carbon sinks but also disrupt fragile ecosystems that are crucial for biodiversity.
This expansion is compounded by harmful mining and fertilization techniques, particularly in the extraction and overuse of phosphates, where agricultural runoff poisons our aquifers and destroys marine habitats. Shockingly, up to 20% of phosphates and 60% of nitrogen fertilizers end up contaminating water bodies, thereby contributing to the formation of extensive oceanic dead zones and jeopardizing fresh water reserves worldwide. Moreover, the widespread application of pesticides further contaminates our water sources and has led to an increased prevalence of certain cancers.
Alarmingly, while 70% of the global water supply is allocated for irrigation, about 40% of this is inefficiently used, being lost to the environment.
These issues highlight stark inefficiencies in modern farming practices and underscore the urgent need for more sustainable agricultural strategies like hydroponics.
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The solution to these pressing challenges lies in embracing hydroponic farming within our city centers, a revolutionary approach that not only mitigates the adverse effects of traditional agriculture but also ensures a resilient food supply system.
To achieve these goals, Greentopia Japan manufactures and sells hydroponic growing solutions and other urban farming technologies to help environmentally-minded individuals and companies make a meaningful impact on their Sustainable Development Goals. We also offer educational programs to schools, higher learning institutions, community organizations, government, and private enterprises.
Advantages of Aeroponics
Aeroponics is a subset of hydroponics which allows more oxygen to reach plant roots, creating healthier, more nutritious, and faster growing plants.
Some key advantages:
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10x more food production for the same surface area by growing vertically
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30 - 50% higher yields owing to superior nutrition delivery
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produce goes to market up to 3x faster
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aeroponics uses less than 10% of the water consumed with traditional farming
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since fertilizer is targeted, there is no waste - no runoff to pollute water supplies or marine habitats
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because it is a closed system, water is only lost due to transpiration and evaporation
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there is generally no need for pesticides
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when grown locally, there is no transportation emissions
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no more weeding or digging in the soil
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no more deforestation nor adverse climate impact
Aeroponic and hydroponic technologies can thrive both indoor and out, on rooftops, in greenhouses, or even on your balcony!
Seedling in a growing medium
Ready for transfer
Modular systems
In its simplest form, growing aeroponically only requires sunlight, water, nutrients, and electricity to run a water pump.
Seeds are started in an inert growing medium such as rockwool or coconut coir until the root system is developed enough to be placed into an aeroponic system. Generally this takes from 2-3 weeks.
Once placed in the system, nutrient-rich water is periodically cycled through the closed system, feeding the plant's developing roots. Timings are established such that the roots have time to 'air-out', absorbing valuable oxygen which promotes explosive growth.
In as little as 3 weeks, you can have outrageously delicious, nutritious, organic and fresh leafy greens.
A variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers can be grown. A fairly comprehensive list of over 150 plants is available here.
Farms are subject to the whims of Nature...
Natural disasters like floods and windstorms can quickly destroy vast amounts of produce, while unpredictable droughts and the intensifying impacts of climate change are shrinking our usable farmland. As we face wetter wet regions and drier dry ones, the current approach often involves clearing forests to create new agricultural spaces, further exacerbating environmental issues.
Moreover, the distance between our farms and our plates is a significant problem. Our food often travels hundreds or even thousands of kilometers to reach city centers, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions at every step. This long journey not only harms the environment but also makes our food supply vulnerable. In times of civil unrest or when transportation systems fail, the reliability of food reaching our tables is jeopardized, highlighting the fragile nature of our current food distribution networks.
