veghippy hero / July

Edwin Tang!

This month, Edwin is the veghippy Hero of the month because of his long-time efforts for environmental sustainability, his awesome home-made aquaponic system, balcony garden, compost bin and his new adventure...an electric skateboard!! Check out the interview below!

  

Sunshine: So, the first question is: How did you start your garden and why?

Edwin: The very first time I started gardening was when I got [my apartment] and I had the roof terrace. I didn't particularly go into it because, you know, I liked gardening... It was more, how should I decorate my place? and, How should I furnish my terrace? Naturally, it'd be nice to have plants. So that's when I went to Home Depot and a gardening store and I was like, what kind of plants should I get? It really started from there. And from that point on, I had discovered that I really like this flower or I really like this plant and I would just buy it. 

Sunshine: What did you find was the most difficult part about gardening?

Edwin: Over the years, you know, because I didn't have a green thumb, I thought, all you have to do is water it and put it in the sun! No, you actually have to prune it, trim it, give it plant food. So I was learning by making mistakes. Learning by having plants die, cause I didn't know how to properly protect it against winter, things like that.

Sunshine: This is all so impressive, How do you have time in your busy life to garden???

Edwin: My time is definitely limited. It comes in little chunks. Everyday I come home from work, I only have a few hours before I have to go to sleep. So you know, plants need water, so I definitely have to water the plants. Then periodically I have to add plant food or compost, or maintain my plants. But the time is split up into little bits throughout my schedule. It's not like I have to clear everything and I have to dive right in. Although sometimes I do that! Like at spring cleaning I have to plant from scratch and I invest a few weekends. There is big work once a season like that but maintaining it is easy. You develop a relationship with the plants. I feel really happy when I see them and I get to pick fruit off the plants I'm growing. There is a feeling of fulfillment and joy just getting to see and even taste something I grew myself!

Sunshine: Can you tell us about one of your favorite plants?

Edwin: One of the coolest plants that I like is Hydrangeas. With the same plant, you can actually have different colors by controlling the acidity of the soil! So if you want blue Hydrangeas, make sure the soil is really Acidic. If you want pink hydrangeas, make sure it is Alkaline.

Sunshine: Now, what is this setup you have going on with the fish over here?

Edwin: Yes, I am currently doing Aquaponics. Aquaponics are a mini eco-system that I made because I really like this concept of self-sustainability and zero maintenence. Imagine like not having to take care of it, or just minimum effort to take care of [the fish and the plants]. That's really my interest in tinkering with these systems - seeing how it could work. Cause I know aquaponic food production for both vegetables and also fish is a very real thing that is proliferating. There are businesses in the city that are setting up Aquaponic operations in warehouses, where they produce fish and crops for urban farming to bring to local markets. So I know this could scale up and I really wanted to understand it. You know, I "liked" the concept of sustainable food production that is environmentally responsible but I wanted to understand it first hand. Like I understood it conceptually but I wanted to experience it for myself. I thought, Could I do this on a very small scale in my living room with a fish tank and a little plant bed?

Sunshine: And here it is!! So what are your thoughts on the urban gardening or urban farm trend that is gaining momentum in NYC nowadays?

Edwin: There are so many ripple effects of the traditional model of food production that I think urban farming is picking up steam now in light of this context. Aquaponics and urban farming is really effective with resources. In the same footprint of land area, you can produce 4-6x the output of a traditional plot of earth in a farm because they are using the synergy between fish and plants, and they can stack vertically. Also, compared to the traditional model, they are simultaneously producing fish. Urban farming is growing out of a greater consciousness for the environment and the other cool part is anybody can do it! The consumer is no longer cut off from the cycle of nature.

Sunshine: Beautiful words. Thank you so much Edwin for your time and wisdom!!

Edwin is a resident in Queens New York. He stands as a great example of a city dweller who has gone above and beyond to engage in a more environmentally sustainable lifestyle. Through his own pure curiosity, he has grown his garden into a wonderful learning grounds to understand first hand, the benefits of currently developing methods of sustainable food production. Amazing!!! Thank you Edwin!!

If you have any questions for Edwin or would like to recommend someone for our "veghippy hero of the month" segment, please email: veghippynews@gmail.com

- Peace~!