When office workers at a Tokyo outsourcing firm complete their computer work, they don gloves and boots and get to work in the building's 1,000 square foot indoor rice paddy.
The paddy's first harvest yielded over 100 pounds of rice, which they're using to help stock the building's cafeteria. While a team of professional farmers maintain the rice paddy, office workers help with the harvest.
Using around 100 1000-watt lamps, the rice paddy should be able to produce a harvest 3 times per year, since it's indoors and not susceptible to weather conditions.
Urban Gardening Trend
This is just one example of a growing urban gardening trend, albeit a larger one. From supermarket rooftops to mobile gardens, gardening is catching on as more urbanites want to reconnect with their food.
Want to get an urban garden going in your office? You don't need something as elaborate as a rice paddy. Even bringing in a few edible plants can help brighten things up. There are plenty of simple ways to add some green to small spaces like an office, so get creative!
[h/t: PopSci]
Image Credit: BBC News