The document summarizes CoCo San Sustainable Farm, a proposed 33-acre urban farm in Northern California that would utilize sustainable agriculture practices. It would use recycled water, greenhouse production, hydroponics, permaculture methods, and green job training to provide fresh local produce while demonstrating water and energy efficient agriculture. The farm aims to address issues of global warming, water scarcity, and food insecurity through closed-loop systems that reuse resources and act as an education center for sustainable living.

1. CoCo San Sustainable FarmCoCo San Sustainable Farm
A Project ofA Project of AgLantisAgLantis TMTM
Carolyn Phinney, Ph.D.Carolyn Phinney, Ph.D.

2. Northern Waterfront

3. 33-Acre Buffer Land: Aerial View

4. Where Have We Been?
March, 2011

5. January, 2012
70 Volunteers Remove Debris and Rocks

6. November, 2013:
Green Manure Crop Planted

7. Spring 2014: Green Manure Crop Grows

8. July 2014…after 4 years…a Lease!

9. 1 TRILLION

10. 80-90% of
Ground and Surface Water

11. 868 MILLION

12. Up to 25% of Global Warming

13. The BIG 3 Global Crises
1. Global Warming
2. Water
3. Food

14. Ag & Food Systems Causing Global
Warming
1.80-90% of Ground and Surface Water is used for Ag (USDA)
2.19-29% of GHG emissions are due to Ag & Food System (CCAFS.CIGAR)
3. 56% of non-CO2 emissions are due to Agriculture (CCAFS.CIGAR)
4.32% of GHG are due to Electricity (much pumps water for Ag) (EPA)
5. 1.5 to 2% of GHG are due to fossil fuel based Fertilizer production and
distribution (UN)
6. 18% of GHG emissions due to Deforestation and other land use changes
due to Ag (UN)
7. 28% of GHG are due to Transportation (much moves Ag) (EPA)
8. Up to 40% of Agriculture Spoils between field and mouth (UN)
9.Up to 25% of Global Warming is due to Agriculture (UN)
IT IS UNSUSTAINABLE

15. Global Warming is Causing a Water Crisis
UC Davis, July 15, 2014
• 3rd
driest year in CA on record
• More drought years ahead
• Demand for water at all time high
• Surface water reduced by 1/3
• 6.6 million acre-ft shortage of surface water (2+ trillion gallons)
(1 acre-foot = 325 851.429 US gallons; 2,150,619,431,400 gallons)
• Ag pumped extra 5 million acre-feet of groundwater at a cost $454 million
• Groundwater use increased from 31% to 53% of Ag needs
• $810 million lost in crop revenue
• 2.2 Billion Total loss in revenue to California
• 17,100 Jobs lost (most seasonal and temporary)
• 428,000 acre decrease in CA cropland predicted in 2014 alone
IT IS UNSUSTAINABLE
https://watershed.ucdavis.edu/files/content/news/Economic_Impact_of_the_2014_California_Water_Dr

16. Global Warming is Increasing the Food
Crisis

Food Bank Serves about 160,000/Month, 28% Children

Mt. Diablo Unified School District Serves 3,750,000 Meals/Year,
all with produce, fresh produce prices increased about 20%
recently

Household Food Insecurity in 2008-2010 in California: 15.9%

1 in 8 are hungry; 12%; 868 million (UN: FAO 2010-2012)

UN says worldwide food production must increase 70% in next 50
years

Yields from rain-dependent agriculture could be down by 50
percent by 2020 (IPCC) http://www.unwater.org/statistics/
CURRENT Ag CAN NOT SUSTAIN THE WORLD’S POPULATION

17. Part of a Solution?
1. Locally grown, Urban Ag
2. Close to water reclamation facilities
3. Recycled Water (preferably high in nitrogen)
4. High-tech Greenhouses
5. Bio-intensive, Permaculture methods

18. CoCo San Sustainable Farm: Green
Incubator
1. Sustainable Urban Farm in H1
2. Unused public Buffer land
3. Recycled Water for Ag
4. Water high in nitrogen
5. Existing local Transportation distribution systems
6. Low Carbon Footprint
7. Fresh Produce for Schools and Food Bank
8. Hydroponics Greenhouse
9. High-Tech Ag Job Training
10. Sustainable Ag and Food Systems Degrees
11. Hands-On Learning in Science and Engineering
12. Showcase Green Technologies
13. Center for Sustainable Living
14. Replicable Model

19. Sustainable Ag in Heavy Industrial Zone

20. We Can’t Use Our Water Just Once:
Recycled H2O

21. We Can’t Grow All Our Produce in Fields:
Conventional Ag Tomatoes

22. Hydroponic Greenhouse Tomatoes

23. Hydroponic Greenhouse Tomato Vines: 6 months
Growth

24. Root Boxes, Vines, Tomatoes, Hot Water
Pipe

25. Hydroponic Tomatoes
Staked with Wire and Plastic

26. Aisle of Hydroponics Greenhouse Tomatoes

29. AgraTech Solar Light Agra Tech
Greenhouse
(Ours will be 144’ X 42’)

31. Hi-Tech Urban Ag with Recycled Water
(Annual Yield can be 500 heads of lettuce/sq yard)

32. Clad Solar Light Agra Tech Greenhouse

33. Green Job Training: Hi-Tech Ag in Japan
10,000 Heads of Lettuce Per Day

34. TURKEY’s Greenhouses Feed
Europe
• 4th in world for fresh vegetable cultivation
• 11th in world for fresh fruit production
• Agricultural exports nearly tripled in 8 years -- from
$1.7 billion (2002) to $5 billion (2010) (excluding
processed food)
• About 135 acres of fresh produce grown in greenhouses
• Turkey took steps to boost its greenhouse production in
2000 by drilling 54 geothermal wells in the south-east
• Geothermal greenhouses in SE cover about 26 acres
• Europe constantly looking to increase its imports of
tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and herbs produced by
hydroponics - demand is outstripping supply
http://www.oxfordbusinessgroup.com/economic_updates/turkey-greenhouse-expansion-boost-agri

35. Greenhouse Produce Production in
Turkey

36. Hands-on Science and Engineering:
Water Chemistry

37. Hands-on Science and Engineering:
Soils Science

38. Showcase Green Technologies:
Ecoloblue (Pacheco)

39. Demonstrate Green
Technologies:
Wind

40. Green Technology: Geothermal HVAC
Illustration by Modern Geothermal HVAC

41. Sustainable Ag and Food Systems Degrees
in Contra Costa County (Designed by Bethallyn Black, M.A.)
Local Community Colleges:
Certificate and AA
• Introduction to Plant Biology
• Water Science
• Soils Science
• Irrigation
• Integrated Pest Management
• Equipment
• Plant Identification
• Crops and Climate
• Intro Greenhouse Management
• Science of Compost & Compost
Tea
JFKU:
Bachelors of Science
• History of Agriculture
• Intro to AgroEcology
• Hi-Tech Greenhouse Mgmt
• Food Systems and Food Justice
• Food Distribution and Marketing
• Introduction to Permaculture
• Advanced IPM
• Plant Physiology
• Advanced Water Science
• Advanced Soils Science
• Ag Business
• Ag Law and Public Policy

42. CoCo San Sustainable Farm’s
Business Model
SALES of:
•Produce (CSAs)
•Fresh Herbs
•Potted Plants
•Seedlings
•Other People’s Products
•Other Business Products
OTHER INCOME:
•CSA Membership Fees
•Facilities and Event Rental
•Advertising
•Space Rental for Green
Businesses
•Classes – most free; Special
classes for a fee
•Major Gifts
•Donations
•Grants

43. Center for Sustainable Living
Vision of Architect Peter Vatkov (Concord)

44. Center for Sustainable Living
by Peter Vatkov