Alderman Lyle's Green Initiative Part I- Aquaponics at Chicago State University

Chicago State University recently announced the completion of its new aquaponics system that will provide research and educational opportunities, as well as address environmental and urban challenges facing Chicago’s South Side.

CSU’s aquaponics facility features four 750-gallon tanks, six grow beds with traversing lights and a three-acre site for outdoor plots for sustainable fuel research and gardens. This innovative program will be unveiled to CSU students, faculty and local business and community leaders on Tuesday, August 17 at the Aquaponics Facility, which is located at 9601 S. Cottage Grove Avenue.

Aquaponics is an integrative process that combines aquaculture (fish farming) and hydroponics (raising plants in water instead of soil). Plants and fish cultivate in a recirculation environment in which nutrients-enriched effluent, or water from the fish, is used as fertilizer for the plants within the facility. As the plants take in the nutrients to fuel their own rapid growth, the water’s toxicity for the fish is reduced or eliminated. Clean, nutrient free water is then returned to the fish environment, and the cycle continues supporting the growth of both fish and plants. The relationship between the fish and the plants creates a waste-less environment; nearly every part of the project is self-sustaining and thus environmentally friendly.

More on the program at http://www.csu.edu/news/aquaponics.htm

Alderman Lyle and outgoing Alderman Shiller worked diligently on bringing this to our community. Per Alderman Lyle she will give us more details on this project and future projects.