F-Style Chicago Magazine Issue 7 7 | Page 35

SMART Eating Aquaponics This is not going to be a fun and easy subject for most of you to handle but it must be discussed. When we look at the health of our communities many of us have been programmed to by our food from the grocery store, I know it easy, quick and there are lot of variety, bright colors, designer packaging, great pictures all designed to entice and trigger that connection in our minds to tickle our stomachs. When you do the research, when you look at the news, look at the long term effects of how all these wonderful packaging techniques use to trick you is doing to your beautiful body Anything mass produced for consumers you have to realize that there might be something not very healthy for you. There fore I offer this for your health tip for this issue. I believe fully in the saying don’t give a man a fish a day but teach a man how to fish. So let us talk about AQUAPONICS! Once you learn about this and apply it to your life you will not only be saving money in your household, but you will have a tool that can be used in your family for children chores and family bonding, as you teach them how to be healthy as well as saving money. And for some who are smart can even start a business with this knowledge and help feed your communities with healthy GMO free produce. Aquaponics is a hybrid of two disciplines – hydroponics, or growing plants without the use of soil; and aquaculture, or fish farming. Aquaponics brings the two together, solving common problems with each type of system. The wonderful thing about Aquaponics is that almost anyone can participate and get to grow some clean, healthy vegetables and fish. Some of the plants you can find growing in the Aquaponics gardens are basil, strawberries, chives, mustard greens, and many more. Very small desk and bench top type systems, back garden systems are most often built by the householder themselves as a DIY project. There are literally thousands of websites that can show you how to set up a small workable open-source aquaponics system for free. Here is one website to go to as you make plans to either build your own aquaponics system or just to learn more. In Chicago our City College Chicago State has free. For tour requests or more information, please email epratt@ csu.edu, amaselli@csu.edu, or call 773-437-3952 The fish There are many kinds of fish t