{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-c03aa079.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-517835be.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='Hong Kong\u0026#39;s skyline farms harvest more happiness than food' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d763d8eafeecae20b785' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54d763d8eafeecae20b785' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nHong Kong\u0026#39;s skyline farms harvest more happiness than food\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eLEADIN              With its skinny office blocks and tall apartment towers Hong Kong might seem like an unlikely place for farming.              But now thanks to its sunny roof tops and epic skyscapers a bunch of urban farmers are...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eLEADIN\u003cbr/\u003e              With its skinny office blocks and tall apartment towers Hong Kong might seem like an unlikely place for farming.\u003cbr/\u003e              But now thanks to its sunny roof tops and epic skyscapers a bunch of urban farmers are taking their plants to the skies.\u003cbr/\u003e              STORYLINE: \u003cbr/\u003e              High above downtown Hong Kong's bustling, traffic-clogged streets, a bunch of office workers are keeping busy.\u003cbr/\u003e              But they're not sending emails or signing contracts - they're harvesting a bumper crop of lettuce on top of a skyscraper.\u003cbr/\u003e              It's rooftop farming taken to the extreme and is as much about attaining wellbeing as providing food. \u003cbr/\u003e              These volunteers are picking lettuce on the decommissioned helipad of the 146-metre (480-foot)-high roof of the 38-story Bank of America tower.\u003cbr/\u003e              The scenery: a vertiginous panorama of glass office towers framed by lush mountain peaks and Victoria Harbour. \u003cbr/\u003e              The farm is run by Rooftop Republic, a three-year-old startup whose founders are tapping growing interest in organic food and taking advantage of unused roof space in the cramped, high-rent city. \u003cbr/\u003e              \"I think first of all we practice organic farming practices, we work with local organic farmers and I think we're quite stringent about that. And by nurturing the soil and after growing over a long period of time we actually do see that organic vegetables that are grown with organic farming practises,\" says Rooftop Republic co-founder Michelle Hong.\u003cbr/\u003e              The finance and trading hub of Hong Kong has rural suburbs, but farming only takes up 700 hectares (1,730 acres) of its land and agriculture accounts for 0.1 percent of its economic output. \u003cbr/\u003e              Rooftop Republic's founders say the appetite for their services is growing among Hong Kongers who are seeking a more sustainable lifestyle and are concerned about where their food comes from. \u003cbr/\u003e              \"I think people want to have a bit more control and also to have more trust because if I grow it myself I know what went in and I can trust whatever is coming out of that plot,\" adds Hong.\u003cbr/\u003e              Hong Kong imports almost all of its food, much of it from mainland China. Public awareness about food safety in the former British colony has risen after countless food contamination scandals on the mainland.   \u003cbr/\u003e              Rooftop Republic has set up on average one farm a month since it was founded and now manages a total of 36 covering more than 30,000 square feet (about 2,800 square metres), including one in mainland China, according to Hong. It also provides workshops for companies, building owners, schools and community groups. \u003cbr/\u003e              The Bank of America farm was a milestone because it was the first in the city's financial district. The company has since set up two more in the area and is looking at a few more sites. Vegetables from the tower are donated to a food bank for use in lunch boxes and are distributed to the needy. Some of its other farms are on hotels or restaurants which use the herbs, eggplants and melons for dishes on their menus. \u003cbr/\u003e              Plenty of other groups or individuals have started cultivating their own rooftop vegetable gardens according to Matthew Pryor, a Hong Kong University architecture professor who has counted at least 60 and thinks there are a lot more he doesn't know about. \u003cbr/\u003e              Pryor's research found approximately 1,500 rooftop farmers in the city, cultivating a total area of about 1.5 hectares. He thinks there's potential for that to easily grow to 50,000 people working on a suitable rooftop area of 600 hectares. \u003cbr/\u003e              He helped set up a farm on top of a university building where volunteers, mainly staff, grow tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, lettuce, dragonfruit, papaya, beans, peas and squash. \u003cbr/\u003e              But Pryor says not all the food ends up being edible and is not actually the main priority:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"The rooftop farms here produce virtually nothing\" he says, compared to Hong Kong's overall consumption. \u003cbr/\u003e              \"What they do produce, however, is happiness, and this social capital that they generate is enormous.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              The farms can help stressed-out, overworked and socially isolated Hong Kongers be happier and improve their wellbeing by letting them hang out with their friends and commune with nature. \u003cbr/\u003e              These benefits are clear to see on another Rooftop Republic farm at airline Cathay Pacific's headquarters near the city's airport on rural Lantau Island. \u003cbr/\u003e              Airline staff plant crops which thrive in Hong Kong's cool, dry winter growing season, like kale, cabbage, radishes and carrots, which they can take home. \u003cbr/\u003e              \"We're right by the sea, we have great views of the harbour, at the same time have got great views of the airport. We see planes every two minutes,\" says volunteer Prian Chan. \u003cbr/\u003e              \"So it's awesome to be here.\"\u003cbr/\u003e            \u003cbr/\u003e\u003cbr/\u003e              Hong Kong - 14 November 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              1. People walking onto skyscraper rooftop \u003cbr/\u003e              2. Mid of group of rooftop farming volunteers talking with organiser\u003cbr/\u003e              3. Mid of planters\u003cbr/\u003e              4. Wide of rooftop farmers \u003cbr/\u003e              5. Overhead of lettuce in planter\u003cbr/\u003e              6. Close of hands on lettuce\u003cbr/\u003e              7. Rooftop farming organiser digging up plants\u003cbr/\u003e              8. SOUNDBITE (English) Michelle Hong, co-founder, Rooftop Republic:  \u003cbr/\u003e              \"Basically for us, when we're growing it on the rooftops, as we have a lot of vegetables that we're growing locally, I think first of all we practice organic farming practices, we work with local organic farmers and I think we're quite stringent about that. And by nurturing the soil and after growing over a long period of time we actually do see that organic vegetables that are grown with organic farming practises. They have a much better taste, like a punch.\" \u003cbr/\u003e              9. Volunteer uses shears to clip head off lettuce   \u003cbr/\u003e              10. Volunteer picks off leaves from lettuce\u003cbr/\u003e              11. Lettuce thrown into bag\u003cbr/\u003e              12. SOUNDBITE (English) Michelle Hong, co-founder, Rooftop Republic:  ++AUDIO AS INCOMING++\u003cbr/\u003e              \"Well, we have been getting more and more interest from people who want to grow their own food. I think a lot of it was also triggered off by concerns about food safety and the realisation that a lot of the food that they consume might be laden with pesticides. So I think people want to have a bit more control and also to have more trust because if I grow it myself I know what went in and I can trust whatever is coming out of that plot.\" \u003cbr/\u003e              13. Various of volunteer picking greens\u003cbr/\u003e              14. SOUNDBITE (English) Eric Cheng, rooftop farming volunteer:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"I think it is an interesting topic, right now in society, exactly what you say: where the food comes from, are they safe? Basically we eat a lot of food every day, but exactly where does it come from? Is there any chance I can be more involved in it besides just eating it?\"\u003cbr/\u003e              15. Volunteer clipping lettuce\u003cbr/\u003e              16. Close of leaf\u003cbr/\u003e              17. Close of irrigation tap\u003cbr/\u003e              18. Various of volunteers washing lettuce \u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              Hong Kong - 16 November 2017\u003cbr/\u003e              19. Various wide of Bank of America tower \u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              Hong Kong - 23 February 2018 \u003cbr/\u003e              20. Professor walking out of rooftop doorway\u003cbr/\u003e              21. Wide of Hong Kong University rooftop farm\u003cbr/\u003e              22. Close of mulberries in professor's hand\u003cbr/\u003e              23. Professor eats mulberries\u003cbr/\u003e              24. Mid of professor and volunteer inspecting mulberries in protective mesh netting\u003cbr/\u003e              25. SOUNDBITE (English) Matthew Pryor, Hong Kong University associate professor of architecture: \u003cbr/\u003e              \"One of the things that has really struck me in visiting all these rooftop farms around the place is the fact that people don't actually grow that much food. The produce, the actual total volume of what they produce is quite small. But what they do produce in very large amounts is happiness.\"\u003cbr/\u003e              26. Professor lifts up lid of compost bin\u003cbr/\u003e              27. Compost liquid 'juice' pouring into scoop\u003cbr/\u003e              28. Professor watering plants with compost liquid 'juice'\u003cbr/\u003e              29. Various of tomato plant\u003cbr/\u003e              30. Various of wildflowers\u003cbr/\u003e              31. Wide of professor working on plants\u003cbr/\u003e              \u003cbr/\u003e              Hong Kong - 23 September 2017 \u003cbr/\u003e              32. Pan from mountains to rooftop farm\u003cbr/\u003e              33. Woman picking up gardening tools\u003cbr/\u003e              34. Close of seedlings\u003cbr/\u003e              35. Organic farmer giving tutorial on how to plant seedling\u003cbr/\u003e              36. Volunteer's hands planting a seedling \u003cbr/\u003e              37. Volunteer waters seedlings\u003cbr/\u003e              38. Volunteer planting seedling\u003cbr/\u003e              39. SOUNDBITE (English) Prian Chan, rooftop farming volunteer:\u003cbr/\u003e              \"It's actually a great place. We're on the rooftop, we're right by the sea. So we've got great views of the harbour. At the same time we have a great view of the airport, we see planes flying behind us every two minutes. So it's awesome to be here.\" \u003cbr/\u003e              40. Wide of plane taking off as volunteers work on rooftop farm\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eCurator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan class=\"star-rating\" aria-label=\"3.5 out of 5 stars\" role=\"img\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star-half-stroke text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-regular fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt class=\"educator-rating-title\"\u003eEducator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"educator-rating-details\" data-path=\"/educator_ratings/rrp_data?resourceable_id=1046867\u0026amp;resourceable_type=Boclips%3A%3AVideoMetadata\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"not-yet-rated\"\u003eNot yet Rated\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eGrade\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd title=\"Grade\"\u003eHigher Ed\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSubjects\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\u0026amp;subject_ids%5B%5D=1216220\"\u003eAll Subjects\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eMedia Type\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=2\u0026amp;type_ids%5B%5D=4543650\"\u003eNews Clips\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSource:\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eDate\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e2018\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-solid fa-language'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eAudiences\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?audience_ids%5B%5D=371079\u0026amp;grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\"\u003eFor Teacher Use\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\u003cdd class=\"text-muted\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-lock mr5\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e2 more...\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='concepts-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='concepts-heading'\u003eConcepts\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list concepts' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='concepts'\u003einterest, higher education, society, composting, vegetables, business, food, asia, hong kong, east asia, time, education, china, hobbies, trust, organic farming, gardening\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='concepts-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='additional-tags-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='additional-tags-heading'\u003eAdditional Tags\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list keyterms' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='keyterms'\u003ething, environment, corporate news, greater china, product safety, vegetable farming, social affairs, organic food, growing, produce, view, agriculture and the environment, products and services, organic, home and garden, volunteerism, grow, lifestyle, people, environment and nature, rooftop, food and drink, rooftop gardening, recreation and leisure, eco-friendly practices, crop farming, agriculture, safe, place\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='keyterms-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='educator-ratings-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title sr-only' id='educator-ratings-heading'\u003eEducator Ratings\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"educator-ratings-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"all-educator-ratings-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"educator-rating-form-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Show resource details' class='rp-show-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nShow resource details\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Video player' class='player' id='player-wrapper' role='region'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='relative container mx-auto' id='lp-boclips-visitor-thumbnail'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"block\" data-html=\"true\" data-placement=\"bottom\" data-trigger=\"click\" data-content=\"\u003cdiv class=\u0026quot;text-center py-2\u0026quot;\u003e\u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/auth/users/sign_in\u0026quot;\u003eSign in\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold text-danger\u0026quot; data-posthog-event=\u0026quot;Signup: LP Signup Activity\u0026quot; data-posthog-location=\u0026quot;body_link_boclips\u0026quot; data-remote=\u0026quot;true\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/subscription/new\u0026quot;\u003eJoin Now\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Play video: Hong Kong\u0026#39;s skyline farms harvest more happiness than food\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"resource-img img-thumbnail img-responsive z-10 lp-boclips-thumbnail w-full h-full lozad\" alt=\"Hong Kong\u0026#39;s skyline farms harvest more happiness than food\" title=\"Hong Kong\u0026#39;s skyline farms harvest more happiness than food\" onError=\"handleImageNotLoadedError(this)\" data-default-image=\"https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" data-src=\"https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" width=\"315\" height=\"220\" src=\"data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs\" /\u003e\n\u003cspan aria-hidden='true' class='flex justify-center items-center bg-white rounded-full w-16 h-16 absolute top-1/2 left-1/2 -mt-8 -ml-8 cursor-pointer z-0 border-2 border-primary drop-shadow-md lp-boclips-thumbnail-playBtn'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fa-solid fa-play text-primary text-3xl ml-1 drop-shadow-xl'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}