Sustainability is the ability to sustain production of goods today without impairing our ability to produce goods in the future. Managing resources for their continued use, not just conservation is the ultimate goal of sustainability. Aquaponics is a relatively new branch of food production which utilizes both plant production and fish production in one. In essence, it combines aquaculture and hydroponics (raising plants without soil) in which fish and plants are grown together in one integrated system. The waste from fish provides an organic food source (fertilizer) for the plants and the plants naturally filter the water for the fish. Aquaponics is becoming a popular way to grow both fish and plants because of the advantages it provides to society. What would NOT be an advantage of aquaponics? A) Evaporative losses are significantly reduced, so water is conserved.
B) Since the fish supply the nutrients needed for plant growth, costly fertilizers are not needed.
C) Vegetables can grow in a climate controlled environment, preventing farming losses from a bad season.
D) Aquaponic systems require electricity to run the system which can be difficult in developing countries.