6.2.6

Case Study: Thanet Earth

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Thanet Earth

Thanet Earth is the largest complex of greenhouses in England. Thanet Earth is in Kent and it uses hydroponics (growing plants in a water solvent) instead of growing plants in soil.

Advantages of Thanet Earth

Advantages of Thanet Earth

  • Thanet Earth produces tomatoes every week of the year. This would not be possible outdoors in the UK.
  • Thanet Earth produces 225 million tomatoes each year (12% of the UK's total production).
  • Thanet Earth produces 13 million cucumbers each year (8% of the UK's total production).
  • The Thanet Earth complex is environmentally-friendly and any excess power generated is put into the UK's National Grid.
  • Over 250 people are employed at Thanet Earth.
  • More of the UK's vegetables are grown in the UK, rather than imported, so the UK has better food security.
  • Thanet Earth uses lower amounts of fertilisers and pesticides because of its greenhouses.
Disadvantages of Thanet Earth

Disadvantages of Thanet Earth

  • The greenhouses were developed on top of existing farmland, so the development has reduced the amount of greenbelt land and likely destroyed some wildlife's habitats.
  • Heating, lighting, and running the greenhouses consume a lot of energy (although excesses are put back into the National Grid).
  • The high levels of lighting needed to grow plants creates light pollution.
Jump to other topics
1

The Challenge of Natural Hazards

1.1

Natural Hazards

1.2

Tectonic Hazards

1.3

Weather Hazards

1.4

Climate Change

2

The Living World

2.1

Ecosystems

2.2

Tropical Rainforests

2.3

Hot Deserts

2.4

Tundra & Polar Environments

3

Physical Landscapes in the UK

3.1

The UK Physical Landscape

3.2

Coastal Landscapes in the UK

3.3

River Landscapes in the UK

3.4

Glacial Landscapes in the UK

4

Urban Issues & Challenges

5

The Changing Economic World

5.1

The Changing Economic World

5.2

Economic Development in the UK

6

The Challenge of Resource Management

6.1

Resource Management

6.2

Food

6.3

Water

6.4

Energy

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