Film producer Brian Lynch's piece on EarthBoxes, entitled Brick City Urban Farms, was one of several films chosen to air at the recent Greenbuild Film Festival.

Mr. Lynch shared the honor with actors Darryl Hannah and Cameron Diaz, who were featured in other films at the festival. This event was part of the Greenbuild Conference held in Phoenix, Arizona in early November, which also included workshops, presentations and keynote speakers, including former Vice President Al Gore.

Brick City Urban Farms tells the story of how co-founders John Taylor and Lorraine Gibbons joined forces in 2008 to bring fresh produce to the "food desert" of Newark, New Jersey. The challenge was to find a place to plant, as the soil was contaminated with heavy metals. The solution was to grow the crops above ground in EarthBoxes, which would result in double yields while using half the water of conventional growing.

Taylor and Gibbons turned an abandoned inner city lot and rooftop into a Mecca of fresh fruits and vegetables. The first year, they sold bags of produce for a minimal charge, in order to celebrate the first harvest and to generate awareness. This year, they began selling more produce, in addition to growing food at local schools, distributing to a food bank, to soup kitchens and even to a restaurant in Manhattan!

The interest in helping to nurture this urban farm spread quickly. Neighborhood children and even their grandparents began to help with planting, watering, and harvesting. A nearby high school established a community service program at the farm; in addition, green jobs and educational and job training opportunities sprouted and thrived.

For Brian Lynch, this was a very meaningful experience. "This might be my favorite film I've done for EarthBox," he notes. "The sheer number of people who wanted to talk to me on camera about the project was a testament to how many lives the farm touches and impacts in a positive manner."

For more information on this community project, click here.