An irrigation device (10) including a solar collector (18) connected to a heating element (14). The heating element is embedded in a hydrated medium and heats this to produce water vapour. A semi-permeable membrane (34) allows the heated water vapour to be used for irrigation, thereby allowing marsh or sea water to be used to irrigate large tracts of arid soil.

A method and apparatus for cultivating vegetation at an arid location includes rooting immature vegetation in a mat combined with a super absorbent polymer (SAP) and, in embodiments, fertilizer, sand, and/or soil; placing the mat at the arid location; covering the mat with a perforated, transparent or semi-transparent cover; collecting urine in a water purification system; and providing purified water extracted from the urine to the mat. A water barrier can be placed below the mat. The cover can be placed on or suspended above the mat. SAP, seeds, and/or additional water barriers can be placed between mats in a stack. The opacity of the cover can be increased to emulate shade from natural vegetation. A water distribution system can be included for continued support of the vegetation, and can include a water reservoir and/or at least one solar still.

Variable-scale, modular, easily manufacturable, energy efficient, reliable, and computer operated aeroponic farming superstructure systems (AFSS) may be used to produce plants for human consumption with minimal water and environmental impact. An AFSS system may comprise modules including liquid distribution and plant growing. An AFSS may be configured to be constructed out of a plurality of containerized modules.

A Plasma functional liquid producing device, a method thereof, and a plant factory that exhibit excellent cleaning and sterilizing effects even when plasma gas is introduced into a liquid through bubbling. The Plasma functional liquid producing device comprises a plasma head that generates plasma gas containing active species from plasma generating gas, a plasma gas releasing section that releases the plasma gas in a bubbled state, and a Plasma functional liquid generating section equipped with a plasma functional liquid generating tank storing a solvent, which generates a plasma functional liquid by introducing the plasma gas in the bubbled state into the solvent, wherein the oxygen concentration of the plasma generating gas is preferably 90% or more.

The low-energy water reclamation process consists of evaporation from water sources, followed by capturing, condensing and reusing the water released into the atmosphere from both the evaporation process and by plant transpiration. 95% to 99% of water from plant transpiration is lost by venting to the atmosphere. We capture that water, and reuse it, to grow food or provide potable water. Reclaiming and reusing the evaporated water reduces both the amount of new water required for plant growth or potable water production, and also reduces the total energy requirement for the process. Over a large growing area, we expect to reclaim a significant amount of transpired water, which will reduce the need for new water to grow food and/or provide pure unpolluted potable water, at lower total cost.