Iceland's Greenhouses: Energy-Intensive and Sustainable Local Food

Two years ago I ran a marathon in Iceland. This sort of activity is not unusual in my world. I've been known to wake up in the morning and say things like, "I feel like signing up to run a marathon in Iceland!" And then a year later, there I am, running a marathon in Iceland. A few things happened in between: an arduous year of training, for one. But I digress.

Iceland was as expected: gorgeous, windy, and cool. There's a wonderful cultural festival in Reykjavik that occurs after the Reykjavik Marathon, and we took that in then proceeded into the countryside for some time at a farm. We learned about wool, one of Iceland's most famous farm exports, and we got to ride an Icelandic horse, another famous and sturdy Icelandic farm animal.

What I didn't expect was all of the local food, created in greenhouses that are green, in spite of the fact that they use energy to grow cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers in the cool Icelandic climate. I knew that fish was an Icelandic dish, but I wasn't aware that Iceland had a vital vegetable and floral industry. The name Iceland does not bring to mind verdant fields, blossoms, and fruit. However, Iceland's greenhouses are green, and they're powered by the energy from the earth. Geothermal energy from the country's very active geology creates power for sustainable food. The same energy that creates hot springs and amazing geological formations and powers the country's many outdoor swimming pools powers a local food industry as well.

In fact, just outside of Reykjavik is a town called Hverageri, The Blossoming Town. Since 1929, the town of the greenhouses has used geothermal energy to support greenhouse agriculture, including plants that are more reminiscent of California than Iceland: peppers, tomatoes, and even floral bouquets. The southern part of Iceland is the country's greenhouse capital. In Icelandic cuisine, stalwart potatoes and fish now meet southern delicacies straight from the hot houses.

Iceland may not have the most hospitable climate for agriculture, but its agriculture is ingenious. The Icelandic people can make much with very little. The trade in sheep is an example of that. They have also made much of excess. In a country where volcanic eruptions and hot pools spring to the surface with regularity, using geothermal energy to power food production is both sensible and sustainable.