food vs. fuel, number two?

since we've been talking about sources of fuel across the country and different environments which support the various renewable energies, I thought I might add a fuel source that works in virtually any environment that could be utilized in every region...

you don't need fancy equipment, cellulosic converters or large amounts of space to produce it. It doesn't even require much time or labor- unless you count tossing your food scraps into a seperate container and occasionally aerating the soil "work".

We're talking compost. It's simple, it's a free source of plant nutrients for those front bushes at your house, your indoor houseplant, or even for a gardening friend or compost collector (some farms are willing to take donated compost to grow their crops). It can significantly decrease your tossed waste... and works anywhere that food is produced!

while we're at it, why not take a look at making actual fuel from food scraps?

This article adresses a process some Vermont farmers are already using, where anaerobic composting is used to produce methane gas, which can be burned (and still leaves the compost usable). These farmers tend to use cow manure, which has a lower energy value than food scraps; working a combination of these two compostable sources of energy may create a better source of fuel... although this process may not provide the bang for its buck in rural areas, it could be a way for more urban farms to follow a "zero-waste strategy".