Bio-degradable

[|Biodegradation] is nature's way of recycling wastes, or breaking down organic matter into nutrients that can be used by other organisms. "Degradation" means decay, and the "bio-" prefix means that the decay is carried out by a huge assortment of bacteria, fungi, insects, worms, and other organisms that eat dead material and recycle it into new forms.


 * [|Biodegradable Products Institute] - promote the use and recovery of compostable materials, [|science of biodegradation]
 * [|Bio-Wool in Terracase Suitcase] - his starting point was that he wanted to find a way to utilize waste produced by New Zealand's wool industry, one of the cornerstones of the country's economy.

[|supermarket to be powered entirely by its own food waste] - rotten food is picked up from Sainsbury's stores and fed into an anaerobic digester. Within the zero-oxygen environment inside that digester, bacteria break down the waste to produce bio-methane gas. That gas is then used to produce electricity to meet all of one store's day-to-day needs, allowing the building to operate independent of the electrical grid. Any extra electricity that's not needed by the store, however, will be fed into that grid.
 * What's the problem?**
 * **Ask** - How could food waste be used economically? What can it be used for?
 * **Imagine** - What kinds of treatment options are available for processing organic matter like rotten fruit and vegetables? What would be produced as a result? How much will the processing cost? Is it worth the effort?
 * **Design, Build** - How can the waste be transported to the processing facility without adding more driving and more cost? Where is the processing facility located? Is there a nearby store where the electricity generated can be used?
 * **Improve** - How can any surplus electricity be used? Can the whole process be streamlined and improved to make it more cost effective?


 * That's engineering**
 * anaerobic - does not need oxygen
 * [|methane] - a hydrocarbon that is a gas at room temperature (20°C). It is often found as the main part of natural gas. It oxidates carbon dioxide and water.

> anaerobic digestion, bio-methane, degradation, bio, material
 * Engineering ideas**

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 * Do it**


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 * Learn more...**
 * [|Biodegradation]
 * [|Biodegradable Products Institute] - promote the use and recovery of compostable materials, [|science of biodegradation]

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