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Food used on farms decomposes directly into the atmosphere, including methane. Food sent to landfill decomposes poorly with an increased methane output, but som

Food used on farms decomposes directly into the atmosphere, including methane. Food sent to landfill decomposes poorly with an increased methane output, but some of the methane can be captured to generate electricity. I'm not qualified at all to analyze this properly. The former method makes use of food to displace use of fossil fuels in farming. The latter displaces use of fossil fuels for electricity generation. Is there research which demonstrates that one method is better than the other?

oska 8y ago
I recently learnt of a food waste recycling method that avoids decomposition and release of methane. It is called bokashi and it uses homolactic fermentation to break down the food waste. Quoting the wikipedia article [1]: > Homolactic fermentation breaks no carbon bonds and emits no gas; its overall equation is C6H12O6 (carbohydrate) → 2 CH3CHOHCOOH (lactic acid). It is a mildly endothermic reaction, emitting no energy; the fermentation vessel remains at ambient temperature. Interestingly, this method was historically developed in Korea, as is also detailed in the wikipedia article. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokashi_(horticulture) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokashi_(horticulture)
- benj111 8y ago
  "It is a mildly endothermic reaction, emitting no energy; the fermentation vessel remains at ambient temperature" Surely if its endothermic the container would get cool???
  - oska 8y ago
    Perhaps that part of the article could be edited to "remains close to ambient temperature".