In this New York Times article, Charles Vigliotti describes his method of composting waste called Anaerobic digestion. This sustainable method of generating compost can theoretically be a carbon negative process that could profit off of its byproducts. The process works via microbes, which digest the food matter down into a fertilizer, biogas, and liquid that can be used as an efficient plant feed. The idea that generating compost in this fashion can produce two sources of revenue. My biggest criticisms of most sustainable alternative methods to solving waste issues is that the projects are often centered around selling the environmental benefits to a project rather than cost-efficiency. While sustainability is undoubtably vital to existence itself, for a sustainable system to be successful, it must also be cost efficient to compete with whatever system it is trying to replace. This particular article stood out to me because it focused on that exact concern. It is difficult for a project to be both viable and sustainable, but to be profitable as well is something else entirely. The method that Vigliotti describes, if true, are an incredible step toward a sustainable future.
