Try a Bio-Digestor for Free Compost, Energy

Here's a new idea to get people into sustainable living: how about a biodigester in your water line? The biodigester will take all the waste from the kitchen and bathroom and turn it into two useful substances: compost for gardens and biogas for household appliances. This is pretty much the best result when it comes to reducing, reusing and recycling. Read on to learn more about these devices and how to make them work.

The magic of aerobic bacteria

Biodigesters are basically personal sewage treatment plants. It's installed in place of the septic tank, so it collects all the food scraps, human feces, and all other solid matter that gets flushed down your home's plumbing. However, instead of filling up the tank before you need to pump it out, a biodigester converts all the waste into useful substances.

The process works because biodigesters let air flow into the waste, which enables aerobic bacteria to break down sewage into less aggressive and more useful forms. A good biodigester can convert waste into substances that can be safely released into the environment, but a conservation-minded homeowner will take what it produces and put it to good use.

Healthy Gardens and Free Fuel

This material comes in two forms. One is compost, which you can use to enrich the soil for inedible plants growing in your yard. All of these foods from the kitchen are packed with powerful nutrients that can help your garden thrive. However, since this mix also contains human waste, you should not use it in the vegetable garden because of the health and safety risks it presents.

Another useful material is methane gas. As the waste breaks down in the biodigester, the gas rises to the top and can be piped into your house to power a clothes dryer, stove or grill. This can save you fuel bills by supplementing or replacing gas or electricity that you would otherwise need to buy from the grid. This is not a DIY project - if you decide to collect gas, make sure you have an expert assisting you with the installation to avoid a potentially deadly safety hazard.