Organic waste startup Re-Nuble pursues renewable energy goals, as well

One man’s trash, another’s treasure? In sustainability, we try to reframe business and social challenges as opportunities. Food waste in the U.S. is astounding–33 million tons per year, or more than 4 pounds per person per day. Whether it’s food that was too hot, too cold, or just a person who prefers not to eat the crust of their bread, food waste is a problem that can be reframed as an opportunity. After all, food waste has the potential to be a terrific resource for communities across the world.

Think about it this way: left to its own devices, when living matter dies, it eventually breaks down to become fertilizer for plants. This is how soils have been built up over eons throughout history. Mankind has changed that pattern and instead puts food waste into a sealed landfill, where it is locked away with all sorts of toxic and nonrenewable products, like plastic and styrofoam. When that food waste decomposes, it produces methane, a powerful greenhouse gas (23 times more powerful than CO2).

The startup Re-Nuble won sponsorship from Startup America for taking exactly this approach to reinventing waste as a resource, and finding a sustainable business model from it. Re-Nuble is looking to launch a program of food waste digestion in the greater Washington, D.C., area, and is currently raising funds on IndieGogo to help get them started.

The idea, at least on its surface, is simple: create collection avenues for yard waste and food waste that will go to a special digester. The digester turns the organic waste into useful compost for local farmers, and in the process, harvests the methane gas as a renewable source of energy, which it sells to the utility. Check out their wickedly cool video here:

There aren’t many startups that have the potential to truly revolutionize the world, but this one has merit. Re-Nuble is looking to work with restaurateurs, hotels, conference centers, caterers, supermarket chains, and lawn and landscape services companies.

Check out Re-Nuble’s IndieGogo campaign and kick in a few bucks for a good cause. For $20, you get a chance to name the digester! For $80, you can even get a great gardening kit.

All in all, no matter whether you contribute or just forward this on to friends and colleagues, this startup has the real potential to change how we look at food waste, create green jobs, and to dramatically change the picture of renewable energy and greenhouse gas emissions. So please forward it along!