>>> WHO KNEW BRINGING PEOPLE MANURE WOULD BRING PEOPLE SO MUCH JOY.

>> THIS TECHNOLOGY GOES BACK 5 BILLION YEARS.

>> PEOPLE ARE JUST CATCHING UP.

>> PEOPLE HERE ARE READY TO DO THIS WORK.

THEY REALLY JUST NEED SOMEBODY TO GIVE THEM THE CREDIT THEY MIGHT ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT WHAT THEIR WORLD LOOKS LIKE.

>> THIS EPISODE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WAIST, WHERE HERE AT THE TRANSFER STATION IN WILLISTON, VERMONT, WHERE VERMONT TRASH GETS PACKED AND SHIPPED OFF TO THE LANDFILL.

WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT NOT ALL OF THIS WAIST NEEDS TO BE WASTED?

WHEN WE HEAR THE WORD, WASTE, WE THINK OF SOMETHING THAT HAS NO VALUE.

BUT FOOD WE THROW OUT HAS REAL VALUE.

IT CAN BE GATHERED AND DELIVERED TO THOSE IN NEEDS.

FOOD SCRAPS FROM THE CAFETERIA CAN BE FED TO LIVESTOCK OR COMPOSTED.

THERE IS REAL VALUE, BIOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC IN A LOT OF THE LEFTOVERS.

SO THIS EPISODE, LET'S TALK ABOUT NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THOSE WONDERFUL PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING UP WITH INNOVATIVE WAYS TO GET THIS VALUE BACK INTO OUR LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM.

>> IT IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT.

>> 148 IS A MANDATE THAT THESE ORGANICS MAY NOT BE IN LANDFILL.

>> WHEN THE BILL CAME OUT, IT WAS A COLLABORATION OF YEARS AND YEARS OF STUDY, ALL COMING BACK TOGETHER IN WHAT MAKES SENSE AND WHAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.

>> THE STATE'S UNIVERSAL RECYCLING LAW IS GOING TO CHANGE THE WAY THAT WE DEAL WITH EVERYTHING WE USED TO CALL WASTE, THE AGENCY OF NATURAL RESOURCES IS GOING TO HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THE IMPLICATION OF THIS LAW.

>> MY NAME IS BRYN OAKLEAF, I'M ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYST WORKING ON IMPLEMENTATION ON THE UNIVERSAL RECYCLING LAW.

>> RECYCLING?

ISN'T THAT BEER BOTTLES AND YOGURT CONTAINERS?

WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH FOOD?

>> THE UNIVERSAL RECYCLING LAW HAS DISPOSAL BANS ON FOOD WASTE AND WITH THAT LAW, WE ALSO HAVE ADOPTED A FOOD RECOVERY HIERARCHY, WHICH SETS OUT PRIORITY OF MANAGEMENT OF THE USABLE FOOD AND THE NUTRIENTS THEY HAVE AND OUT OF THE LANDFILL.

WE, AS THE STATE OF VERMONT, ARE THE ONLY STATE IN THE NATION THAT HAS ADOPTED THE FOOD RECOVERY HIERARCHY INTO OUR LAW.

>> WE'LL GO THROUGH AND SHOW EXAMPLES OF THIS HIERARCHY AND HOW VERMONTERS ARE COMING UP WITH INCREASINGLY-INNOVATIVE WAYS FROM PREVENTED OUR WASTE FROM BEING WASTED.

>> THERE IS 60,000 TONS OF FOOD THAT'S GOING TO A LANDFILL.

>> THAT'S A WHOLE LOT OF FOOD SCRAPS.

WHAT SHOULD WE BE DOING WITH ALL THAT?

AND HOW CAN WE CHANGE OUR WAYS?

>> THESE ARE YOUR OPTIONS.

YOU NEED TO COMPOST THEM OR SEND THEM TO ANAEROBIC DIGESTION.

THEY HAVE TOO MUCH VALUE AND TOO MUCH OF A NEGATIVE AFFECT ON OUR ENVIRONMENT.

>> PEOPLE GO, OH, HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST ME?

>> IT'S A NEW SYSTEM THAT HASN'T REALLY BEEN IN PLACE IN VERMONT.

>> AT FIRST, WE'LL NOT BE AS EFFICIENT.

WE'LL GET TECHNOLOGIES TO MAKE US MORE EFFICIENT AND THE COST WILL BE LESS.

>> TOM MOREAU HAS DEDICATED HIS CAREER.

>> I'M GENERAL MANAGER OF THE SOLID WASTE DISTRICT.

WE ARE IN WILLISTON.

>> AS VERMONT'S LARGEST SOLID WASTE DISTRICT, THEY ARE GOING TO BE AFFECTED BY 148.

>> IT WAS DRAFTED BY THE STAFF.

WE HAD A LOT OF INPUT INTO THAT BILL AND A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH WHAT I CALL THE ENVIROS AND THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND A LOT OF IMPACT WITH THE HOLLER HAULERS.

>> WE'LL KICK INTO THE RESIDENTIAL.

>> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S VERY LITTLE CHANGE FROM WHAT FAMILIES ARE ALREADY DOING.

>> I BET IT WILL COST US TAXPAYERS MORE MONEY?

>> IT'S IN THE COLLECTION PROCESS, GOING OUT AND COLLECTING IT.

>> THE ADDITIONAL OPTION IS THE CURB-SIDE COLLECTION.

SO THAT WILL BE OFFERED BY HAULERS BEGINNING IN 2017.

>> THE FULL COST OF DOING SOMETHING AND DOING IT RIGHT, SOMETIMES COSTS MORE IN A PRICE BUT YOU GAIN SO MANY EXTERNALITIES THAT IT'S WORTH DOING IT AND THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM ENERGY TO BUILDING SOILS TO BEING SMART ABOUT THINGS.

>> WE'RE LOOKING AT WHERE OUR GAPS ARE, WHERE THE INFRASTRUCTURAL NEEDS ARE AND INJECTING SOME CAPITAL FUNDING TO ASSIST WITH THAT, TO SMOOTH OUT THOSE ROADBLOCKS AND GET THESE MATERIALS AND VALUABLE NUTRIENTS INTO THE SYSTEM.

>> MY WIFE LAUGHS AND SAYS, ALL YOU'VE DONE IS TAKEN PEOPLE'S CRAP.

I WAS A CHEMIST.

THAT WAS MY MAJOR IN COLLEGE.

I UNDERSTAND IT.

IT'S BEEN KIND OF A NEAT THING TO TRY TO BE THAT INTERFACE BETWEEN THE SCIENCE AND SOCIETY.

YOU KNOW, WHAT DOES THE SCIENCE SAY?

IF THEY SAY NOT USING SOMETHING SUFFICIENTLY NOT GOOD.

HOW DO WE TURN THAT INTO A POLICY AND HOW DO WE BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND THE SYSTEM?

>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESOURCES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NATURAL RESOURCES, SAVING ENERGY, REDUCING GREENHOUSE GASES AND BENEFITING OUR ECONOMICS AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

>> SOME FOOD JUST ISN'T SUITABLE FOR SALE, LIKE THIS APPLE.

>> 30% TO 40% OF OUR FOOD THAT IS GROWN FROM FARM TO PLATE IS WASTED.

THE PROBLEM ISN'T A NEED FOR NEW FOOD.

THE CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY IS CAPTURING THE SURPLUS FOOD AND GETTING IT INTO A SYSTEM THAT CAN REDISRIBUTE IT.

>> MY NAME IS THERESA SNOW FROM SALVATION FARMS.

>> SHE HAS BIG IDEAS ABOUT HOW TO USE THE FOOD THAT GETS LEFT BEHIND ON FIELDS.

SHE WON'T LET US CALL IT WASTE.

>> WE'RE INSPIRED TO MANAGE AN AVAILABLE RESOURCE.

>> WHILE THIS FOOD ISN'T PERFECT, IT'S PERFECTLY GOOD AND IT CAN FEED VERMONTERS IN NEED.

>> WHAT GLEANING IS, IS THE REAPING AFTER THE HARVEST.

IT IS TYPICALLY DONE BY THE POOR TRAVELLER.

>> THERESA HAS SOME IDEAS ABOUT HOW GLEANED FOOD CAN TOTALLY CHANGE THE LANDSCAPE OF LOCAL FOOD.

>> QUALITY FOOD THAT ISN'T MAKING IT TO MARKET, KEEPING IT FROM BEING LOST AT THAT POINT OF PRODUCTION AND GETTING IT INTO SITES LIKE CHARITABLE AND INSTITUTIONAL MEAL PROGRAMS THAT AREN'T GOING TO DIRECTLY IMPACT THE FARM AND THEIR MARKETS IN A NEGATIVE WAY.

SALVATION FARMS WORKED ON BUILDING A PROFESSIONAL, EFFICIENT MODEL FOR COMMUNITY-BASED GLEANING.

WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO HAVE A SYSTEM, A MECHANISM FOR AGGREGATING, CLEANING, QUALITY ASSESSING, CASE-PACKING FOOD RAW, AS WELL AS MINIMALLY-PROCESSING.

>> THEY GET THE FOOD TO PEOPLE IN NEED.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THAT FOOD GETS TOSSED IN THE COMPOST.

>> I'M TOM GILBERT AND YOU'RE IN STANNARD, VERMONT.

>> TOM GILBERT IS SHOWING US HOW TO CLOSE THE LOOP ON HIS VERY OWN PROPERTY.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT ANY NATURAL ECH ECH ECHOECOSYSTEM, YOU HAVE TO TAKE RESOURCES FROM THE LIVING SIDE AND PASS IT THROUGH THE DECOMPOS DECOMPOSING SYSTEM SO LIFE AND DEATH HAVE TO BE IN BALANCE.

>> TOM COLLECTS FOOD SCRAPS AND BRINGS THEM BACK TO HIS OWN BLACK DIRT FARM.

>> WE PICK UP FROM 50 DIFFERENT BUSINESSES, COLLECTING ABOUT 25 TONS OF MATERIALS.

>> YOU CAN FEED THEM TO CHICKENS.

>> ABOUT 25% IS BACK TO THE FARM HERE.

>> CREATE RICH COMPOST AND WORM CASTINGS HE CAN SELL ALL OVER THE STATE.

WE TALKED TO TOM ABOUT WHY THIS IS COMPELLING AND GRABBED THE INTEREST OF THE USDA.

>> WE HAVE A USDA GRANT, COMPARING FEEDING COMPOST SCRAPES TO LAY HEN.

THE DIFFERENCE IS YOLK WITH THE COLOR.

WE'RE REALLY GROWING BACTERIA AND FUNGI FOR THEM TO EAT.

THEY TAKE A BITE OF APPLE AND IT'S SHEATHED WITH A LOT OF BACTERIA AND THAT'S WHERE THE BACTERIA IS COMING FROM.

RUNNING A RIG AROUND COLLECTING THE MATERURIIAL IS TO SUPPORT O FARMING OPERATION.

>> CASH FLOW?

THERE'S MANY TO BE MADE FROM THIS GARBAGE?

>> WE PROVIDE A PARALLEL SERVICE TO TRASH AND THE BUSINESS PAYS US, INSTEAD OF PAYING SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING TO TAKE IT TO A LANDFILL.

>> THIS IS PRETTY SPECTACULAR FOR A SMALL FARM.

COULD YOU ACTUALLY APPLY THIS ON A LARGER SCALE ACROSS THE STATE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WE COULD FEED A HALF A MILLION HENS WITH A SYSTEM LIKE THIS.

COMMUNITY COMPOSTING IS LIKE LOCAL FOOD, THE QUESTION SHOULD BE, IS THE RESOURCE VALUE STAYING IN THE COMMUNITY?

IS THE DOLLAR STAYING IN THE COMMUNITY?

ONE OF MY GREATEST CONCERNS FOR VERMONT IS WE WILL NOT STEWARD THE RESOURCE THAT FOOD SCRAPS ARE AND WE WILL BE SLOPPY IN OUR IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENT IMPLEMEN IMPLEMENTATION OF THE UNIVERSAL RECYCLING LAW.

I THINK HALF-STEPS ARE ACTUALLY DANGEROUS.

YOU TAKE A FULL MEASURE AND YOU GET TO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO.

>> HERE'S THE WORST THING ABOUT THIS BUSINESS, THIS IS WHAT MAKES ME THE MOST UNHAPPY IS ALL THE PLASTIC.

>> TALK TO ANYONE IN VERMONT FARMING ABOUT COMPOST AND EVENTUALLY THEY'RE GOING TO QUOTE KARL HAMMER.

>> WE DON'T MAKE SOIL.

WE PARTICIPATE IN A MYSTERY.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SOIL IS COMPLEX BEYOND OUR STRUCTURAL CAPABILITY.

>> KARL STARTED THE VERMONT COMPOST COMPANY AND THEY HAVE CHANGED A LOT.

>> I STARTED WITH A TEAM OF MEALS AND 5-GALLON PALES.

>> HE USED TO DRIVE FOR FOOD SCRAP PICK UPS.

THEY SHIP THEIR FINISHED PRODUCT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

>> A LOT OF PLANTS AND GREENHOUSES, WITH ALL OF ITS GELOGIC, BILOGIC SPECIFICITY, ALL THE WAY OUT IN IOWA.

>> AND CONSIDER THAT HE CAN TELL GOOD COMPOST FROM BAD COMPOST BY SMELLING IT, LIKE SOME OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT SMELL A [INDISCERNIBLE] >> IT'S VERY OLFACTORY.

EACH OF THE BIOCOMMUNITIES HAS ODOR SIGNATURE AND SOME PEOPLE CAN SMELL IT AND SOME PEOPLE CAN'T.

SOMETIMES WE'LL REJECT IT BECAUSE THE ODOR'S OFF.

>> WE SPENT A DAY ON HIS FARM.

>> I STARTED MAKING POTTING SOIL AND STARTING SELLING IT.

THEY BUY A LOT.

>> IF BUSINESS HAS BEEN SO GOOD FOR KARL, WHY AREN'T MORE DIRT LOVERS GETTING IN THE COMPOST GAME?

>> THE BUSINESS IS VERY THIN MARGIN BUSINESS.

IT REQUIRES LANDING CAPITAL.

THE REGULATORY ENVIRONMENT IS SOMEWHAT MURKY AND PROFITABILITY COULD BE ILLUSIVE.

THERE'S NO SMART MONEY IN COMPOSTING IN VERMONT.

IT'S ONLY KIND OF DEMENTED MONEY, DETERMINED MONEY, IDEALIST MONEY.

THIS BUSINESS FUNDED ITSELF.

IT DIDN'T START WITH MONEY.

IT STARTED WITH WORK AND WE DID WORK.

WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THINGS.

WE DID A LOT OF YEARS WHERE WE COMPOSTED RUINED ICE CREAM FOR BEN AND JERRY'S.

I BOUGHT THE FARM.

IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST PROFITABLE YEARS OF MY LIFE, 1996.

>> WHY BOTHER WITH THIS SOIL CHEMISTRY?

ISN'T DIRT JUST DIRT?

>> MANAGEMENT OF SOILS IS SOMETHING HUMANS HAVE DONE FOR QUITE A LONG TIME AND DONE PRETTY BADLY.

>> ANY TIME YOU OPEN [INDISCERNIBLE] GROUND, A LOT OF CARBON IS COMBUSTED, SO IS LOSE CARBON WHEN THERE'S TILLAGE HAPPENING.

>> NOW WE SIT, POISED TO BECOME NINE BILLION PEOPLE THAT NEED TO EAT FROM THE SAME FINITE RESOURCE.

THE ONLY MECHANISM THAT COULD DRAW DOWN ENOUGH IS CARBON DIOXIDE AND PUT IT IN STABLE STRUCTURES ARE PLANTS AND FUNGUS.

SEQUESTERING LIQUID CARBON AND PAULY SACCHARIDES.

I WONDER WHY?

>> A LITTLE OUT THERE, PERHAPS.

TELL ME, KARL, WHAT MAKES YOUR COMPOST SOIL SO SPECIAL?

>> COMPOST HAS THE CAPACITY TO TAKE TOTALLY LIFELESS SOIL AGGREGATE MATRIX, LIKE SAND OR STONE DUST AND TURN IT INTO USABLE SOIL.

COMPOST DID THAT.

>> IF YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE FUTURE OF LOCAL FOOD IN VERMONT OR LOCAL FOOD, VISIT VERMONT TECH.

FEW OTHER PLACES HAVE ALL THE STEPS OF THE FOOD SYSTEM LAID OUT SO PLAINLY ON ONE STRETCH OF LAND.

>> IT'S A PERFECT CLOSED-LOOPED SYSTEM.

>> THEY GROW THE FOOD, TEACH CLASSES ON HOW TO PROCESS IT.

THEY COOK IT AND THEN -- THIS IS CRUCIAL -- THEY GATHER THE LEFTOVERS AND BYPRODUCT AND PUTS IT INTO THIS MACHINE WHICH TURNS IT INTO FERTILIZER AND CREATES ENERGY.

YES, THAT REALLY IS AS IMPRESSIVE AS IT SOUNDS.

>> I'M THE CHAIR OF THE TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT HERE AT VERMONT TECH.

ALL OF THE MATERIAL THAT WE USE FOR ANAEROBIC DIGESTION COMES INTO THE CENTRAL BAY.

THE MANURE TRUCKS BACK RIGHT UP AND DUMP INTO OUR MIXING PIT.

15,000 GALLONS UNDER GROUND.

ALL OF THIS GETS MIXED AND SENT OUT TO THE HYDROALIZER.

>> WE GET THE BREAKDOWN OF THE MATERIAL THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN THERE, THAT GETS MOVED OVER TO THE BIGGER TANK, THE DIGESTER, SO ANAEROBIC.

IT'S CAPTURED IN A BALLOON AND WE HAVE A GENERATOR AND IT TURNS IT INTO ELECTRICITY AND HEAT.

WE NEED TO FEED IT ABOUT 16,000 GALLONS A DAY.

>> THIS SEEMS PRETTY SUCCESSFUL, MARY.

COULD THIS TAKE ALL OF THE STATE'S COMPOST AND TURN IT INTO ENERGY?

>> THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF OUR GOALS.

WE WANT TO FIGURE OUT HOW THIS COULD BE SCALABLE BECAUSE THIS COSTS $4.5 MILLION.

REGIONALLY-BASED FACILITIES LIKE THIS, COMMUNITY-BASED, WHERE A COMMUNITY PROVIDES THE WASTE MATERIALS THAT FEED SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND THEN TAKES ADVANTAGE OF THE WASTE FROM IT, THE HEAT, ELECTRICITY AND NUTRIENTS, IT WILL MAKE SENSE.

I THINK THAT IS PROBABLY MORE FEASIBLE THAN INDIVIDUAL FARMERS TRYING TO MANAGE THIS.

>> IS ANYONE ELSE IN THE MOUNTAIN STATE USING A DIGESTER?

>> THE ONE WE HAVE IS AN ANAEROBIC DIGESTER.

>> THEY FEED IT MANURE.

THEY PUT IT BACK IN TO HEAT THEIR FARMS OR HEAT THE FARM BUILDINGS OR PROVIDE ELECTRICITY.

>> IT PRODUCES ENOUGH BIO GAS TO RUN A GENERATOR.

>> THEY CAN'T TAKE AS MUCH AS WE CAN AND THEY CAN'T MIX IT, AS WELL.

>> MATT, TELL US HOW YOU GOT YOUR DIGESTER?

>> IT WAS THE PERFECT STORM OF GRANTS AND STUFF TO HELP FUND THIS THING.

>> NICE.

SHOW US HOW THIS BAD BOY WORKS.

>> YOU NEED LOTS OF COWS TO PRODUCE LOTS OF MANURE IN ORDER TO MAKE METHANE, IN ORDER TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY.

SIX COWS EQUALS ONE KILOWATT OF ELECTRICITY.

ALL OF THE MANURE FROM THIS BARN AND THE OTHER MILKING BARN FLOWS DOWN THESE SLITS AT THE END OF THE BARN WHERE GRAVITY FLOWS INTO A RECEIVING AREA.

SO THE RECEIVING AREA IS WHERE THE MANURE FROM THESE TWO BARNS IS COLLECTED AND PUMPED INTO THE DIGESTER.

IT'S BEEN PUMPED IN RIGHT NOW AS WE SPEAK.

THERE'S AN AGITATOR WHICH STIRS UP THE MANURE.

OVER ON THIS SIDE IS ANOTHER CONCRETE TANK IN THE GROUND.

THESE ARE ORGANIC FATS, GREASES AND OILS FROM A FOOD PROCESSING FACILITY.

SO WE ADD IN -- WE MIX IN A LITTLE BIT OF THAT EVERY DAY.

IT GETS PUMPED INTO THIS BUNKER-LOOKING THING OVER HERE, WHICH IS THE ACTUAL DIGESTER.

THIS NEW MANURE IS ENTERING IN THIS BACK CORNER AND ABOUT THREE WEEKS, IT'S GOING TO BE RIGHT OVER HERE AND OVER HERE IS A PUMP WHERE WE PUMP ALL -- WE PUMP THE MANURE INTO THE DIGESTER, WHICH IS A LARGE SCREW PRESS.

WE SQUEEZE ALL OF THE LIQUID OUT OF THE MANURE AND WE APPLY IT FOR FERTILIZER AND THE SOLIDS, WE COLLECT AND USE IT TO BED OUR COWS IN THE PLACE OF SAWDUST.

DRIED MANURE SOLID, LIKE A PETE MOSS-TYPE SUBSTANCE.

LANDSCAPING COMPANIES BUY IT.

GARDENERS USE IT TO MIX IN WITH THEIR SOIL.

WE USE A LOT IN OUR GREENHOUSE.

VERY GOOD FOR GROWING VEGETABLES.

>> COOL.

SO WE TOOK CARE OF FOOD RESCUE, COMPOSTING AND DIGESTERS.

WHAT'S NEXT?

WELL, COMPOST HEAT RECOVERY.

HOW DOES THIS PROCESS HAPPEN?

>> I'M BRIAN, I'M CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF TECHNOLOGIES.

>> HAVE YOU EVER STOOD NEXT TO A BIG PILE OF COMPOST?

LET ME TELL YOU, YOU CAN FEEL THE HEAT.

>> I WAS ALWAYS AMAZED HOW MUCH HEAT WOULD COME OFF OF A COMPOST PILE.

YOU CAN HAVE 150 DEGREES.

>> AND THAT'S THANKS TO THE BACTERIA.

THE BACTERIA CREATE HEAT AND AS THE PILE HEATS UP, THEY DIE AND ARE REPLACED BY OTHER BACK TEARIER.

MORE HEAT, OTHER BACTERIA.

THEY CAN GET AS HOT AS 150 DEGREES.

WHAT IF WE COULD CAPTURE SOME OF THAT HEAT, WHICH TYPICALLY FLOATS OFF INTO THE AIR?

WARMING A COW BARN OR A FARMHOUSE?

BRIAN IS DOING JUST THAT.

>> 15 YEARS AGO, I STARTED DOING SOME RESEARCH IN SYSTEMS THAT ARE ABLE TO RECOVER ENERGY AND FOUND THEY ARE MOSTLY AT A BASIC SCALE AND NONE HAD BEEN COMMERCIALIZED.

I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THE FIRST LARGE-SCALE PROJECT IN VERMONT WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO CAPTURE THIS THERMAL ENERGY AND SAVE THEM $1 00,000 A YEAR.

>> VERY EFFICIENT SYSTEM.

TALKING ABOUT RUNNING A QUARTER OF A HORSE POWER MOTOR TO GET 160-DEGREE WATER.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S PRETTY HARD TO BEAT.

>> OUR PROCESS WORKS BY USING AERATION SYSTEMS TO DRAW THE VAPOR, IT'S SUCTIONED.

WE DRAW IT INTO DUCT WORK AND WE'RE ABLE TO CAPTURE HEAT FOR USING HOT WATER.

AT OTHER FARMS -- AND EVEN MORE RELATED TO THE FOOD SYSTEMS -- IS HEATING GREENHOUSES.

THAT'S THE PART THAT'S EXCITING ABOUT EXTENDING THE GROWING SEASON BY USING A RENEWABLE RESOURCE, SOMETHING YOU NEED TO BE MAINTAINING ANYWAY.

TO USE ENERGY TO RUN GREENHOUSES AND NOT HAVE TO USE FOSSIL FUEL.

YOU NEED A PRETTY BIG PILE OF COMPOST TO MAKE THIS VIABLE.

IT'S NOT FOR YOUR BACKYARD COMPOST PILE.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE HEATING YOUR HOUSE WITH YOUR KITCHEN SCRAPS.

THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF FARMS IN VERMONT.

THEY HAVE A SUFFICIENT SCALE, WITH THE TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, TO RECOVERY USEFUL HEAT.

WHEN THE MANURE'S BROUGHT IN, IT GETS LOADED INTO THIS CHANNELS.

THERE ARE 16 TROUGHS THAT ARE PUT ON THAT VACUUM SUCTION OR NEGATIVE AERATION TO DRAW THE AIR DOWN THROUGH.

THESE LINES GO UNDER THOSE TROUGHS IN THE FLOOR.

THEY PROVIDE THE SUCTION OR THE VACUUM, UP THROUGH HERE AND THAT LONG -- WHAT'S ACTUALLY A 50-FOOT CULVERT HAS A SERIES OF PIPES INSIDE.

THAT'S WHERE ALL THAT STEAMY, 150-DEGREE VAPOR CONDENSES ON.

THERE'S A HEAT TRANSFER MECHANISM SIDE, IT'S A REFRIGERANT AND IT MIXES IT UP, 800 GALLONS OF WATER, AND RELEASES THE HEAT INTO THAT TANK AND THEN THAT TANK IS LIKE A SOLAR HOT WATER TANK, WHERE IT'S TIED INTO THE REST OF THE PLUMBING, GOES INTO THE RADIANT FLOOR.

A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT IN MY MIND, WHO KNEW BRINGING PEOPLE MANURE WOULD BRING SO MUCH JOY.

>> WE SAW A LOT OF PRODUCTIVE USES FOR FOOD THAT WAS OTHERWISE GOING TO BE TOSSED ASIDE AS WASTE AND HOPEFULLY YOU'LL REMEMBER SOME OF THOSE RESOURCES THE NEXT TIME YOU GO TO CLEAR YOUR PLATE.

IF THERE'S ONE THING WE'VE LEARNED, IT'S THAT EVERY STEP IS CONNECTED.

AS SOON AS OUR FOOD STARTS GROWING IN THE GROUND, THERE'S VALUE TO BE PRESERVED FROM FIELDS, TO TRUCKS AND FORKS AND BACK INTO THE FIELD AGAIN.

VERMONT IS PAINTING AN IMPRESSIVE PICTURE OF WHAT'S POSSIBLE WHEN WE COLLABORATE.

ALTHOUGH WE MIGHT BE A TINY PART, THE INNOVATIONS WE HAVE AT HOME CAN HELP THE COUNTRY AND MAYBE THE WORLD SOLVE THE COMMON PROBLEMS WE FACE IN OUR FOOD SYSTEMS.

GET OUT THERE AND EAT.

>> THIS IS WHAT I WANT TO TO EVERYBODY, THIS GLOBAL WARMING, THIS IS A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR FUTURE.

THE ONLY BUSINESS THAT I'M AWARE THAT TAKES CARBON OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE IS FARMING.

THE ONLY BUSINESS THAT'S GOING TO SOLVE GLOBAL WARMING IS AGRICULTURE.

>> [INDISCERNIBLE] >> IT'S REALLY CLEAR THAT OUR AGENCY OF AGRICULTURE, OUR STATE-WIDE ENTITIES ARE ALL PULLING TOWARD THE SAME BIG GOAL SO IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE REALLY CREATIVE PROJECTS.

>> PRODUCTION OF THE LOCAL MOTIVE IS SUPPORTED IN PART BY BEN AND JERRY'S.

CITY MARKET.

GARDENERS SUPPLY COMPANY.

HANOVER CO-OPFOOD SOURCE.

HAYCOCK AND BOARDMAN INSURANCE GROUP.

PRICE CHOPPER.

UVM DINER.

THE VERMONT COMMUNITY FOUNDATION.

VERMONT FARM TO PLACE NETWORK.

BSECU.