Waste Equals Food: “Nature operates according to a system of nutrients and metabolisms in which there is no such thing as waste. A cherry tree makes many blossoms and fruit to (perhaps) germinate and grow. That is why the tree blooms. But the extra blossoms are far from useless. They fall to the ground, decompose, feed various organisms and microorganisms, and enrich the soil. Around the world, animals and humans exhale carbon dioxide, which plants take in an use for their own growth. Nitrogen from wastes is transformed into protein by microorganisms, animals, and plants. Horses eat grass and produce dung, which provides both nests and nourishment for the larvae of flies. The Earth’s major nutrients – carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen – are cycled and recycled. Waste equals food.” – William McDonough & Michael Braungart