In contrast to fermentation tanks, which use a great deal of power and generate wastewater, the cultivation of mulberry trees for the silkworms actually absorbs CO2 from the atmosphere. And the castings of the pre-fifth-instar silkworms have applications as fertilizer and in traditional Chinese medicines.
相較於發酵槽耗費電能，又會產生污水，種桑養蠶不僅沒有上述缺點，而且桑樹可以吸收二氧化碳，第五齡前的「蠶沙」（蠶的糞便）還可以做為中藥材或堆肥。