By Pinky Chandran
The movie Contagion’s grim visuals of uncollected garbage lining deserted streets was one of the most profound images that stayed with me even after the movie ended. It continued to haunt me as I consumed media reports about increasing COVID19 positive cases. Continue reading
SWM byelaws are expected to be specific and pragmatic with an intention to implement laws or policies that enable the regulating authority to perform its duty without any ambiguity. However, the SWM byelaws drafted by BBMP recently are far from that.
Reading Deep Work by Cal Newport. A thought that he dwells on while explaining the satisfaction one can derive out of highly focused craftsmanship struck me. This satisfaction need not necessarily come from extracting artistry from crude metals or wood carving or painting or writing or anything that we instantly attach artistry to. It can be something as ‘mechanical’ as computer programming, too. It can be both physical and cognitive, provided it calls for high levels of skills. Continue reading
Here are those seven reasons to never start composting…
1. It’s quite easy, but we’re all constantly looking for a bigger challenge so this will clearly not get remotely close to satisfying us. Continue reading
In what can be termed a highly disappointing turn of events, the views of SWM Joint Commissioner Sarfaraz Khan on composting have hit the green activists hard. Going by the buzz in various WhatsApp groups created to share tips and experiences on composting amongst green activists as well as enthusiasts from various walks of life across the city, the joint commissioner’s take on the same that appeared in today’s Bangalore Mirror has left them bewildered. Continue reading
Stonesoup Founder Malini Parmar, a committed sustainable menstruation activist, shares her experience of turning her two daughters into ‘cupverts’ in this interesting article. Read on…
“Can my daughter use a cup?” How many times have I heard this question? The answer is highly nuanced and there is no straight “yes” or “no”. Before searching for an answer, I recommend that parents watch this TEDx talk first, “The Virginity Fraud”. Continue reading
Solid Waste Management Round Table’s SwachaGraha Compost Connect (SGCC) campaign was officially kicked off today with two farmers picking up a tractor-load of kitchen waste compost from Sobha Althea-Azalea, Yelahanka, Bengaluru. There are still many more heaps of compost to be loaded up.
A huge 1,400-flat Brigade apartment in JP Nagar generates over 1,000 kgs of food waste per day. To dispose of this load of precious waste illegally, they pay anything between Rs 75,000-Rs 1,00,000 to a private contractor. Sometime ago, a vendor who specialises in biogas systems approached them offering a happily-ever-after solution. It called for a one-time investment of Rs 1,500 per flat which ran into Rs 21 lakh. The biogas unit, fitted with a genset, was capable of generating a good deal of power which would help them recover their investment in less than four years. There were other added benefits, too. But the community rejected the solution outright saying, “it’s too costly!” Continue reading
Farmers located on the outskirts of the city meet members of Solid Waste Management Round Table to discuss Swachagraha Compost Connect campaign in Bengaluru on December 4.
Sometimes, things take longer than you think they will. And then, they happen faster than you thought they could.
SwachaGraha Compost Connect (SGCC) is one such dream project conceived by Solid Waste Management Round Table (SWMRT), Bengaluru, that will work towards connecting urban compost producers with rural farming community with the sole intention of sending the precious organic waste coming out of our kitchens and gardens back to the soil in the form of compost. Continue reading
Endlessly Green is pleased to share these two case studies of SWM projects being executed by Mumbai-based Green Communities Foundation which is a waste management consultancy for societies and corporates. This blogpost lays bare how certain simple processes can help you execute segregation and composting in communities no matter which part of the country you live in. Continue reading
We all think household waste is relatively harmless and that rejects like plastic can be extracted out of the compost pile once the process is through. When I pored over some research papers, this is what emerged. To put it succinctly, what we throw enters the food chain, comes back and sits on our dining tables. Continue reading
Image from Unsplash
Endlessly Green is pleased to publish this informative article on composting and organic gardening written by Dunedin, New Zealand-based Cloe Matheson. Composting in cold seasons is something you might want to pay attention to. Continue reading
When I visited an apartment complex in Electronic City yesterday, this is how the story went…
The community wanted to have its own composting system and carved out some space for it in a corner. What ended up in that corner was this 24-hour fully automatic composter. To the residents who knew little about composting, this sounded like a fantastic idea. Why not when someone promises that the manure comes out in less than 24 hours and that this box can take in up to 150 kgs a day? Continue reading
There’s something inexplicable about this organic connection. It grows so deep and wide in such a short time that you wonder whether these connections were a tale of a time long past but just needed human encounters to happen in person to spring forth. Continue reading
This cost-effective and easy-to-prepare liquid fertiliser is one of those old-time golden farming solutions meant to offer multiple benefits to the soil and the plants and safeguard farmers’ interests. Noted soil activist SOIL Vasu has been propagating Thrishakti tonic among farmers and documenting its positive effect on various types of crops. Thanks to him, we are able to learn this method in detail and also its effects as demonstrated in the pictures shared by him. Continue reading
It’s all getting quite confusing to those who are looking for safer and better alternatives to traditional plastic bags to store and dispose of their waste. But are these so-called alternatives truly safe? Continue reading
Soil biologist and ecologist Dr Sultan Ahmed Ismail
If one were to sum up the entire body of work of this renowned soil biologist and ecologist in one word, it would be earthworms. Dr Sultan Ahmed Ismail’s lifework is centred on the techniques for recycling biodegradable waste into fertilizer using local varieties of earthworms and soil bioremediation. Dr Ismail, MD of Ecoscience Research Foundation, Chennai, has conducted extensive awareness sessions especially among schoolchildren to promote vermicomposting and environmental awareness. For him, the two are inseparable.
Here’s his statement—reproduced verbatim—on 24-hour or automatic composters being manufactured and sold all over India by various firms claiming that their machines produce ‘compost’ in just 24 hours or sometimes, 48-72 hours. Continue reading
One of the Soil and Health’s leaf composters at Sobha Althea-Azalea, Bengaluru, busy doing what it does best: compost.
All this new stuff goes on top
turn it over, turn it over
wait and water down
from the dark bottom
turn it inside out
let it spread through
Sift down even.
Watch it sprout.
A mind like compost.
― Gary Snyder Continue reading
Dr C N Manoj, Pelican Biotech.
Quite often, I find myself involved in long-winding email/social media conversations or phone calls with green volunteers of large communities discussing automatic or 24-hour composters to deal with huge quantities of kitchen rejects and garden clippings generated in their communities. It so happens that the individuals who care to discuss this issue threadbare are invariably those souls who believe in Nature’s perfection and are ready to live by its rules, patiently.
The following nuggets of wisdom pouring light on this topic are from scientist Dr C N Manoj, Founder-Director of Pelican Biotech. I have collated all the information he has shared with me through emails and phone calls here. This should help you bust any myth about these menacing machines of various brands that have carved out a sinuous trail through urban concrete jungles all over India and arm yourself with scientific facts to put forth your argument in favour of sustainable composting methods. Continue reading
The sole aim behind conducting this experiment in my apartment was to check whether the compost culture sold by Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra (GKVK) located in North Bangalore can work just as good as any other culture/accelerator sold by vendors/innovators in the city.
Well, it does. At a much lower cost! Continue reading
Minister for Bengaluru Development and Town planning K J George (Pic source: IE)
I wish we had a chance to ring in 2018 on a positive note, but our honorable Minister for Bengaluru Development and Town planning K J George’s statement leaves little to cheer for.
At a Smart City Mission meet held in the city yesterday, the minister announced that the state government was all set to opt for waste-to-energy (WtE) technology because “composting stinks”. Continue reading
If you ask me what led me to all my green pursuits, I can put my finger on this one colourless liquid without thinking twice: white vinegar (food grade).
Back in 2003 when we were living in the US, I first started using white vinegar as a rinsing agent in the dishwasher to remove those ugly white spots from the dishes. I didn’t know much about it then or else, I would have spent a lot less on those hazardous chemicals to clean glass and toilets and sent a lot less destructive agents down the drain to pollute the soil and water bodies eventually. Continue reading
Balconies don’t offer much leeway in terms of space and sunlight. I have tried growing many kinds of veggies including cauliflower, ridge gourd, bitter gourd, carrot, radish, etc. But the economics of space advises me that sticking to green leafy ones is the best way to go. Since I get most of the seasonal fruits and veggies from organic stores, thinking of keeping the limited balcony space exclusively for salad greens and some aromatic herbs, the ones that you want to just cut, rinse, shred and make a salad out of, all in a jiffy. Continue reading
Organic farming experts say Gunapaselam contains all the nutrients your plants need for their healthy growth and immunity. If you are a vegan or a vegetarian, this may not be the solution for you. But those who do not want to throw away fish rejects can extract maximum benefits by preparing this plant tonic. Continue reading
On one fine early morning, a farmer who was unloading a truckload of cauliflowers inside the farmers’ market (Raithara Santhe) in Yelahanka explained the process that goes into keeping them white and germs-free. He said each cauliflower goes into a barrel filled with diluted pesticides to prevent any post-harvest germs attack. What you get to see is the spotless white curd or the head of the cauliflower, pristine enough to satisfy the majority in this white-obsessed country. Continue reading
Sometime ago, I took out my composting kit and restarted the whole process. These are the thoughts that crossed my mind. Couldn’t help sharing… Continue reading
When it comes to designing composting systems, one thing is certain: Never trust an innovator/designer who has not struggled with at least one badly designed composting method previously. Continue reading
‘Earth Citizen’ Claire Rao
Guitar strings, candle waste, broken bangles…
These are the things, among many other, that environmental activist Claire Rao has currently listed out as her top priorities that need urgent sorting-out and has been doing everything possible to make sure they reach proper recycling destinations. This has to happen before she herself lands in France, her home country, after over a decade of life lived here in Bangalore within what she calls, “our ecological limits”. Continue reading
The secret of this Soil Recipe lies in the simplicity of its ingredients. When prepared to perfection, this recipe containing coconut, buttermilk, turmeric, asafoetida and fruit rejects can help your plants develop resistance against fungal diseases. Plants grow healthy and begin to flower profusely. Try this recipe and share it among your friends. It does take a little effort to save our own living environment from being poisoned by pesticides. But it will all be worth it. Continue reading
There’s this beautiful peepal tree with its roots resting in infinity and boughs arching over the Sri Shakthi Kalyana Mahaganapathi Temple located at Kalyana Nagar, Banaswadi.
True, almost every temple or village in India has at least one such tree standing tall in all its nakedness with a lump of sacred threads wound around it. No one can say for sure what each thread would mean individually: Pain, anguish, victory, desire, devotion, gratitude, joy or frustration. But weave them together, a firm pattern of meaning emerges on its own: unconditional surrender. Continue reading
