The Solid Waste Management - People Forum is known for their various sustainability initiatives in Mylapore. Taking their zero-waste advocacy one step ahead, the members have embarked on a permaculture project.
At the forefront of the initiative is Sumitra Srikant, an organic gardener and upcycler. After attending a workshop on permaculture recently, she wanted to find ways to make use of the green waste rotting away on the streets. A few brainstorming sessions later, the team decided to collect dry leaves, vegetable, fruit and flower waste and start a trial composting.
Their next challenge was to find a suitable place to compost and they found a willing partner in a 70-year-old resident of R.K. Mutt, Kamala, who offered her backyard to be converted into a composting pit. To their luck, her compound had accumulated enough dry leaves in the past three months.
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Sumitra then went to the Mylapore vegetable market to collect vegetable waste from the traders. “I went from shop to shop and told them how the green waste can be composted and converted into organic manure in just 30 days. By the end of the day, I brought back about 200 kg of vegetable waste,” she said.
The team then got down to business. First a 1x1x1 metre bed of dry leaves topped with vegetables was created. It was just an hour’s labour, said Sumitra.
“This permaculture bed will be shuffled and treated for the next 18 days. By the end of the first week, we could see that the vegetables had composted without a trace. I am excited to see the final results,” she said.
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According to her, permaculture, which originally referred to permanent agriculture, reduces the need for fertilizers.
How does it work?
In permaculture, compost is created which is used to make soil. Using the fast and hot composting method called the ‘Berkeley Method,’ the waste is converted into high quality compost in 18 days.
Materials that are high in carbon are typically dry; ‘brown’ materials, such as sawdust, cardboard, dried leaves, straw, branches and other woody or fibrous materials rot slowly.
Materials that are high in nitrogen are typically moist, ‘green’ materials, such as lawn/grass clippings, fruit and vegetable scraps, animal manure and green leafy materials that rot fast.
The C: N (carbon: nitrogen) ratio in the composting materials is approximately 70:30. One needs to sprinkle enough water to ensure that every carbon or nitrogen material is wet. Do it for every layer. Continue layering until it reaches a height of one metre. There is no need to press the pile while you do it. Do try and add a handful of earthy soil in between as it contains active microbes. Waste decomposer liquid can be added. The compost heap needs to be roughly 1m height x 1 m Width x any length (A minimum length of one metre should be maintained)
Sponsors needed
Permaculture needs continuous effort and dedication, as well as patience and perseverance, said K.L. Bala, a member of SWM-PF. It requires a lot of space too and Mylapore doesn’t have enough.
SWM-PF is looking for volunteers to collect vegetable and green waste and compost them. The team also urges corporate firms to pitch in to rent vacant lands through their CSR activities.
If you want free guidance on permaculture or are willing to help the cause, contact Sumitra at 99626 54868.