Environment-- a Social Justice Issue Environment Are we at the HELM. HELM. Of our affairs ?

Is this the environment we want our children to inherit ? Justice is another word for balance. balance.

What do we value ?

At

we asked ourselves. Where do we begin ?

Q. What affects every Citizen ? A. Food & Water ? -The food we buy gets costlier every day, - It is more and more contaminated with toxic impurities/ additives. - What we consume is transported to us from far away. - After we consume it our waste is transported away from our homes. - Then it is dumped in a land fill to become toxic waste.

What is Carbon ? …

Why Carbon ?

Carbon is a naturally abundant nonmetallic element which forms the basis of most living organisms. Carbon is the fourth most abundant element in the universe, and it plays a crucial role in the health and stability of the planet through the carbon cycle. This cycle is extremely complex, but most of us are familiar with the element, and with the numerous forms in which it appears. Impacts on the carbon cycle For life to continue on Earth, carbon must be recycled from non-living to living things, and back. Carbon continuously moves between the biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and geosphere, and is stored in the following major sinks: (1) As organic molecules in living and dead organisms found in the biosphere. (2) As the gas carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. (3) As organic matter in soils. (4) In the lithosphere as fossil fuels and sedimentary rock deposits such as limestone, dolomite and chalk. (5) In the oceans as dissolved atmospheric carbon dioxide and as calcium carbonate shells in marine organisms

Composting is one of the best ways you can reduce the amount of waste you are responsible for, helping wildlife, adding fertility to the soil, increasing plant health and crop yield... there are SO many good things about composting!

It is a natural process which happens to almost anything which has ever lived or grown, or come from a living organism, animal or plant, given the right conditions of adequate moisture and enough oxygen. It is also known as decomposition, rotting, biodegradation... and it always occurs because of the action of bacteria, fungi and other small organisms such as worms, woodlice, springtails and many many more.

Compost

Waste

The Harvest

The Circle of Life

Organic Food Window/ terrace gardens

How easy it really is ?

Your FIRST Simple step for WET WASTE. Take an Old Pot/ Jar or any Metal or Plastic container. (Do not use Plastic packets). Place it on the kitchen window or in a balcony. Put your days wet garbage in it.

A sealed cover will help if you plan to keep it for long.

No Garbage Trucks

Please.

All The Stuff you can Compost. What Can Go in. Food scraps (raw, cooked, fried, and smoked) Meat – and bone Fish – and bone Shellfish

Unsuitable for Composting

Vegetables

Cigarette butts, ashes, snuff and tobacco

Eggs – and shell

Chewing gum

Potatoes

Tinfoil and other metals

Bread and biscuits

Rubber items

Fruit (every kind)

Cat sand

Coffee drains and filters

Vacuum cleaner bags

Teabags and tealeaves

Any plastics, plastic bags

Household paper, paper bags, paper plates, Cardboard Boxes etc.

Milk or juice cartons (they are waxed)

Serviettes

Cling film

Paper mashie Egg cartons Sawdust from hamster/guinea pig cages

Pieces of coloured or impregnated wood (a pollutant to the compost)

Flower waste from vases, pots, and terraces.

Sacking Fire ashes, chalk, earth Liquids – milk, soup etc. heavily printed matter

What do you have to Do ?

All users in your Building Just PUT it IN

Tumble it at least Once Daily

A weekly checkup Stop filling when full

After 20 days Compost for Organic Gardens

Strain out the compost

Solutions: It Smells Bad ! Rats, Cats Too little Oxygen Because composting is an aerobic process (occurring in the presence of oxygen), when the oxygen content decreases, anaerobic conditions develop. When anaerobic decomposition occurs, it is sometimes called fermentation. products of this fermentation can produce hydrogen sulfide, which has a rancid odor similar to rotten eggs. Other products of anaerobic decomposition are cadaverine and putrescine, both of which can also be malodorous. The simplest way to add oxygen to compost is to turn the pile. This process has been made simple Clean and Easy.

Too much moisture

Tumble Slowly. Its easy. Ensure all material from the Bottom falls to the top. Usually 2 – 3 turns a day is sufficient.

When a compost pile gets too much moisture (in excess of 60%). the materials become saturated, air is squeezed out, and the contents become packed. With no space for oxygen, the pile again becomes anaerobic, producing odors. If the pile is too wet, tumble it to let the moisture at the bottom seep through drier material at the top. If it is still too damp, add some absorbent or coarse material such as sawdust or straw and continue turning it. Drain Holes at the bottom of the tumbler will also ensure that excessive moisture does not buildup in the tumbler.

Stop filling when full • That’s Why you need 2 Tumblers at least. • Now use the next Tumbler for filling your daily waste. • Now keep tumbling only now you have two tumblers to tumble. • While you fill the next one the first is curing. This is another 15 - 20 day process. • Based on the volume of waste and the full cycle required you may need to increase the number of tumblers.

A weekly checkcheck-up What Could Go wrong ? Micro organisms need carbon sources for energy and nitrogen sources for population growth. The ideal ratio of carbon to nitrogen is 30: 1, and with this steady diet, micro organisms will decompose organic matter quickly. If there is too little nitrogen. the process slows. If there is too much nitrogen, ammonia gas will develop, leading to odor problems. To Finding the workable blend of materials for your compost pile may take a little trial and error because of the variables involved. For example, green Grass and Leaves clipping have more nitrogen than brown Garden waste from fallen leaves or dry Grass. Paper, Envelopes, newspapers, Cardboard boxes These items will compost if torn or broken into small pieces. If not then they will also hold excess moisture and block out the oxygen. Also adding too much wet and not enough dry at one time will cause it to stay together and soak up moisture then it sticks together to form a cake or ball into which Air cannot pass. Hard, woody stems and branches Coconut shells, Large Bones etc these will take long or not compost unless passed through a crusher or broken up. Also Change takes time. People will forget and you will find Plastic Bags and containers also dumped in un knowingly. These will also choke out the oxygen from sections of the compost.

OUR Weekly Check-up service will identify these issues and guide you in maintaining a healthy compost pile.

What Happens if you are a large Society, Business, Farm, Institute etc? Ask us to do a waste audit. why to do one? A waste audit is a formal, structured process used to quantify the amount and types of waste being generated by an organisation. Information from audits will help identify current waste practices and how they can be improved. Being waste-wise can mean: * A more efficient and effective organisation * Reduced carbon footprint * Better use of limited natural resources.This waste audit approach to waste-resource assessment is an important first step towards a comprehensive waste reduction program for your organization. It will help you and your organisation assess your current generation of solid waste and to plan the changes necessary. A waste assessment can be an extremely valuable experience to a forward-thinking organisation. By following this visual estimate approach your organization will be in an excellent position to implement a sound Waste Reduction Action Plan and help turn waste into resources. From this Audit you will get to know. 1. The Status of your Waste Management. 2. Identify opportunities for improving waste management systems and strategies. 3. An Implementation Plan. 4. Suggestions for improving the effectiveness of waste minimization strategies and optimization of effectiveness. 5. What are the problems in implementing these solutions. 6. A Requirements list of Equipment and material 7. A List of Services provided 8. Implementation. 9. Cost.

Solutions and Configurations available based on the results of our waste Audit.

Compost Strainer.

Dual Bin 440 liter Composter. Waste Crusher.

We also do Demos on request at Cost.

Credits to. • Fr. Brendon Warner D’Souza. (Co-ordinator). • Mt. Carmel’s Church Parish team and Bandra ALM movement. • Fr. Mario Mendes and the PTL Network. • Fr. Elias Gonsalves (CSA) • Dr. Francin Pinto (Garbage Concern) • Mr. Harshad Gandhi (Excel Industries) • Ms. Vanessa and PTL Batch V (WOW team)

THE END