Despite showing the most effective way of getting rid of the organic kitchen waste by the method of home composting in a bin, my experience is that there are actually very few people who really want to come forward and make commitment for the Mother Earth. People are fond of talking, debating and discussing about the issue of solid waste in workshops, seminars and conferences. The debate on source segregation is never ending without coming to the conclusion that its the maid servant which takes care of the organic kitchen waste in typical high and middle income households. The champions in such forums themselves are not coming forward to take up the most Earth Friendly Green Hobby of Home Composting ! Its a question of attitude - people perceive solid waste should be handled by some one else, its not for him or her. Some one else will come and operate his/her bin and then hand over the processed and packaged compost at the end of the month. A typical mindset also explores the business model behind this - evidently there can't be any, as seen in several progressive municipalities in the west who hand out the bins for free to their citizens !!
Secondly and funnily people also want to assess the financial benefit that could be possible out of their investment in a simple composting bin. The typical response is "How much will be the value of compost that will be produced in my bin?" and "What is the return period?" My humble request is to ask yourself whether do you get the same question while planting a tree ? or going to a temple od doing some other noble act? Then why do we ask these questions when the act is going to releave the burden from the Earth, make it a better place and in the process convert the putrefying material into a desirable end product - manure/compost.
Let's hope there will be enough concern on the issue of mounting solid waste and people will come forward to discharge their individual environmental responsibility in a foreasble period. Am I being too optimistic !
Asit Nema
November 15, 2009
