I have the distinct pleasure of being a part-time associate at RUR. Recently my Ma’am and mentor Ms. Monisha Narke gave me a composter for testing, a composter designed by herself. Previously I used to practice composting in bucket system, where mixing of the waste was a very tedious task. It also used to stink a lot while mixing the waste. So I was looking for a composting system that is odourless and easy to mix.

Initially I added one bowl(approx. 200gms) each soil and cow dung. Then I started adding kitchen waste. My kitchen waste contains- bread, egg shells, vegetable waste, fruit peels, steamed rice, nirmalya. I rotated the container 5 times per day, removing the extra water using drain control valve on alternate days. This wasted water can be used as a manure for the plants. To maintain moisture content I added dry leaves on alternate days. I continued adding soil and cow dung (approx. 200gms each) once in 2 weeks to speed up the process. 1st cycle of composting was completed in 50 days (approx 2 months) where I recycled 50 kg waste to 10 kg green gold bio-compost. I used my 1st cycle compost for my own plants & gifted 2nd cycle compost to my family friends on occasion of Makarsankranti. They all were very happy with this gift and excited to know the process of composting. Now I am practicing the 4th cycle of composting.

Composting of your kitchen waste at your own place is a very interesting process. I have experienced the conversion of smelly waste to compost with earthy fragrance. I am truly enjoying the recycling of my kitchen waste. Before I was introduced to composting, we used to give all our waste to BMC truck which further was thrown into a dumping ground. Now, only 30% of our waste goes to dumping ground and 70% of waste is recycled using the Green Gold Bio Composter.

India’s waste disposal system is a Dumping Ground concept. But now cities, especially metropolitan cities are facing a problem of shortage of landfill sites for waste disposal. The landfills of most of these cities are already overflowing, with no space to accommodate fresh garbage waste. As a solution to this problem, instead of constructing new landfill sites, I feel we should look into innovative methods to dispose and recycle our waste. We should deal with the waste at the source point itself.
I am glad that I have taken a step towards this concept and being a part of RUR, I am sensitizing and educating people about the same. I am sure that if everyone starts practicing waste management at their own place, we will get one step closer to cleaner, greener & healthier tomorrow.