Did you know??

• Pollution claims around 630,000 lives every year in India, affecting many more with chronic diseases.
• WHO named India as one of the world’s most polluted countries (with 13 out of its list of ’20 most polluted cities’ being in India)
• Pollution costs our country US$80 billion a year.
• The recent dengue outbreak is being attributed to our country’s improper waste management.

Environmentalists believe that the current situation of India’s waste management will invariably lead to a crisis if no serious measure is taken soon enough.

At an individual level, we can start by reducing the amount of waste we send to landfills (which is a source of air and water pollution).

One-third of total waste sent to landfills is organic and compostable.

This can help cut down one-third of the entire city’s waste sent to landfills, in turn lowering pollution resulting from it.

Composting is an effective way to help us reuse one third of our total generated household waste. This nutrient-rich compost serves as a fertilizer to improve the overall health of our yard soil and plants.

Many of us are not acquainted with the concept of composting, and questions that often pop up are:

• What exactly can I compost?
• How do I compost easily?

• How effective is it?

And so on…

This Sunday, 23^nd November 2014, CommonFloor Groups brings to you a workshop on Composting: Converting Garbage to Gold, where you can ask experts all your waste management related questions directly. Let’s fight for a nation with a clean environment, free of health risks and diseases.

It’s really in your hands!

Date: 23^nd November 2014

Timing: 10am-12am

Venue: CommonFloor.com

No.4, Service Road,

Domlur Layout,

Near Post office

Bangalore – 560071

See you there!

Only 30 seats available. To register, call 9916977654 NOW.

Do you know? – About one-fourth of our regular household waste can actually be recycled into rich compost, which serves as an excellent natural fertilizer for your garden plants and soil.

This means we can recycle & reuse a portion of our everyday household trash all by ourselves, and considerably bring down waste sent to landfills in only Five Easy Steps. (Find out How You Can Build a Compost Bin at home)

Learn how:

Takeaway: “Layer, Water & Turn” – This is essentially all your composting routine comprises of!

Your garden compost will be ready-for-use in 3 to 4 months. This compost, which is high in nitrogen, can be used to enrich your garden soil or to improve your yard plants’ overall health.

The first and foremost item you need when you decide to start composting is a compost bin. Good news is that you CAN easily build one yourself without putting much effort or money into it. (If you are an energetic pro-green individual, you may want to check our article on How You can Compost Organic Waste in just 5 Easy Steps.)

This article will guide you in making your own bin in about an hour using readily available items.

Aim: To build a bin that is budget-friendly, durable & adds to your home’s/yard’s aesthetic appeal.

** Your bin material should not be chemically treated.

1)      Trash Can Composter

Steps:

i)  Drill rows of holes on its upright surfaces, with holes placed 4-6 inches apart.

ii)  Puncture a few holes on the can’s base and lid as well. (This helps in air flow and the passage of extra moisture)

iii)  Secure the can using a bungee cord/rope and use duct tape to attach it tightly. (to keep it safe from pests)

The same ‘can’ becomes a Tumbler Composter when it’s cylindrical in shape. Roll it around in your yard once or twice a week to mix properly.

2)      Wire-Mesh Composter

Steps:

i)  Take a roll of wire-mesh and cut it to the size you need.

ii)  Use a pair of pliers to cut off wire bits sticking out. Make the surface as even as possible to avoid any abrasion or cut.

iii)  Roll the wire-mesh piece into a cylindrical shape.

iv)  Secure the two joining edges of the roll with a wire.

**Use working gloves while setting this up.

3)      Wooden Panel Composter

Step:

i)  Make a four-sided box (of dimension= 3ftx3ftx3ft) by fixing together four wooden pallets using nails or wire.

ii)  You may choose to add another pallet as the box’s base to allow more air flow.

        ** Spaces between the box’s wooden slats provide air circulation.

4)      Stick Fence Composter

Steps:

i)  Fix a wooden post on each corner of a square area (dimension=3ftx3ft) in your garden/yard.

ii)  Use wires to attach the stick fence to wooden posts along the marked square’s perimeter. (take the help of pliers)

iii)  Secure both ends of the fence using wire ties.

** Spaces between the box’s wooden slates provide air circulation.

5)      Little Kitchen-Composter

Steps:

i)  Pick an ice-cream box, coffee/gum/paint container to use as your compost bin. Make sure its lid can be fixed tightly.

ii)  Drill enough holes (10 or more) on the lid of the container to allow air movement.

iii)  Stick a charcoal filter on the inner side of the lid (to keep container free of odor)

If you are a step ahead of us and have built yourself a unique and more effective kind of compost bin, we’re excited to learn from you! Please share your creative ideas with us!

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