Do You Remember?

We posted about how to make compost using kitchen waste quite a while ago. Do you remember? If not, click here to refresh your memory!

We'll be back with more news. Helen went to Kinabatangan recently to train the staff of Sukau Rainforest Lodge on composting. We'll be posting pix soon.

Cheers!

Finally Here!

First of all, we'd like to apologise for the delay in re-stocking our kitchen waste composting buckets. Well, all is well now as we have received our new stock!

It's made of 75% recycled plastic and EM ceramics. Coolest eh? Capacity is 20 litre.

Wanna have a look how it looks like?

Here it is!

So, what are you waiting for? Contact Rugina (Borneo Eco-Waste Solutions Sdn. Bhd.) at 019 841 0584. You can also call Helen Erut (Enviromental Action Committee) 088-253192 or 0195839655 but she will be away from 5th August until 14th August 2008.

Soon!

We'd like to inform all of you that new composting buckets are on their way to KK! The new buckets are bigger than the existing white ones.

We do our very best to improve kitchen waste composting methods and equipment from time to time. Your sharing with us - good or not so good - means a lot. We too are learning everyday.

So please email us at protectenv@gmail.com or helenerut@hotmail.com.

Cheers!

Delivered....

Helen met our new Australian friend in KL for the first time to deliver the composting bucket. (o;


Hope things are going fine there - let us know your experiences in composting your kitchen wastes ya!

All the best!

From KK to KL!

Recently, we brought the composting buckets and bokashi to Kuala Lumpur!

It was really lovely to meet our new Australian friend (who's residing in KL now) and KL folks getting really excited about doing composting!

Keep up the good work! *thumbs up*

Will post more updates and pix soon ya!

Happy Harvest Festival to All!

We would like to wish all our Sabahan friends and blog visitors a very Happy Harvest Festival!

Kotobian Tadau Tagazo do Kaamatan!

Testimonial to Share!

We received a text message on 18 April 2008 from one of the new users of the composting bucket and bokashi. She started using on 15 April 2008.

Here's what she said:

"Morning.. Wah, kitchen juice works. There was very bad smell coming from the drain holes in our bathroom. Tried e'thing 2 get rid of it, baru dua kali we poured KJ in. Now tak ada smell... Wah!!!"

Let's Talk About EM and Palm Oil Production...

Some of the problems faced by the Malaysian palm oil production are:
a. Higher production cost
b. Infertile land
c. Shortage of workforce
d. Environmental pollution
e. Lack of waste treatment technology

BUT...

By using EM Technology, the following can be achieved:
a. Improved quality and yield
b. Reduction of fertiliser through waste management
c. Soil condition will be enhanced using organic fertiliser
d. Mechanisation of liquid organic fertiliser application
e. POME (Palm Oil Mill Effluent) will be properly treated and can become liquid organic fertiliser
f. EFB (Empty Fruit Bunch) can also become organic fertiliser

A sedimentation pond in an oil palm mill area was treated using EM:

Results of Test:

a. Foul odour disappeared from ponds
b. Water colour became lighter
c. Lower BOD from final discharge
d. Water level reduced

What are the Benefits of EM?

Among them are:

a. Multiple applications of EM improve the health of soils, which in turn produce healthy crops;

b. EM in bokashi (as you have heard before) helps breaks down organic wastes;

c. Reduces odour in livestock waste and landfills;

d. EM is used in wastewater treatment applications

e. EM enhances functionality of construction materials

Agriculture and EM

There are many benefits using EM in agriculture. EM is used as an organic fertiliser (EM-Bokashi), and can be used to water plants.







For the record, the chillies above were planted using organic fertilisers (i.e. EM- Bokashi). How some chilli-lovers would love to taste those succulent hot red chillies, huh?

EM at Work...

...in the animal husbandry.

EM can be used to reduce that foul smell of animal dung! Oh yes, you read it correctly.

That's not the only thing EM does.

Among others, it also helps to reduce the population of flies and farmers can avoid the use of antibiotics (when EM is used in feed and drinks, it is healthier!).

Introducing EM in a Bottle!

This is EM in liquid form (and brown in colour)!

It has a sweet and sour smell and has been certified as an organic product by OMRI. Don't you all worry, it is safe!

EM can be used for many things in agriculture, environmental programmes, animal husbandry and so on.

It is available in Kota Kinabalu and you can contact protectenv@gmail.com for more information.

Get To Know EM A Little Bit More...

EM for use in agriculture, animal husbandry, and environmental programmes have the following:

Lactic Acid Bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum)
Phototrophic Bacteria (Rhodopseudomonas palustris)
Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)
Others (Local beneficial microorganisms, that exist naturally in the environment, survive in the mixture of EM at pH levels under 3.5. These species combine into EM in the manufacturing process to constitute EM's dynamic and diverse microbial mixture)

Food you can compost...

Any organic kitchen waste including:
a. Fresh fruits and vegetables
b. Cooked food
c. Cooked or uncooked meat and fish
d. Cheese, eggs, bread, tea bags, etc
e. Wilted flowers
f. tissue papers

Please don't include any type of liquid such as milk, juices or oil, paper and plastic wraps.

Where to place your Kitchen Waste Bucket

Location for your bucket or bin:
a. In a warm condition
b. Cupboard
c. Under the bench in the kitchen
d. Keep the bucket away from direct sunlight

Composting Kitchen Waste is Really Easy! (Part 2)

The key of making good quality Bokashi kitchen compost is a little PATIENCE and a good UNDERSTANDING of the process.

So, how does one do it?

Firstly:

Get the special bucket from us (making one from scratch is ok too but will take time). Make sure the black strainer is in its place.




Secondly:

Get a handful of Bokashi as the first layer.

Thirdly:

Sprinkle the Bokashi into the bottom of the bucket.

Fourthly:

Place your food waste or meal leftovers into the bucket.

Then:

Spread another handful of Bokashi evenly onto the food waste.

Make a layer (like a kuih-lapis) of 3-4 cm of food waste with a handful of Bokashi.

After that, cover the bucket with its lid tightly. Repeat the process until the bucket is full, then top up with a generous layer of Bokashi.

Everyday, you need to drain the liquid from the bucket. Use an empty 500 ml mineral water bottle to store the dark-brownish or brownish-white kitchen juice.

The sweet and vinegar-ish kitchen juice needs to be further fermented for another 2 or 3 days in the bottle before using it for purposes as follows:

a. to clean toilets, sink or any drain. The liquid will help clean the drain pipes, septic tank and sewage. It's good for the environment!

b. to be used as a liquid fertiliser. The liquid must be diluted 1:1000 before used.

What happens when the bucket is full?

Leave it to ferment until the top becomes whitish. Remember to drain the kitchen juice everyday.

The fermentation process is like pickling onions in a jar. The organic food will not breakdown or decompose while still in the bucket. When you open the lid, the smell is sweet and vinegar-ish.

What happens when there is no more kitchen juice and the top has become whitish?

That indicates you need to transfer the content into the soil.

In existing gardens: Dig a hole or a trench approximately 20-25 cm deep and mix the content with soil. Then cover with remaining soil. The fermented compost is acidic when first dug in but neutralises after 7-10 days. Bacteria in the soil and compost will start to break down the food, and after 2-3 weeks, all the food will have decomposed.

For trees: Dig deep holes 25-30 cm deep at 60 cm intervals around the tree drip line. Bury the fermented food in the holes as above. The compost will supply your plants with a great food source and will inoculate the soil with useful bacteria for plant growth.

You can invite us to give a demostration at your house, if you want. Please contact protectenv@gmail.com.

Composting Kitchen Waste is Really Easy! (Part 1)

The most effective method (that we know at present) of composting organic kitchen waste is using Bokashi as a compost starter. You'll need an airtight container for the whole process. It's really easy once you know the steps.

Bokashi is a Japanese term that means 'fermented organic matter'. It is a bran-based material that has been fermented with Biotechnology liquid product concentrate, and dried for storage. Bokashi has a pleasant (sweet-sour) smell.

One thing to remember on how to store bokashi - store it in a warm, dry place out of direct sunlight. Easy eh?