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This is Part Two of our ‘Be Eco Friendly In Bali’ story.
We and our MUTE Members are on a mission to make sustainable choices for a healthier life, a thriving community, and a positive long term future in Bali and beyond.
While MUTE is focused on getting everyone riding electric bikes in 2020, (HEY – Did you know that riding a petrol scooter emits more carbon emissions than a four cylinder car??!!) this article is focused on recycling your organic (food, garden refuse) and non-organic (paper, plastic, glass) in your home in a more sustainable way, as well as supporting some amazing small local organisations.
Organic – Composting
Composting sounds messy, dirty, and smelly. And if you do it yourself, it is! Luckily, there are some small organisations that make it easy for you to switch to composting in Bali.
Composting is the ‘up-cycling’ of food and organic waste (kitchen food scraps, swept up leaves) through a simple process that breaks down the organic matter into a compost that can be re-applied to the garden. This is a nutritionally dense (if you are a worm or a plant!) scattering that adds life to the soil.
Serentiy Bali is a leader in upcycling waste, composting, and permaculture. Last week, they launched Compost Heroes. These guys have been composting for many years, and work within the local community to attend the waste issue that comes with big market spaces. The leader of Compost Heroes, Krishna, is on a mission to reduce waste in Bali and is very hands-on – he sorts through market rubbish and separates the organic from non-organic then takes it back to his beautiful permaculture centre at Serenity. He collects garden leaves and refuse and turns this into soil dressing that provides his gardens with an abundance of nutrients.
We met with Krishna and asked him a few questions.
MUTE: What is the general response to composting in Canggu at the moment?
KRISHNA @ Compost Heroes: “Many foreigners understand composting but their total waste is nothing compared to the local population. But for locals, paying money for waste management is expensive and difficult in their minds. This is where a change of perception needs to happen, to know what is actually rubbish (plastic & paper) and what is not (organic waste). The biggest sadness that I see daily is rubbish trucks collecting the trash going to the landfill but more than 50% of the waste is just organic matter like leftover food and leaves.”
MUTE: How much of an increase in composting do you imagine once Compost Heroes is up and running in 2021?
KRISHNA @ Compost Heroes: “Since we are in the pre-launch stage it is hard to say but we are in it for the long run, with the ultimate goal of reducing 70% of Bali’s waste by changing the mindset on what is actually rubbish. Around 70% of the landfill waste is organic, if you suddenly compost the organic waste, then you’ve just reduced rubbish by 70%, reduced rubbish truck costs, and have made Bali’s soil much more fertile!
We are currently helping the local Canggu Market and we collect 400kg of organic waste daily. So it can be calculated as 12 tonnes a month (400kg x 30 days). Our goal for 2021 is to completely compost all of Canggu’s organic waste. Then inspire the Compost Heroes movement to have composting sites in multiple areas of Bali. “
Compost Heroes will come to your home once a week and collect your organic waste for around 50k a month. While they have launched their service for residential just this week, they are looking forward to exchanging soil or even fresh produce (if you don’t have a garden) for your raw compost.
To take action in your home today, you can also connect with Urban Biologist Bali. This is a two-man local business providing a collection service for compost material with weekly pickups and monthly delivery of compost back to you.
Their goal is to stop organics flow to landfills where it gets trapped in plastic and other non-biodegradable rubbish and is forever wasted.
A clean, small white plastic tub is delivered and can be kept in your kitchen or laundry for eggshells, vegetable peels, and leftover food. The small tub has a firm lid so it does not smell, and can be stored conveniently until it is replaced with a new clean tub.
Urban Biologist in Bali exchange home waste for nutritious soil
The weekly pick up service is around 150k for 3 months of weekly pickups and 3 deliveries of your very own compost. That is 50k a month for not only a positive change in your home but an excellent compost product for your garden!
WA: +62 819 3610 9070
Non-Organic: Recycling Plastic, Glass and Paper
Eco Bali offers a weekly or fortnightly collection of non-organic waste from your home. Through a really simple and economical service, they provide you with two clean fabric ‘bins’ on bamboo frames that you simply place your glass, paper, or plastic rubbish into, and they collect weekly or fortnightly, depending on your waste requirements.
There have been recycling bins in Bali but some speculation that the rubbish is all just dumped in the same place at the end of the day. This is where Eco Bali is such a great choice. They take care of the waste so it is reused and does not become part of The Great Landfill Problem Bali is facing.
Once you choose to get on board with Eco Bali Recycling, service is extremely quick, and you receive a “how to’ guide after being ‘trained’ with your new bins. Mine arrived the very next day and I chose a fortnightly pick up to get things started. You receive a little sticker for your house that shows you recycle, and you can even place the bins outside to ‘share’ with your neighbours.
The cost is around 415k for 6 months of fortnightly pickups. That is 69k a month to make a difference right in your own backyard.
WA : +62 822 3779 9819
If you know of and support any Earth-friendly organisations or businesses that you want to speak up about, please email us bali@e-mute.com and we would love to explore how we can help with spreading the word and making a positive change in Bali.
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