Let’s talk about the waste we generate in the kitchen and where that ends up eventually. I bet you probably know that it’s one of the major issues happening in the world and this is damaging our environment and destroying the planet we live in.
Going on statistics is not the point but how you can contribute from your actions in just simple steps in your kitchen matters the most.
Food is the most important part of our life and we spend most of the time wondering what to make and what to eat and sometimes experimenting with different ingredients and even sometimes end up creating our own signature dish, right?
Nevertheless, I have started to shift my choices more mindfully in the kitchen, so it would be less likely to affect the environment than before. Let’s go then;
What is Zero Waste?
According to the Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA), Zero Waste is the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and, recovery of all products, packaging, and materials, without burning them and without discharges to land, water, or air that threaten the environment or human health.
What is the waste-free kitchen?
Waste-free kitchen initiates the idea that there are no residues in the kitchen that end up in the garbage and eventually crowd the landfills. From the food we eat to utensils we use and cleaning towels to shopping bags we prefer, all are related to creating a sustainable waste-free kitchen where no food scraps to vegetable peels to plastic items end up in the dumpster instead it will give new forms and ideas to be productive with it and thus supporting zero waste living.
How does a waste-free kitchen positively impact your life?
It is the new most needed term for the kitchen currently but it’s as important as we need food daily. So mind it, this is going to be a new exciting experiment you’ll pull up in your kitchen for a great cause and somehow you’ll be an inspiration for your kids, friends, family, community, and so on.
How do the 5 R’s of Zero Waste Living help in creating a Waste-Free kitchen?
Bae Johnson a US-based environmental activist authored the book Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste. which has become the bible for zero waste livers she is also well known for her waste-free living, reducing her family’s annual trash to the pint.
It’s an inspirational story that tells how Bea transformed the lives of herself and her family for the better by reducing their waste to an astounding one liter a year (one single mason jar).
- Refuse: Avoid using unnecessary items.
- Reduce: Believe more in long-lasting durable quality products and reduce creating waste.
- Reuse: Follow the second-hand market and repair your stuff.
- Rot: Honour the power of decomposition for your biodegradable waste in your backyard.
- Recycle: When you can’t follow the above four rules then only switch on to this option.
All these important topics of the 5 R’s of zero waste living provide the basic ground for improvement in creating a waste-free kitchen.
Here, I am going to focus on the area where most of our waste from the kitchen comes from and how to resolve this problem with simple tools we have in our homes naturally.
How to convert biodegradable waste in the kitchen into productive soil for your garden?
The basic simple answer is the method of composting. Composting is the natural process by which all living matter eventually gets back into the soil. According to EPA ‘Composting is a controlled, aerobic (oxygen-required) process that converts organic materials into nutrient-rich soil amendment or mulch through natural process of decomposition. The end product is compost- a dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling material.’
As there are different methods of composting, I prefer the Aerobic Composting method which is more natural and easy to carry out at home.
Aerobic Compost Method
First, you will need a bucket or big container with a lid to start your first step, it should be of enough size that fit on your corner or balcony, and if backyard then no worries if possible bucket with wheels like that of a dumpster would help a lot make it handy to move in different locations. A plastic bucket with a capacity of more than 30 liters would do a great job.
I have started this journey of composting by giving a base of my composting with medium-sized stones at the first base layer and small pebbles/stones on the second layer (this is only if resources are available for better results) just like on earth, we have mantle and crust to make it more natural.
The second step is to give a base to the bed floor of your composting. You should add Browns (carbon-rich materials) which should be shredded as minute as possible to enhance the process of breakdown in the composting. Here are some examples of good Browns-
Add carbon-rich materials
- Shredded paper/newspaper (unbleached)
- Shredded cardboard
- Dry dead leaves
- Wood chips/bark/twigs
- Eggshells/sawdust
- A good amount of soil mixing with the Browns will do magic.
Add Greens (nitrogen-rich food waste)- moisture management
The third important step towards composting is to add the residues that makeup almost the most biodegradable waste in the kitchen. These fresh, wet vegetable-fruit scraps do wonders in composting and convert to nutrient-rich compost. Greens help in maintaining the needed moisture in the composting especially when the greens are fresh and wet. Here are some examples of good Greens-
- Fruit and vegetable scraps
- Fresh grass clippings
- Garden prunings and waste
- Coffee/tea (not the filters)
- Fresh leaves
Things you should avoid adding in the compost as it can cause issues in your composting either by attracting pests, creating unpleasant odors, or killing the good bacteria in the soil.
- Walnuts
- Meat( fish, poultry, bones etc.,)
- Dairy
- Oils/fats
- Pet waste
- Weed seeds
- Glossy paper
- Harsh Chemicals
Add Accelerators to speed up the process
These accelerators include the healthy microbes that will start the process. Here are some good sources of;
- Fermented rice water- You can just take your after-dinner rice cooker with some leftovers with water and leave it in the sun for a few days with a closed lid. Likewise, your fermented rice water will be ready to use.
- Yogurt- is a good source of many beneficial bacteria.
- Other compost- Including a previous batch you may have made and if not you could add new compost that you brought for your plants.
Final set-up for your Composting
- Drill some 1/4” holes in the top, bottom, and sides of your chosen bucket for composting. This is needed for airflow.
- Add a layer of browns, about 1/4 of the total volume.
- Add a layer of greens, then browns, in a 1:1 ratio, and continue this process with your daily in-kitchen over time until the bucket is 3/4 full. The base layer of browns should make the overall balance favor browns, which will help cut down on odor and pests.
- Aerate it once a week by using any tool to mix the insides around
- You need to maintain the moisture in the composting so that it should feel like damp sponge water when squeezed.
- Add browns/soil as needed, if the odor, pests, or overwatering becomes an issue, dry browns will keep it under control.
- People living in cold temperatures can expect the slow process of decomposition of composting.
- Creating small pieces of your greens and browns before adding to the composting plays a pivotal role in the efficient process of decomposition.
Ultimate Finished Product
The time when all the hard work rewards you with the precious compost that too made from your kitchen waste will be very satisfying. And realizing the positive contribution towards the carbon footprint and climate change will make you feel happy and peaceful.
Last, when your bucket is full and it looks like dirt (no eggshells or original waste visible), then your compost is ready to use.
Most importantly, you should save large clumps as a starter for your next batch of composting. I really hope that this process of composting will help you reduce your kitchen waste and impact the environment positively.
