Part of an eco friendly lifestyle is taking care of how you get rid of kitchen waste. You have to do it in the most eco friendly way to cut out the production of greenhouse gases.
A brilliant system that is also supported by many local councils in the UK is using Bokashi anaerobic fermentation process.
Nutrient Rich Soil Bio-Pulp
Bokashi Bin
Bokashi has a long history with origins some believe coming from Ancient Korea.
The beauty of this system is that is uses specific microbes to ferment green waste producing a nutrient rich bio-pulp that is added to soil.
It doesn't produce toxic run off that can pollute rivers and lakes and it eliminates greenhouse gases related to green waste recycling.
Carbon is not oxidised and nearly all of it returns to the soil.
The temperature of the waste during the bokashi process stays temperate and unlike composting meat, fish, skin and fat, cheese and citrus skins can also be broken down so that it can be used in the soil.
The other difference with bokashi is that it is a safe system to deal with organic matter and the process only takes 10 days to reach its end point.
How the process works
When fermentation begins, physical structures start to break down and release some of the input's water content as a liquid runoff, the higher water content in the food the more liquid runoff is produced.
The liquid leaches out some proteins, nutrients and lactic acid. This liquid is captured at the bottom of the bins so it can be removed by a tap to prevent damage to the rest of the process. This liquid is known as bokashi tea and is used by pouring it back on the soil, not as individual plant feed.
Everything with bokashi has be to returned to the soil, so that the soil life can finish the breakdown process and become a higher nourished growing medium.
Bokashi is inherently hygienic in the following senses:
Lactic acid is a product produced as part of this process. It is a strong natural bactericide, in fact is an active ingredient of some toilet cleaners. As more is produced, it eventually suppresses lactobacilli.
A tightly sealed home fermentation bin does not release smells when it is closed. A household bin is only opened for a minute or two once a day to add scraps and microbes or drain runoff and only emits the sour smell associated with fermenting products.
An airtight fermentation bin cannot attract insects.
Reasons for using bokashi - acidic anaerobic fermentation as it's referred to rather than composting on a commercial basis.
- Water conservation
- Water quality – minimizing phosphate, nitrogen run-off, eliminating coliform and pathogen pollution
- Stops heat generation and contributions to global warming
- Minimizing demand for petrol fertilizers
- Efficient use of lands by minimizing waste.
- Improving soil fertility and eliminating the need to add phosphates and nitrates
The most important reason is that this technology can dramatically reduce the community’s dependence on petrol derived (fertilizing) products.
The fermented bio-pulp when mixed with soil establishes healthy high organic content soil free of pathogens and no additional fertilizers are required.
Farm lands can be greatly improved in efficiently by cycling the bio-pulp through the soil.
Water is conserved water
nutrients are fixed in the soil reducing ground water nutrient leaching
https://bokashicycle.com/bokashi-fermenting-environmental-benefits-and-impact/
There is no reason why all of us can't make a green change to how we dispose of our kitchen waste to prevent greenhouse gases rising whether buying a home bokashi bin and creating our own bio pulp to put back into our garden soil to nourish it or use a worm bin to break down our green kitchen waste.
We can also be spokes persons for making sure others are aware of these wonderful systems that will benefit all of us including our precious planet.
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