‘Zero-waste’ is a fad word we have been hearing for the past few years. But the fact is, most Indian homes have been zero-waste traditionally. It is only in recent times that reuse is seen as a thrifty habit and not as a responsible one. Forgetting our traditions, aping the west, and reviving the traditions – we seem to have come full circle. With a bursting population, this circle, unfortunately, has cost the country and the planet a lot.
Our household had turned towards consumerism too, but we slammed the breaks and started taking cognizance of our behaviour. All it took was acting with love. Love for every living being and the Earth.
Now when we buy greens or eat fruit, it is almost impossible for me to discard the seeds or roots. Spinach roots, mint plants, the root of lemon grass, seeds of lemons, oranges, chikoo, ripe dried red chillies, capsicums – all these are jewels and it is criminal to throw them away.
We wash, dry and put seeds in labelled envelopes. Not always do we have space for the fruit tree. But it makes for a great return gift for a bday party or for a friend who owns a bit of land. We put the roots away in a warm, shaded spot in a jar of water on the terrace or window sill. As soon as they look ready, we find a place to plant them. Even if they don’t all survive, we feel fantastic if some of the plants start growing rich harvest. This habit has been passed on to my daughter too. Unable to throw a single seed away, she packs them in her little pocket and brings them back home and carefully hands them over to me for safekeeping.
The peels of orange and lemon are lovingly turned into bio enzymes for cleaning floors and kitchen counters, if not used for some delicious edible recipes. If nothing, she soaks the orange peels in water and sprays herself and her room with it to keep it smelling fresh and cool. The same goes for used tea leaves, used coffee powder, peels of vegetables, egg shells, coconut shells, and coconut husks.
When we crack open a coconut and use it, the shell and husk are put away in the dry composting pit, along with the fallen dry leaves and twigs from our garden. Within weeks we find this transformed into a pile of beautiful compost – black gold. Being South Indians, we end up with more than enough coconut shells. So the ones that don’t go into the compost turn into planters with winding vines and bright flowers.
We have also been bringing about changes in other aspects of our lives, but are far from the goal. A small step has been to wake up and be aware of the waste we create with every action. A long way ahead to be waste-free, but with some effort, this should be achieved – after all, we have to save the planet for our children.
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