Project Composting helmed by dad

In the run-up to Sustainability Day, observed on the fourth Wednesday of October, here is the first in a series of articles about how people think green and impact their immediate environment in the process. The opening piece introduces three men who took up home composting in a manner that has inspired those around them to follow in their footsteps

Ananth Mahadevan is on a hamster wheel, never-stopping but spinning to two speeds, one set for the weekdays and the other for the weekend.

A software delivery manager, Ananth’s weekdays speed past in a flurry of project reports, team powwows and deadline watching. When the weekend arrives, life settles to a trot, certainly more leisurely but not less focussed. On those two days, he relinquishes the corporate hat for another, one that crowns him equally well and is worn with comparable pride. Ananth’s weekend role is that of a “sustainability manager” at home, self-appointed but he goes about it with dedication. The role involves three key result areas: waste management, home composting and promotion of eco-friendly living in his social hemisphere.

It all began during the COVID-19 lockdown. As with many others confined to their homes, Ananth found himself with extra disposable time, the commute to office having been struck out of the everyday equation. And he decided to take time out for the trash.

“I came across a few videos from influencers promoting composting techniques,” Ananth recalls. “I tried one method with dry leaves, but it did not really work for me. That is when I stumbled upon Namma Ooru Foundation’s (NOF) composting kit.” This simple kit — a 20-litre bucket and a bio-brick — turned out to be a game-changer when it was put to use harnessed to the guidelines provided by NOF.

Ananth’s debut attempt at composting meeting with noticeably impressive results, he was not going to end up as yet another dabbler in balcony composting, on one day and off the rest of the month. Before long, the engagement with composting blossomed into a passion for reducing household waste. It evolved into a lifestyle, forcing him to take a hard look at choices, quotidian yet significant. Outside of the kitchen (where he was diligently transferring biodegradable waste to the compost bin), Ananth was “altering” the look of the other rooms in his Alwarpet home. Organic tooth powder replaced the toothpaste. And in the toiletry cabinet, organic powders elbowed out soaps packed with artificial chemicals. The floors, the kitchentop and other surfaces that need to be cleaned regularly, were being treated to bio-enzyme cleaners that Ananth now began making at home.

It was a gradual shift, but once it happened, it stayed put. Sustainable living had become a core part of Ananth’s identity. “Initially, it was a hobby. But once I learned more about how long it takes for certain types of waste to decompose, it became a responsibility — a part of my life,” he explains.

““Without my family’s help, none of this would be possible. It is a partnership — everyone has to be on board to make it work.” ”Ananth Mahadevan

Ananth’s commitment to the planet has improved his immediate world in ways that cannot be ignored. His small garden has thrived with healthier plants and flowers, having been nourished by nutrient-rich and gentle compost. The bio-enzymes he makes at home have reduced the need for harsh chemicals, and through his overall approach to waste management, he has minimised his household’s carbon footprints. Even his son has picked up on the importance of recycling and sustainability, demonstrating the subtle but powerful influence Mahadevan’s practices have on his family. Ananth has conducted a session on waste management, particularly compositing, at his son’s school, and even secured the principal’s permission to teach it pro bono as an after-school subject. Ananth’s approach is refreshingly unpretentious. He is not an aggressive advocate, but a quiet, focused influencer within his circle of friends and family. “Some of my friends have taken it up after hearing about my journey. I do not push it, but people notice,” he says. As he reflects on his journey, he emphasises the importance of support from the hearth. “Without my family’s help, none of this would be possible,” he says. “It is a partnership — everyone has to be on board to make it work.”

As someone who successfully integrated sustainability into a busy professional life, Mahadevan’s advice for those looking to follow in his footsteps is simple: “Start small; segregate waste. Begin with kitchen waste; compost. And then start exploring the deeper areas of waste management.”

Taking up the gauntlet

When his Dubai-based daughter “dared” him to try his hand at composting, Nandanam resident V.N. Lakshmanan took up the gauntlet and what is more, he kept taking it up, even after she had left for Dubai, day after day. Aged 79 according to the biological clock, Lakshmanan is just two years old as composter — a veritable kid on the block. The nutrient-filled compost he makes out of kitchen waste has not only revived his garden but also made it to other gardens, those attached to the homes of his friends, relatives and neighbours. Though he calls composting a hobby, it clearly means more than that to him. It provides him with a sense of fulfilment. He takes immense pride in transforming waste into life-sustaining compost. Speaking softly, Lakshmanan reflects on the challenges that go with composting, the demands it makes on his ageing limbs. “Everything is challenging,” he says. “But it is important to try and do something.” By saying that, he is not referring so much to the demands on the body that composting places as on the mind such as getting the mix right.

Lakshmanan might have started a bit late in the day, but composting has become second nature to him, and he loves to amplify the message of sustainability in his own quiet and unfussy way. Whenever he gives away compost to someone, he is spreading the word, silently.

A joint effort

Just seven months ago, Siva Muthuprakash was a far cry from the eco-warrior that he is today. Nature always exerted a magnetic pull over him, and he realised how poor waste management was ravaging natural resources. He wanted to be a part of the solution, but did not know how to, until he stumbled upon Namma Ooru Foundation (NOF) seven months ago. The composting kit from NOF got him started. But it was his wife, Deepa, who took over the reins of this new initiative at home, consistently transforming their kitchen scraps into rich compost. Siva is generous with the assistance he offers her, so much so that composting at this home in Madambakkam can pass off as a strong team effort. Siva does not view composting as a household chore. “It is not a hobby. It is a responsibility,” he insists. It is more of a feel-good factor, he says. Composting wet waste and recycling dry waste help him confront the guilt (a collective guilt) he used to feel about the burden of waste being placed on Nature. Now he experiences a sense of calm and satisfaction, knowing he is doing his part to reduce the harm to the planet.

Siva’s waste-management journey, particularly composting, is fraught with challenges. His professional work involving rural development requires frequent travel, which can disrupt his composting routine. Despite these obstacles, he remains committed to this goal.

To newcomers, Siva advises going beyond books and articles. “Meet people and understand the basics,” he suggests, believing that first-hand experience and shared wisdom are key to truly understanding composting and mastering it.

Published - October 05, 2024 10:43 pm IST