If you thought sipping a soda brought you happiness (like this advert on the link before implies), think again!  Here’s an interesting infograph posted by an insurance company on the effects of consuming soda.  This is worth drinking in.

(Click on the image to zoom in)

Via: Term Life Insurance

There are plenty of  alternatives to soda – fresh juices and smoothies, and not to forget clear drinking water.  Let’s sip our way to our good health instead!

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Don’t most processed foods such as chocolates, crisps and beverages taste so addictively good? One of the reasons is because there’s a plethora of chemicals that is diligently researched and added to various products, so much so that we the customers are often fooled into believing that they taste even better than the real thing. And what’s more, we’re left craving for more and more.

The flavouring industry is a multi-billion dollar one, and is often shrouded in secrecy given that each chemical formulation representing a specific nuance of flavour is an intellectual property right.  More worrisome is the fact that our taste buds are being manipulated for the pure purpose of generating more and more sales for food processing companies.

Here is a must see video which goes behind the scenes to uncover the true role of  a flavorist.  Be shocked. Be disgusted. But do consider doing yourself and your family a favour after watching this. Read your food labels more carefully, and reduce the amount of processed foods that you consume. Instead try fresh, local, and preferably home-made dishes, as you can be reasonably sure what goes into them.

 Video link here 

Further links you may be interested in: 

EWTT:  Reading Food Labels: Food Additives

EWTT: How to find Hidden Palm Oil in Supermarkets 

Tribe Magazine: Natural Flavours That Just A’int Natural 

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If you think that detergents are found only on supermarket shelves, then be prepared for a clean, green surprise. It grows on trees and has been cleaning clothes (and people) since the time of the Buddha! In fact, some sources also add the Buddha to its list of satisfied consumers.

Say hello to the Sapindus – a group of around 10 species of trees whose fruits can be used as foaming cleaners or surfactants to use a more technical term. The unique surfactant property of the Sapindus fruit makes it an all purpose cleaner – for skin, hair, laundry, dishes and pretty much anything else that requires cleaning.

The name Sapindus is derived from the Latin words Saponis, meaning soap and Indicus, meaning from India. The part of the Sapindus tree used as a surfactant is the fruit and it is commonly known as soapnut. Since it is a fruit We prefer to call it the soapberry which is more accurate.

The Soapberry tree

India is home to several species of Sapindus. The two most well known of these are the South Indian Sapindus trifoliatus and the Himalayan Sapindus Mukorossi. In India, soapberries have a long recorded history of usage. Ayurvedic texts prescribe it as a gentle cleansing agent in shampoos and body cleansers and also as a treatment in dermatitis, and eczema.

In China the soapberry pericarp is called wu-huan-zi or the non illness fruit. In Japan, the soapberry pericarp is called the enmei-hi or the life prolonging pericarp.

The Soapberry

Fresh soapberry fruits look like grapes or gooseberry fruits and grow in clusters on the trees.

A well cared for soapberry tree can produce 250 kg of soapberry fruits every year, after attaining maturity which takes about ten years.

What makes the soapberry a soap?

The magic ingredient which gives the soapberry its halo is saponin, found in the fleshy outer part of the fruit.

The pericarp of the soapberries (the outer fleshy part of the fruit) contains saponins, which are the plants “immune system”. Saponins are a class of compounds, found in abundance in the plant world, and produce foaming solutions in water which can used for cleaning.

How can I use the soapberry in my home?

The soapberry is an excellent natural cleanser that can be used to substitute most synthetic cleansers in your home.

You can use the soapberry shells , soapberry powder, or extract soapberry liquid by making a concentrated tea with water and use this as a substitute for almost all your cleaning needs.

It can be used in the following ways:

1.    As a mild shampoo substitute

2.    As safe and effective detergent

3.    As a hypoallergenic baby fabric detergent

4.    As a food safe dish wash product

5.    As an excellent antibacterial / anti-fungal floor and surface cleanser

What are other uses of the Soapberry ?

Plants are wonderfully complex systems that are beyond complete human understanding. All along we have only talked about the surfactant property but the soapberry does so much more than just clean.

1. Pesticide removal action: fruits and vegetables

Soapberry powder works wonders on removing surface level pesticides in fruits and vegetables as well. Research done on tomatoes, aubergines, cabbage and grapes, which have a thin membrane and are prone to absorbing a large quantity of pesticides, indicates a 76% reduction in deadly pesticides like Monocrotophos, when these fruits and vegetables are soaked for 20 minutes in a solution of water and soapberry powder.

2.    Pesticide removal action: on cotton

Cotton is one of the most sprayed crops in the world. In India, cotton crop is sprayed with a deadly cocktail of chemicals including Lindane, Heptachlor, and DDT.

A simple test measuring the surface level pesticides on cotton yarn before and after treatment with soapberry, showed nearly a 70% reduction in the surface levels of Lindane.

3. Anti-bacterial and anti-fungal action

Soapberries have strong anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties. They have been prescribed in small quantities in oral medications in traditional Chinese medicine.

Extracts of Sapindus mukorossi were shown to inhibit the bacterium Helicobacter pylori which causes GERD, peptic ulcers, cancers of the oesophagus and stomach

Preliminary studies on Sapindus mukorossi and Sapindus saponaria show active action against many disease causing fungi like Candida albicans, and bacteria like Pseudomonas Aeruginosa and Staphylococcus Aureus

How do I start using the soapberry?

Fresh soapberry fruits need to be dried well to be used. Once dried, they become a rich dark brown colour, depending on the species and look like this:

Once dried, they need to be de-seeded before they are ready for use.

Soapberries are extremely hygroscopic in nature, meaning that they absorb moisture from the atmosphere, so they need to be stored in a dry place.

1.Use whole soapberries

It  is  really easy to use soapberries for washing. If you’re using a washing machine, you may place 5– 6  shells in an old, clean sock or muslin bag firmly tied on top, so that the soapberries don’t escape. Toss this into the washing machine and let it work through both the wash and rinse cycles, but do remove before you use the dryer.

You can use the soapberries for upto 4 wash cycles, but remember to let them dry before the next wash.  You can use the soapberries until they turn grey in colour (indicating that there are no more saponins left). Best of all, as soapberries are completely natural and biodegradable, they can be composted.

2. Making soapberry powder from dried soapberries

For even better results and greater convenience, soapberry powder can be made by grinding dried, de-seeded soapberries.  They can be ground in a coffee grinder, and should be ground into large sized particles when used as a detergent or a dish wash product. The finer soapberries are ground, the faster they absorb moistures, so grinding them into large sized particles helps you store them for longer.

Soapberry powder can be used as a substitute to detergents and dish wash applications. Keep in mind that they do not dissolve completely like synthetic surfactants, so when using them in a washing machine or a dish washer, put the powder into a sock or muslin bag, to keep the residue from sticking onto laundry or dishes.

The residue after use as a detergent or dish wash makes for great plant food so do remember to compost the residue  after use.

3. Extracting Soapberry liquid

You can also extract soapberry liquid for use as a detergent or a floor cleanser. Soapberry liquid needs to be refrigerated and does not keep for more than a month.

It is prepared by soaking soapberries overnight in cold water or soaking them in hot water for 15 minutes to an hour and squeezing out the saponins mechanically until the berries turn grey in colour.

Let the soapberry liquid cool slightly before filtering out the soapberry residue. The residue can be dried and re-used again to make more floor cleanser (the cleanser made with this residue will be more dilute, so reduce the water the second time around) or to do the laundry. The soapberry powder / residue can be re-used until the residue turns grey, indicating the absence of saponins.

Do I have to work very hard to use the soapberry?

The soapberry is making a strong comeback into popular use especially in countries like USA, Australia, Singapore, India and other places.  A lot of the work done on the soapberry in recent times has been directed to making it readily usable so that you do not have to go through the process of buying the fruit and making a powder or extract.

Our company, Krya Consumer Products has just launched a washing machine ready soapberry detergent powder for the Indian market. Do search for options in your market in case you want a ready to use product and you will be rewarded with a unique experience in tasks like laundry which are getting done on autopilot mode now.

Why are we talking about the soapberry now?

We do many daily tasks like the laundry on autopilot now and understandably so. However several drastic concerns for the environment and human health are lurking behind many of these “autopilot” routines.

For example the synthetic detergent industry is red flagged for pollution by many governments. The red flags arise out of pollution concerns during manufacture and severe harm to water bodies and marine ecosystems by detergent residue post consumer use.

Apart from detergents many personal care products like shampoo, body wash, toothpaste use a synthetic surfactant as a foaming agent. Look for either sodium lauryl sulphate or sodium laureth sulphate (referred shortly as SLS) in the ingredient list the next time you are in the supermarket and you will be surprised by the number of times these two surfactants appear. There are many studies that point to these synthetic surfactants as carcinogens so much so that “SLS free “is an important new category of products.

Moving from autopilot to manual mode can throw up interesting natural alternatives to most of the products we use on ourselves and in the home. Every time you choose a natural alternative like the soapberry, you choose better health for your family and a cleaner planet.

About the Guest Writers:

Preethi and Srinivas run Krya, an India based sustainable consumer products, e-commerce company.  Krya creates environment friendly plant-based alternatives to everyday consumer products. Krya is a vegan organisation as are its founders.

Their personal quest to become more sustainable led them on the path to starting Krya.  Preethi & Srinivas are most happy thinking about newer ways to make Krya more sustainable and world class.

To know more about soapberries or other natural alternatives you could use around your home, write to Preethi – preethi@krya.in

You may find Krya on Facebook

Preethi & Srinivas also write a blog on sustainable urban living here.

They have recently released a Sustainable Urban Living Guide which can be downloaded here

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They say ‘no news is good news’  but is it always the case? For Styrofoam – which is actually a (successful) brand name of one manufacturer of the material, polystyrene (PS)- it is definitely not so. Most people are not fully aware of the implications of Styrofoam use because we hardly hear any news in the media relating to its harms.

However, studies have been done worldwide and countless studies have been published on the negative impact of this material, both on the environment and health.

Polyestyrene is denoted by a #6 or PS in the triangle on the bottom of food packaging. The single-molecule form of polystyrene is known as styrene. PS foam, the type used in food packaging for products like take-away containers, supermarket meat trays, etc., is created by injecting the plastic polymer, polystyrene, with a gas-such as HCFC 22, CFC 11, or CFC 12 (all ozone destroying chlorofluorocarbons), or pentane-to expand it into that puffy material.

Toxic and hazardous chemicals, including styrene, benzene and ethylene, are used to make PS foam and are a byproduct of PS foam production.

Styrene gets into our body

In 1986, the Environment Protection Agency National Human Adipose Tissue Survey has identified styrene residues in 100% of all samples of human fat tissue taken in 1982 in the US. In fact, the knowledge that styrene from food packaging can migrate into the human body was first documented way back in 1973 and 1976.

A 1988 survey published by the Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education also found styrene in human fatty tissue with a frequency of 100% at levels from 8 to 350 nanograms/gram (ng/g). The 350 ng/g level is one third of levels known to cause neurotoxic symptoms.

Factors that affect Styrene migration:

Fats content: Styrene is soluble in oil and fat. The higher the fats content of the food, the higher the migration of styrene into the food. Entrees, soups, or beverages that are higher in fat (like coffee with milk and fried noodles) will suck more of the styrene out of the polystyrene container.

Acidity: Acids raises the styrene migration rate. Studies showed that tea with lemon produced the most marked change in the weight of the foam cup.

Heat: Studies have found that styrene tends to migrate more quickly when foods or drinks are hot. However, meat or cheese bought from the supermarket on a clear-plastic-wrapped polystyrene tray is also readily picking up styrene from the foam container.

Presence of ethanol: Styrene is soluble in ethanol, commonly found in alcoholic beverages. For instance, red wine will instantly dissolve styrene. A 1985 Cuban study noted migration of styrene from low and high-density polyethylene into milk, yogurt and alcohol solutions. This means that ingestion can take place by using polystyrene cups to drink beer, wine and mixed alcoholic drinks.

Presence of Vitamin A: Most interesting is the degradation of food that contains vitamin A (betacarotene). In packaged foods with the addition of heat (such as microwave temperatures), vitamin A will decompose and produce m-xylene, toluene, and 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene. Toluene will aggressively dissolve polystyrene. This renders polystyrene as an unsuitable package for containing or microwaving products that contain vitamin A.

Styrofoam damages the body

Studies suggest that styrene mimics estrogens in the body and can therefore disrupt normal hormone functions, possibly contributing to thyroid problems, menstrual irregularities, and other hormone-related problems, as well as breast cancer and prostate cancer. The estrogenicity of styrene is thought to be comparable to that of Bisphenol A, another potent estrogen mimic from the world of plastics. Low levels of Bisphenol A have been found to reduce the sperm count in rats.

Styrene is also considered a possible human carcinogen by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. Evidence already shows that styrene causes cancer in animals.

According to a Foundation for Achievements in Science and Education’s fact sheet, long-term exposure to small quantities of styrene can cause low platelet counts or hemoglobin values, chromosomal and lymphatic abnormalities and neurotoxic effects due to accumulation of styrene in the tissues of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves, resulting in fatigue, nervousness, difficulty sleeping, and other acute or chronic health problems associated with the nervous system.

Chronic exposure to high levels of styrene can cause health effects such as liver and nerve tissue damage. Because many of these effects can be more pronounced on developing bodies, extra caution is advisable for women who are pregnant (or considering becoming so) and for prepubescent children. Since alcohol crosses the placental barrier this could be the vehicle of transmission of styrene monomer into the foetus, and could explain why small children have traces of styrene monomer in their tissues even though they have never been exposed to the monomer directly. In a study of 12 breast milk samples from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, 75% were contaminated with styrene amongst other hazardous chemicals.

There have not yet been enough studies to know whether the relatively small amounts of styrene from PS foam cups and food containers are enough to cause health effects. But the fact remains that ingested styrene will build-up in human tissue and we know from studies of other chemicals that long-term, constant exposure to small amounts of foreign substances, especially those that mimic hormones, causes problems. So, it makes sense to avoid polystyrene as much as possible.

Styrofoam damages the environment

Besides health issues, PS foam is also a direct threat to our environment. Plastics are made of petroleum, a non-renewable resource that requires new fossil reserves to be extracted all the time. Because fossil fuels take millions of years to form, they are a finite and, ultimately, an exhaustible energy resource.

The chemicals involved in production of PS foam are among the top 25 toxic air pollutants in terms of the total amount released into the environment each year. In addition, scientists indicate that 5% of the earth’s ozone layer has already been damaged due to ozone destroying compounds like CFCs. Many manufacturers label their PS foam containers as “CFC free,” but read the fine print. Usually these labels say the PS foam is no longer made with “fully halogenated” chlorofluorocarbons, which means that the CFC used previously has likely been replaced with an HCFC, which, though less damaging to the ozone layer, is still a CFC and an ozone destroyer.

Furthermore, plastic polymers never fully biodegrade. Instead they photo degrade into dust, and in bodies of water, that dust can absorb other toxins such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and the pesticide DDT, which is still used in developing countries. The toxins are concentrated even more strongly in this toxic dust, which is consumed by the fish that humans eventually eat.

Since PS foam do not breakdown easily, it creates the problem of ‘white pollution’. PS foam boxes and cups which are littered in our environment stays in our environment for a long time. They fragment into small pieces and are both an eyesore and a hazard to wildlife. As reported in The Straits Times (Singapore’s national daily) recently, PS foam littering is a serious problem along our coastlines. In the sea, PS foam leach toxins and some animals, like birds and turtles, mistake them for food causing them to die of malnutrition and suffocation.

Styrofoam begone

Based on the documented findings and analyses done, it is for certain that styrene in Styrofoam poses a definite health risk. Though its ill effects cannot be seen in the short run or in immediate cases liken to that of pesticides, it will and can cause a host of health problems in the later years. Like arsenic, styrene can poison a person on a daily basis. It accumulates in the body and eventually, the person may not even know the real cause of his demise.

Surveys done have shown that hawkers know about the ills of Styrofoam but the appalling truth is that they simply do not bother since they are not the ones eating from these boxes. Futhermore, it is rock bottom cheap as a cost to them. Is this to be condoned when we are the ones supporting their trade?

In my opinion, the relevant authorities had overlooked and underestimated the very nature of Styrofoam which plays such a crucial role in our lives today. Are we suppose to wait for a case of styrene poisoning before we begin to delve deeper into this topic only to realise that we might have consumed a bit too much in our lifetime? There are already so many cancer causing agents present in all aspects of our lives today, from the air we breathe to the food and water we drink. It only makes good common sense to avoid anymore of these once we are in doubt.

We should emulate what the rest of the world has already done. Countries like Japan, Italy, Taiwan, China, the UK and US have all begun this protest against Styrofoam, both for our health and for environment. If the developed nations have already recognised the ills of this product, which they had help create years ago, I don’t see why we are procrastinating still.

By my efforts, I can only make a difference, but together as a bonded community, we can make a change. It is now or never.

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Imagine the earth as a gigantic greenhouse. Plants and trees absorb vast amounts of carbon dioxide as well as toxins from the atmosphere while releasing precious oxygen, thereby producing and maintaining clean air.  Logically speaking, the concept should apply to any closed environment such as an urban apartment or office building, or for that matter, even a spaceship.

This was NASA’s reasoning when it tried to find out the best way to purify air for astronauts in planned moon bases, and the answer lay in the living processes of plants which purify and revitalise air.  It studied plants that were most suitable for the purpose. In addition to releasing oxygen and absorbing carbon dioxide, these plants could also remove significant amounts of pollutants or Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in indoor spaces, namely benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene.

NASA's BioHome at Stennis Space Center : 45 feet by 16 feet with household plants as air purifiers

In the 1970s, NASA tested this solution in the BioHome, also called a “closed ecological life support system.” The BioHome was a tightly sealed building made of synthetic materials. It was basically designed for one person to live in, with lots of houseplants inside it.  NASA noted that before the introduction of the plants, people who entered the BioHome experienced burning eyes and respiratory problems – typical symptoms of the “Sick Building Syndrome.”

The results were published by B.C. Wolverton in the book “How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 Houseplants that Purify Your Home or Office” – a culmination of 25 years of joint research with NASA.  The book shows that if household plants became an integral part of the built environment, it would go a long way in improving air quality, especially within a ‘personal breathing zone’ which is an area of 6 to 8 cu. ft  (0.17 to 0.23 cu. m)

50 household plants were chosen and ordered in a composite ranking which included  ”ability to remove chemical vapors, ease of cultivation, susceptibility to insect infestation and transpiration (humidification) rate.” Not only do these plants add to the aesthetic appeal of an indoor environment, they also provide a valuable function of creating a healthy space for us.

The book also provides details for each of these 50 plants with their growing and maintenance conditions, and thus is an indispensable guide for anyone interested in sprucing up their indoor spaces.

Some facts about Indoor Air Quality that are worth pondering over:

* According to the US Environment Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air is 3 to 7 times more polluted than outdoor air.

*  The EPA ranks indoor air pollution as one of the top five threats to public health.

* People in urban environments spend as much as 90% of their time indoors. So indoor air is far more likely to impact our health than outdoor air.

* The average human being takes in about 20,000 breaths a day, circulating an estimated 10,000 litres of air through the lungs.

* The EPA also informs that 6 out of 10 US homes and buildings are “sick” or hazardous to one’s health. Some of the symptoms associated with “Sick Building Syndrome” are asthma, allergies, headache, fatigue, irritations in the nose, eyes and throat, respiratory and sinus congestion.

* Primary sources of poor indoor air quality are due to the consequences of modern building design : hermetically (or tightly) sealed buildings (which was encouraged during the ’70s oil shock to improve energy efficiency of buildings), with very little ventilation  and increasing use of synthetic furnishings which release Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) or toxic chemicals into the air.

Out of the 50 mentioned by Wolverton, here are the top 10 household plants that purify air, with their botanical names and composite score out of 10.

1.   Areca Palm Chrysalidodocarpus lutescans (8.5)
2.   Lady Palm Rhapis exelsa (8.5)
3.   Bamboo Palm Chamaedora seifrizii (8.4)
4.   Rubber Plant Ficus robusta (8.0)
5.   Dracaena ‘Janet Craig‘ Dracaena deremensis ‘Janet Craig (7.8)
6.   English Ivy Hedera helix (7.8)
7.   Dwarf Date Palm Phoenix roebelinii (7.8)
8.   Ficus Alii Ficus macleilandii ‘Alii’ (7.7)
9.   Boston fern Nephrolepis exaltata “Bostoniensis” (7.5)
10. Peace Lily Spathiphyllum sp. (7.5)

Other very common household plants that feature in the top 50 include well known ones such as syngonium, weeping fig, wax begonia, philodendrons, snake plant, prayer plant, spider plant, anthurium, croton, poinsetta, dwarf azalea, aloe vera and tulip.

One person who has applied the concepts here on a large scale is Kamal Meattle. He has tried and tested these plants for 15 years inside office buildings in New Delhi, India. He uses three kinds of household plants (which I’ve compared with the rankings from Dr B.C.Wolverton’s book above).

Areca Palm Chrysalidodocarpus lutescans (No. 1 on Wolverton’s list with a score of 8.5)
Mother-in-law’s Tongue Sansevieria trifasciata (No. 27 on Wolverton’s list with a score of 6.3 also called Snake Plant)
Money Plant Epipremnum aureum No. 12 on Wolverton’s list with a score of 7.5  also called Golden Pothos)

Here’s Kamal Meattle’s talk on TED:

Video link here

To get a neat summary of his talk, watch this Slideshare presentation:

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I’m very happy to note that the article on “How to Make and Use Garbage Enzymes” has stirred a lot of discussion and this has been an opportunity to clarify where the science lies.

I had endorsed Garbage Enzymes enthusiastically as I have personally heard gardeners speak of the positively about the results. These are from 1) Ground-Up Initiative at Bottle Tree Park, Singapore 2) Kampung Senang Charity Foundation in the Community Garden at Tampines, Singapore 3) Bandar Harapan Organic Farm in Malaysia and 4) Nanyang Technological University Community Medicinal Herb Garden (which I discovered after writing the article).

The sum and substance of the feedback is that Garbage Enzymes (the term itself may be a misnomer) can be used as a homemade vinegar for non-edible cleaning purposes. The efficacy of Garbage Enzymes as a fertiliser or pesticide or an air purifier is not yet verified by scientific research.  Even less obvious is its ability to lessen greenhouse gases. There are varying views on its contribution to waste management – in the local context, is composting a better way to manage waste, instead of adding molasses? Or can this be considered as one additional way to manage waste that would otherwise go to the incinerator?

There are two detailed responses to this and we thank both the contributors for their time to clarify the science behind Garbage Enzymes.

The first response is from Dr Vinisha Khemani Kanjilal, who is a Singapore based scientist and runs science based educational programs for children at Green Dots

I read your piece on Garbage Enzymes (GE), and note a few things here:

• The process you describe without doubt is a natural fermentation/anaerobic oxidation whose products are alcohol (incomplete/partial fermentation) and acetic acid (complete fermentation). These are enzymatically performed by natural and mixed microbial cultures in the starting preparation (fruit dregs and vegetable trimmings).

• Fermentation has been used for time immemorial/centuries (and even before the science was clarified by Louis Pasteur) to produce wines and vinegars, sakes and arrack and other variants of these all over the world. Some native populations have preferred pure starting materials like rice bran or grapes, some have been clever to figure out anything with naturally combustible carbohydrates can be converted to sugars and be directed towards production of ethanol and/or acetic acid (aka vinegar). See Wikipedia on Fermentation.

• Thus GEs are not a new discovery by Dr. Rosukon Poompanvong or anyone else in recent times for that matter. Pubmed is a publically accessible repository of all original research published in peer reviewed journals – there is no mention of any work when a search is done on her. Also, the FAO link on her lists many of her achievements. However couldn’t find any English language literature on the internet of any credibility to all the GE uses you’ve listed out on the blog. She is perhaps to be credited for heightening the awareness around reuse of kitchen waste (traditionally discarded in Thailand?) towards production of vinegar via a method that can be simply executed by almost anybody.

• To the best of my knowledge neither the enzymes/biological catalysts from microbes (mostly proteins) nor the microbes themselves would survive the change in pH that happens during the course of a complete fermentation and none of the fruit based enzymes that I’m aware of viz: papain from papaya, bromelain from pineapple, etc. would function in the final and extreme acidic environment of approx.2 that would result when acetic acid is produced as in the GE method described.

• Thus the terminology GE is a bad one (even if but as a colloquial name) for the process described to recycle organic waste by fermentation (in no way attributable to EWTT), but just to be cautious in what it mistakenly connotes.

• In the scope of 3R principles even while trying to be vegetarian and all consuming there will be some organic waste generated. Whether that kitchen waste goes into composting or more pure vermiculture methods, to generate vinegar at home as a cleaner and by reproducing the process described or otherwise is immaterial. They are all effective as recycling methods and would have little to no difference in their pros and cons with respect to global warming, save the fact that an incomplete fermentation (as for example when yeast cultures are used to produce ethanol) actually produces a greenhouse gas as a byproduct viz: carbondioxide (CO2).

• In the same vein, directed waste management practices (See Wikipedia link on Anaerobic Digestion) that produce methane (an alternative source of energy and potent greenhouse gas) if not channelized towards use are effectively adding to global warming.

• Would not make any claims to use of vinegar whether produced by the GE process or otherwise as a fertilizer or pesticide at any concentration. There is no evidence for this whatsoever.

• Sometimes soils are more alkaline than required by plants to grow healthily…so diluted vinegar might help set the pH towards a more neutral or favourable setting…also just perhaps aid in soil loosening. This could be seen as largely beneficial but remains to be tested scientifically and would still not qualify GE as a natural fertlilizer.

• Likewise extreme environments would destroy most microbes so acetic acid like any other corrosive acid would kill some bugs on contact and if used carefully might be usable as a pesticide/insecticide. This potential benefit remains to be tested however in dose dependent studies.

In short would agree with John Cussman that the science presented and claims made on GE are  flawed and somewhere effective microbial cultures that would be enzymatically rich (but which I’ve not done any homework on) are being confused with enzymatic byproducts.

Vinegar in Singapore is cheap especially the 1 SGD/- per litre bottles produced from rice bran. Green Dots uses these in numerous experiments. The cheap vinegar will be effective in glass cleaning, toilet bowls, stain removal on floors, etc just like housewives have known the deodorizing properties of sodium bicarbonate for a long time.

Since I recycle my organic kitchen waste into soups, food for my dog, vermiculture, composting in order of priority – have not felt a need to experiment with vinegar production at home – especially not at the cost of purchasing sugar or honey! However do think it makes a fabulously interesting experiment for children to do and learn from and test some hypotheses inhouse.

Kitchen waste recycled vis vermiculture or composting will undoubtedly have a lower carbon footprint than being deployed with sugar (its manufacture has its own carbon footprint) to produce vinegar and anaerobic gases including CO2 by yeast!

Here’s a link to some recent articles (Article 1 and 2) for producing enzymes and methane from organic waste. Pure cultures of specific fungi have also been used in fermentations to produce antibiotics.

Have known of a scientist from the National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) who was tinkering with more scientific composting methods and using lemon peels for effective pH management 20+ years ago. So also Gandhi’s nature cure ashram in Uruli Kanchan  has for last several decades been recycling organic wastes. Such methods that make local and contextual sense have been around for a long time in the world

The second one I received was from Lam Yuen Sean who’s a PhD student, and a volunteer with Ground – Up Initative, an urban gardening intiative by Tay Lai Hock in Singapore.

GE is definitely not well researched at present, so little technical information can be found about it.  More testing or literature reviews would be required to further support my preliminary views, and this account is by no means exhaustive and conclusive.

Ingredients:

The purpose of molasses or brown sugar is to provide “simple” carbon source or energy for the microorganisms to first feed and grow. When growth is sizeable, the microbes may then turn their attention to the additional food source (the waste materials) that is harder to digest due to the complexity in their molecular structures. This process is usually energy consuming for the microorganisms, and the added sugar may provide them the extra energy needed for this. The airtight container is necessary to promote fermentation (minimize oxygen), and biogases will be produced as by-products of the anaerobic breakdown of the sugars (usually hydrogen, CO2, and less likely methane). Thus, releasing the gases produced, especially during the initial stages, is essential.

Duration:

Can’t find the rationale for the stipulated “3 months”, but I guess this is based on past experiences. Definitely, longer durations would be more ideal to ensure a more complete fermentation process, where there will be none (or little) sugars left, and higher concentrations of products could be achieved. Also, the lack of food and the low pH levels would most likely kill/deactivate the microorganisms present (safer for handling).

Components:

Based on the preliminary test using gas chromatography, the major component of a newly prepared GE is acetic acid (in high concentrations), or “vinegar”. Slight ethanol (or “alcohol”) and propionic acid are also found in older GE samples. Do note that the machine used is calibrated to measure the presence and concentration of certain alcohols and fatty acids, and thus, may miss out several other important components (e.g., enzymes, sugars, amino acids, vitamins, etc.) that may also be present in the liquid. The pH measured for freshly prepared GE is ~4.4, and for the older sample is ~3.1, which will vary depending on the materials used.

Enzymes:

With regards to the enzymes present, it is rather difficult to comment, as I do not have the right equipment at hand. One of the comments made is somewhat true, in the sense that microorganisms possess intracellular enzymes within the cells that may not be easily dislodged into the solution. However, there are microorganisms that secrete extracellular enzymes into the external environment to allow the waste to be broken-down outside the cell. Also, the enzymes here may refer to the enzymes present in the waste material itself. For instance, pineapples and papayas are known to contain bromelain and papain enzymes used for tenderizing proteins, respectively. Therefore, the acidic condition and the fermentation process may allow such enzymes to be extracted from the waste materials into the solution.

Functions:

The high acetic acid concentration and low pH could be the main reasons for the many purposes of GE, as vinegar is well known to be used a cleaning agent, odor removal, preventing drain blockages, etc. Ethanol is known to have antiseptic properties, while propionic acid is used in food preservation. These substances may allow GE to act as an anti-microbial agent, insecticide and pesticide. When diluted, it could provide nutrients to plants due to the “growth hormones”, minerals, enzymes and/or other organic compounds extracted directly or converted from the waste materials. The highlight of GE is that it is organic and can be homemade at low costs, as compared to other products that contain synthetic chemicals (may be toxic to human health or environment) and consume high energy in their production.

Yeast:

On the contrary, please be careful of the white, black or brown layer formed on top of the liquid. Well, it could be yeast, as certain yeast prefers oxygen, thus forming a top layer in contact with the air in the container; but not all yeast strains are harmless. Similar to moonshine production, GE making involves the growth of the “unknowns”, so it is best not to have long direct contact/exposure with this layer or used for consumption purposes.

CO2 and methane:

Not much is being researched in terms of the CO2 production, but it is definitely there. Theoretically, aerobic processes would generate more CO2 than anaerobic processes, due to the more complete degradation of the carbon sources. Methane will only be produced in the presence of methanogens (certain kind of bacteria that are mostly found in swampy areas). Since the microorganisms present in GE are likely to be found naturally on the waste itself, airborne from the surrounding air, from the container or tap water added, chances of methane-forming bacteria to be present would be low.

Ozone:

This is surely more controversial. Ground-level ozone is known to be an air pollutant, causing adverse health effects, and should not be confused with the ozone layer in the upper atmosphere protecting us from the radiation. The low level ozone is generally formed from hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight. So, don’t think we are able to generate ozone through the fermentation of GE (shaded, and not much nitrogen oxides present); but if we do, it will be very scary… Therefore, those who claimed the benefits of ozone and its formation through GE should further substantiate their points.

EM:

Well, EM is a proprietary product used as a microorganism culture stock for various uses (e.g. composting), where the microorganisms present are known and well studied by the company. The use of EM will be useful in ensuring consistency between the different batches of GE, and since it is claimed to be non-pathogenic, GE practitioners should feel more relieved in terms of user health and safety. Not too sure on the cost and availability of EM in this region though.

Solid waste management:

Rather than to be disposed and incinerated, these waste materials can further serve additional purposes through GE, and subsequently be composted into organic fertilizer. This will surely help in preventing or reducing all forms of pollutions from the improper solid waste management and incineration, as well as to “close the waste loop” and promote recycling of waste back into the earth. Fruit and vegetable wastes are generated in huge amounts from both households and commercial/industrial sectors, and large-scale GE production would help to put these wastes into better uses.

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Update to this article on 4th March 2011.

Based on the responses by readers and those whose opinions I have sought, I would advise readers to read the original blog entry below in the context of the next post:  ”Responses: How effective are Garbage Enzymes?” where I make the introduction based on feedback:

The sum and substance of the feedback is that Garbage Enzymes (the term itself may be a misnomer) can be used as a homemade vinegar for non-edible cleaning purposes. The efficacy of Garbage Enzymes as a fertiliser or pesticide or an air purifier is not yet verified by scientific research.  Even less obvious is its ability to lessen greenhouse gases. There are varying views on its contribution to waste management – in the local context, is composting a better way to manage waste, instead of adding molasses? Or can this be considered as one additional way to manage waste that would otherwise go to the incinerator?

The original article:

Garbage Enzymes are wonder home-made cleaners which double up as effective natural fertilisers and pesticides. They have the potential to revolutionise our kitchens by converting our kitchen waste into something truly restorative.

Who invented Garbage Enzymes (GE)?

I caught the garbage enzyme (GE) bug more than a year ago, when I learnt the fermenting process at Joyce Lye’s Kampung Senang Charity Foundation at Tampines, Singapore.

The formula was researched and popularised by the founder of the Organic Agriculture Association of Thailand,  Dr. Rosukon Poompanvong who won an FAO award in 2003 for her outstanding contribution to organic farming, through her work in using fermented organic waste as fertilizers, pesticides and livestock feed.

What are Garbage Enzymes?

GE is nothing but a vinegar or alcohol derived from fermenting fresh kitchen waste such as veggie and fruit dregs (peels, cuttings and bits), sugar (brown sugar, jaggery or molasses sugar) and water.

The enzyme is derived after one filters and removes the residue after 3 months. The key ingredient is molasses, which the bacteria and microorganisms present in the waste metabolise into alcohol. This is reduced in its final form to acetic acid or vinegar. Vinegar with its acidic properties is well known as an all-round non-toxic cleaner.

How to make Garbage Enzymes

Supplies needed:

Molasses, Jaggery or Brown Sugar

Fresh vegetable and/or Fruit peels ( dregs, peels and cuttings which are not cooked)

Air-tight plastic container

Measuring cup

Method:

1. In an airtight plastic container, measure and add

1 part molasses+ 3 parts veggie/fruit peels + 10 parts water

Example by weight:  Weight 100g molasses or brown sugar + 300 g of veggie/fruit peel + 1000g of water

Use any multiples thereof, maintaining the same ratio

2. Give the mixture a good shake, and screw on the lid tightly.

The whole process takes less than 5 minutes to make once you’re all set up with the ingredients and container, and the fermentation takes a minimum of 3 months, so it’s best to stagger the enzyme making in batches with labels on the container indicating the date they are made. This will ensure a regular supply later on.

Please note: You’d need to keep the container airtight. However you must open the lid once a week or once every few days to let out the gases, otherwise they may build up to explode in the container.

Here are some pictures of how the GE should look like during fermenting:

Photo: Datin Moo Siew Yoong (Linda)

3. After 3 months, you can filter the residue to get a clear, dark brown liquid that has a fresh, sour smell like vinegar. (Shown in the picture above)

How to use Garbage Enzymes.

Garbage Enzymes are concentrated vinegars and work better when diluted with water. The required dilution ratios are provided below.

For Organic Gardening or Farming:

Here are guidelines for your garden/farm for use as natural fertilisers, insecticides, pesticides and as a plant growth hormone. For highly degraded soils, spraying continuously for 3 months can help restore soil quality.

Please use diluted solutions as tried and tested above – they work better in homoeopathic quantities and are more effective. Concentrated solutions can burn the plant or make the soil too acidic.

I’ve been using a combination of home-made compost, vermicastings, as well as garbage enzymes, so together they help nourish the soils of my organic garden at home.  However, I do know that at Tampines, Singapore Kampung Senang Charity Foundation exclusively uses GEs for their thriving community garden. They use GE once a week, by spraying the diluted solution (1:1000) on the leaves and the soil. The gardener likes to do this really early in the morning to facilitate better nutrient absorption.

For Household Use. Unlike for gardening, you can be more flexible with the dilution rates. Here are some suggestions:

Dos and Don’ts when making/using Garbage Enzymes

1. Use an airtight plastic container, and not metal or glass ones which can’t expand as gases build up within the container, and may explode.  Even with the plastic container, it’s important to open the lid once a week or once every few days during the first month and stir.
2. Store the container in a dry and cool area away from direct sunlight. Keep the GE at room temperature and don’t store inside a refrigerator.
3. Use any combination of fresh veggie or fruit peels or dregs. I personally prefer a combination of pineapple, papaya and citrus peels. Do not use cooked food, meat or fish, or other non-food items like paper, metal, glass, plastic and so on.
4. Don’t worry about the white, black or brown substance that forms as a layer on top of the enzyme.  The white layer is yeast that is rich in Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C and can actually be used for making bread or roti
5. If you see worms, add an extra ratio sugar and cover air tight. They will disappear by themselves.
6. You may filter out the residue after 3 months using a sieve or even and cotton cloth or T-shirt. If you can wait for 6 months, it’s even better.  There is no expiry date for the GEs once filtered.
7. Reuse the residue, as a fertiliser in the garden by drying and mixing with the soil, or combining it with fresh veggie/fruit dregs as a starter for a new GE batch.
8. Dilute the GE with water for most uses. This increases its effectiveness. Dilution is especially important when using as fertilisers or pesticides for plants, where high concentrations can prove too acidic for them.

Making GEs will keep tons of kitchen waste from landfills and incinerators, including the plastic bags that are needed to bag them. Think of how much CO2 emitting fossil fuels can be avoided that would otherwise be used in making, packaging and transporting toxic cleaners, fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides.

Using GEs improves indoor air quality and promotes organic gardening or farming which will help generations to come, in terms of health and healthy soils.

Hope you’ll join me in fermenting and spreading the Garbage Enzyme revolution!

This article was first published on VegVibe, a Singapore based magazine on green living.

About the writer:

Bhavani Prakash is the Founder of Eco WALK the Talk .com and is a sustainability writer, speaker and trainer. She is passionate about the role of individuals and communities in bringing about the much needed change we need to see in the world.  She can be contacted at bhavani[at]ecowalkthetalk.com. Follow Eco WALK the Talk on Facebook,Twitter, Linked IN and YouTube

Further links you may be interested in:

EWTT: How to compost at home using container pots

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A new report in the US that highlights the link between environmental factors and cancer is of particular relevance to the rest of the world. What are these environmental factors? What actions can individuals take? What are the cancer rates in Asia and should such a study be done here?

The ”President’s Cancer Panel” specially appointed by the US President has published its 2008-2009 Annual Report entitled: Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk, What We Can Do Now . It warned that environmental causes of cancer have been “grossly underestimated.” 

The panel was mandated under the US National Cancer Act of 1971, and its role is to “monitor the development and execution of the activities of the National Cancer Program, and shall report directly to the President.”

This is a particularly important report as it is the first significant study (and the first time the Panel has been specifically tasked) to look at environmental factors related to cancer.

The two member panel Dr. LaSalle D. Lefall, Jr., a professor of surgery at Howard University and Margaret Kripke, a professor at University of Texas’ M.D. Anderson Cancer Center urged the President  “to use the power of your office to remove the carcinogens and other toxins from our food, water, and air that needlessly increase health care costs, cripple our nation’s productivity, and devastate American lives.”

Here’s a short news feature on the report:

 
Where do environmental contaminants come from?

The panel has identified 6 major sources of environmental contaminants that have a bearing on cancer rates. It covers quite a wide range of factors:

1. Industry and Manufacturing : industrial byproducts and chemicals from mass manufacturing that are a part of the product or remain on the product as residues.

2. Agriculture: insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, solvents and fillers that leach into and contaminate soil and water. Chemicals are also found in residential (gardens) and commercial landscaping. In addition to pesticides, agricultural fertilizers and veterinary pharmaceuticals are major contributors to water pollution.

3. Modern lifestyles: Exposures that come from modern conveniences such as air travel, dry cleaning, vehicular pollution, especially diesel particulate pollution (which are responsible for approximately 30 percent of cancer resulting from air pollution). Chemicals used for household pest control can become a component of carpet dust, posing a risk to children when they play on the floor. Exposure to low frequency electromagnetic energy from cell phones and other wireless technology, and electrical powerlines are also suspected factors.

4. Medical sources:  radiation from medical tests such as CT scans and potential of contamination from discarded pharmaceuticals.

5. Military sources: which have hazardous materials from abandoned military sites in the US.

6. Natural sources : some naturally occuring carcinogens like radon (breakdown of uranium deposits) and arsenic (in pesticides)

 The Panel points out that there is still a lot to be studied and learnt, to determine the full extent of environmental influences on cancer.

“At this time, we do not know how much environmental exposures influence cancer risk and related immune and endocrine dysfunction. Environmental contamination varies greatly by type and magnitude across the nation, and the lifetime effects of exposure to combinations of chemicals and other agents are largely unstudied.

Similarly, the cancer impact of exposures during key “windows of vulnerability” such as the prenatal period, early life, and puberty are not well understood. Nonetheless, while these diverse effects often are difficult to quantify with existing technologies and research methods, in a great many instances, we know enough to act.

What can individuals do?

The panel suggests these important steps for individuals to take to reduce their exposure to various environmental carcinogens:

1. Children are more susceptible to exposure to environmental carcinogens than adults. To the extent possible, parents and child care providers should choose foods, house and garden products, toys, medicines, and medical tests that will minimize the child’s exposure to toxics.

2. Remove shoes before entering the home and washing work clothes separately from the other family laundry in order to minimise chemicals from workplace.

3.  Filter home tap or well water to decrease exposure to numerous known or suspected carcinogens and endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

4. Store and carry water in stainless steel, glass, or BPA-free and phthalate free containers. Avoid microwaving food in plastic.

5. Reduce exposure to pesticides by choosing food grown without fertilisers or pesticides. Wash food properly to remove residues.

6. Avoid or minimize consumption of processed, charred, and well-done meats to reduce expose to carcinogenic hydrocarbons.

7. Consult the Household Products Database  for health and safety information on household products.

8. Properly dispose off pharmaceuticals, household chemicals, paints, and other materials to minimize drinking water and soil contamination. Choose products made from non-toxic and environmentally safe chemicals.

9. Reduce fertiliser and pesticide use for landscaping purposes to prevent contaminating drinking water.

10. Reduce electricity (read fossil fuel) consumption by turning off lights and devices when not in use. Using public transport, walking or riding a bike, or a fuel efficient car, reduces the amount of toxic pollutants in the air.

11. Check home radon levels. Conduct a home radon test in any home one is considering buying.

12. Reduce exposure to second hand tobacco smoke in your home, car, and public places. If you smoke, then seek help to quit.

13. Adults and children can avoid exposure to ultraviolet light by wearing protective clothing and sunscreen when outdoors. Avoid exposure when the sunlight is most intense.

14. Adults and children can reduce exposure to electromagnetic energy by wearing a headset when using a cell phone, texting instead of calling, and keeping the calls brief.

15. Reduce exposure when possible from medical sources, but asking if the test is necessary. In addition, to help limit cumulative medical radiation exposure consider creating a record of all imaging or nuclear medical tests received along with the estimated radiation dose of each test.

 
The report doesn’t dwell on other major factors related to cancer such as poor nutrition, obesity and lack of exercise. These of course, continue to be important factors for the prevention and cure of cancer.

 Though this report is meant for the US, it has important findings that are relevant for Asia. Historically, cancer rates in Asia and Africa have been low, however this situation is changing.

According to MSNBC,

 “Smoking, drinking and eating unhealthy foods — all linked to various cancers — will combine with larger populations and fewer deaths from infectious diseases to drive Asian cancer rates up 60 percent by 2020.”

The effect is already startling, with the Asia-Pacific making up about half of the world’s cancer deaths and logging 4.9 million new cases, or 45 percent, of the global toll in 2002.
China alone, with its booming economy and 1.3 billion people, is home to about one-fifth of the world’s new cases, compared to about 13 percent in the U.S. and 26 percent in Europe. Heart disease remains the top killer in China, but cancer is a close second.

www.wesrch.com/wiki1026

Rapid economic growth over the last two decades, has brought about environmental pollution in cities. It would be interesting to see a study correlating rise in cancer in Asia with several environmental factors, especially in the context of increased manufacturing activity and consumerism.

 Meanwhile, as the panel recommends, self-advocacy is a good policy. Become an active voice within the community.

 Individuals can influence in two ways:

 One is by influencing public policy supporting environmental cancer research and measures that will reduce suspected carcinogens and toxins.

 The other is by influencing industry by choosing non-toxic products, and communicating with manufacturers the need for safer products.

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Further links you may be interested in:

EWTT: Book Review : Cancer Cured and Prevented Naturally

EWTT: Are all chemicals bad and all natural things good?

EWTT:  The China Study by Prof Colin Campbell  Link between diet and cancer

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