Give your garden soil some love , it will love you back. Coimbatore has been known for its salubrious climate, copious rains and more importantly the river Noyyal connected by its various system tanks. In the year 2003, monsoon failures along with gross water mismanagement and environmental abuse led to climate variations and water shortage. Siruthuli was born to address the reasons for mismanagement, revive and rejuvenate water bodies thereby contributing to an increase in groundwater levels. Along with reviving water bodies, creating a sense of awareness was one of the main objectives. In the process of rejuvenation and revival of water bodies, it was a common sight to see garbage bins overflowing and waste scattered generating foul smells. The eco-conscious members of Siruthuli were disheartened to see waterbodies with plastic waste, and animals like cattle feeding on these. There was a need for awareness on the management of waste and waste segregation. The city of Coimbatore generates close to 900 tonnes of waste and 150 MLD of sewage waste. Awareness generation on proper waste management and disposal was imperative for the environment and the entire ecosystem, as it is rightly said there is no such thing as ‘away’, when we throw anything, it must go somewhere.
Siruthuli realized that the garbage generated from individual homes, apartments, and communities was alarming. Over 50% of the waste generated at home is compostable and can be reused and there was a need for a large-scale change in mindset. Unsegregated waste dumped over the years at Vellalore garbage yard was over 5 lakh MT causing pollution, affecting the environment, causing bad odour, harbouring flies and other insects and contaminating groundwater. When waste is segregated at the source, the organic waste can be composted and used as manure for the soil that promotes better plant growth. With this, Siruthuli started the campaign, of home composting and encouraged various communities to participate in this. What started at one of the housing communities expanded to others. Siruthuli encouraged home communities by generating awareness that composting at home enriches the soil by retaining moisture and nutrients. It keeps chemicals out and helps in producing organic vegetables and fruits at home. Composting not only keeps the materials out of the landfill but also saves energy by keeping materials from being transported. Keeping materials out of landfills reduces methane emissions and thus reduces our carbon footprint. By generating the awareness to refuse what is not needed, reduce what you consume, recycle what you cannot refuse and reuse or compost the rest the campaign was started.
Siruthuli through other awareness programmes like Sittukaludan Siruthuli, Wealth out of waste, Grow your own food ,and Terrace gardening, took these lessons and importance to create interesting knowledge sharing practical sessions both for kids as well as adults to start composting at home, grow their own food, and be conscious of not harming the environment. Today several individuals, home communities, schools and others are benefitting from the awareness programs and have started segregating waste and generating wealth out of waste. When you start composting, you see the value of “waste”.
