Waste not
Those wastrels who think that blogging is a waste of time should repent at leisure. Where else would you be able to read about garbage? Yes, Jakartass has an obsession with debris, detritus, junk, waste, scrap and sewage. You may think I'm talking crap and you'd be right. Read on.
Last Wednesday, I managed a rare visit to
D's Place in Blok M which some folks would say is non-productive. My friend, the
Reveller, wouldn't, and neither would I as he's given me a plug in his July update. (
This page is rated PG)
I spent a couple of hours indulging in nostalgia and alcohol with DJ, a fellow Brit. We've known each other for as long as we've both been here so it was a wide ranging conversation involving
Carlisle United,
Charlton Athletic, our separate but similar coaching of primary school soccer teams and crap, as in the following
spoof report not actually published in
Newsweek.
President Bush, appearing before a right-to-life rally in Tampa, Florida on June 17, supposedly stated:
"We must always remember that all human beings begin life as a feces. A feces is a living being in the eyes of God, who has endowed that feces with all of the rights and God-given blessings of any other human being." The audience listened in disbelief as the President repeated his error at least a dozen times, before realizing that he had used the word 'feces' when he meant to say 'fetus'.
DJ is interested in worms as well and has sent me a link to Worm Woman, who, judging from
her site, is positively obsessed with them.
Here you will find all sorts of vermicomposting (worm composting) resources for all experience levels. Vermicomposting is garbage disposal at its best because recycling is done on-site. Vermicomposting contributes not only to water conservation, energy conservation, and soil preservation, but helps one get closer to a zero waste goal. Give worm composting a try, and join the thousands of people who can say, "Worms Eat My Garbage."
Jakartass is a believer in serendipity and happenstance. Why else should the Jakarta Post have two stories today about the benefits of well-managed dumps?
Story 1 is about Wisnu in Yogya who has developed a thriving business sorting the area's garbage.
Two years ago, the government of Sleman regency honored Wisnu with a certificate of merit as an environmental pioneer. He is also a recipient of the 2000 Silver Gold Award from a Thai environmental organization, which also donated US$20,000 toward his composting business. Commenting on Wisnu's expertise, Genie F. Ferdie, a local waste management activist said, "All he needs to do is to simply rub the surface of the compost pile."
Hang on a moment. Who taught Wisnu to "rub the surface of the compost pile"? Was it Genie?
Story 2 is about one of Jakarta's out-of-the-city-limits dumps.
Residents living in the vicinity of Galuga dump in Kampung Lalamping, Bogor regency, said the dump's new processing system had eliminated the environmental and health problems from unprocessed waste they had suffered four years ago. ...consultants (have been brought in) from Australia and Japan for the project.
Jakartass would like to know why expat consultants need to be brought here to help sort out the rubbish. Composting was a regular feature of my grandfather's garden and no doubt many of my readers have green fingers. Here, there is a network of NGOs concerned with the productive recycling of organic waste. A year ago, on July 14th 2003,
"Bali Fokus as the dynamisator of JALA-Sampah (Jaringan Pengelolaan Sampah)/GarbaNet of Indonesian NGOs Network, with 25 NGOs member from all over Indonesia, as member of GAIA, (took) part in this Global Day Action."
Because the Jakarta Post recycles its online pages, you should link to the full stories NOW.
Phew. Glad I got that out of my system. Must rush; I've got to take a dump.
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