How does the Ecological Conversion that Pope Francis calls us to play out in our mundane daily living? Like when we “take out the trash”?
What IS trash? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary “trash” is “things that are no longer useful or wanted, and that have been thrown away; or useless waste or rejected matter.” And “waste” is defined as “damaged, defective, or superfluous material produced by a manufacturing process, such as hazardous waste and nuclear waste.” Some synonyms are “garbage” and rubbish”.
The Creator made a world where there was no trash, no garbage, and no waste. Built into Creation are cycles of death and regeneration that lead into ever more complex forms of life, with nothing wasted. In God’s Creation everything and everyone belongs. Biological processes like composting transform animals and plants that have completed their lives, releasing their molecules to build new Life.
Image by Manfred Antranias Zimmer from Pixabay
Could our ecological conversion be getting more in touch with these sacred cycles of Life? And how can we do that?
Pope Francis explains it this way:
“It is hard for us to accept that the way natural ecosystems work is exemplary: plants synthesize nutrients which feed herbivores; these in turn become food for carnivores, which produce significant quantities of organic waste which give rise to new generations of plants. But our industrial system, at the end of its cycle of production and consumption, has not developed the capacity to absorb and reuse waste and by-products. We have not yet managed to adopt a circular model of production capable of preserving resources for present and future generations, while limiting as much as possible the use of non-renewable resources, moderating their consumption, maximizing their efficient use, reusing, and recycling them.” ~Laudato Si’ #22
Michael Nasello, Director of the Passionist Solidarity Network, and his spouse Karen found a way to participate in the cycles of Life through composting in their home. We are grateful for their story, shared below. For other composting ideas, including some which are no cost or low cost, please go here: Compost tips
Photo by Lenka Dzurendova on Unsplash
Condo Composting
We live in a condo where there is no access to composting: no organic waste pickup in our community, with no ability to compost on-site (condo board rules, pest control, etc.). The only alternative we were left with was an unacceptable one – to throw organic waste into the garbage. Very frustrating!
Then we discovered the electric composter: an energy-saver electric device that converts organic wastes into compost in a few hours. We put in all our peelings, leftovers, plant debris etc. (everything except meat, bones, and oils), and when the 1-gallon bucket is full, we tighten down the lid and turn it on. About 4-5 hours later, we have 1 ½ - 2 cups of clean, dry peat moss which we can add to plants, gardens, or the forest floor during a hike. The kit comes with enzyme tablets which we can add to the process, thereby creating nutrient-rich soil instead of simple peat moss. There is no odor thanks to the two charcoal filters, which only have to be replaced every six months. In our home, we run the composter at least three times per week. And it’s extremely quiet.
We chose to purchase a product with the brand name LOMI, a device which sells for USD 500. (We got it on sale for USD 350.) It feels like a hefty price tag at one level, but we chose to view it as a financial contribution to the environment. And we know we are making a huge contribution to a more ecological approach to daily living – we have cut our garbage by two-thirds and are contributing good clean soil to the ecosystem. A good composting solution for the 21st century.
Michael & Karen Nasello
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
