A while ago the DP Biology and ESS classes as well as some members of environmental services went on a trip to the International Water Management Institute (or IWMI for short).

We were greeted by Pay, a senior advisor, who gave us a presentation about sustainability and the growing popularity of using natural fertilizers and how they are made with the use of human waste products. During his presentation he handed around both liquid fertilizer and fertilizer pellets.

Although his projects were active in Sri Lanka, these ideas were not strangers to the rest of the world and he gave many examples of how they were doing it in other areas of the world with the same resources yet different processing. I found out how in developing countries, people usually just put the solid waste directly onto their plants and how farmers used the waste of their cattle and livestock to fertilize their crops. I am engaging with these things sub-consciously as it was these farmers I buy my produce from.

During the presentation there were many questions asked to us for engagement. I answered many of them with my favourite one being when he asked “why do we heat up the waste?” and I replied saying it was to kill any harmful bacteria. A little later I went to answer another question but Pay interrupted me saying I had now graduated and was too smart to answer anymore, so he asked others to answer (I am never living this down).

After the presentation we walked back to school in time for service to which I reported back to Eco-Schools how helpful this meeting was. A highlight of this walk had to be being all the way up front and watching Antoine carry Isa the whole way back to prove his strength.

Featured Image Credit: Mr Lockwood