By Claudia Francis / Fr Andre Delimarta, SDB
KUCHING — Christian faith values the dignity of all creation, and having concern for the creation of the environment is an integral part of that faith. Pope Francis in his encyclical Laudato Si’ emphasised the Church as a movement of faith; that Christian faith must be actualised into real action. The encyclical also called for ecological conversion which is interpreted as an attitude of faith that is willing to care and respect every creation, for the good of the creation in its dignity and worth, as well as for the sake of living together.
There are many ways we can do to protect and care for our environment (Mother Earth). And one way is to reduce waste. Organic kitchen waste such as fruit peels or vegetable waste is often considered harmless because it can be processed into compost. But organic waste if not handled properly can harm the environment because the greenhouse gas produced by organic waste will damage the Ozone layer that protects our earth.
From waste to blessing
The good news is that organic waste from the kitchen can be a blessing. It comes in the form of Eco Enzyme. This Eco Enzyme liquid that comes from the fermentation of organic waste, like fruit peels or pieces of raw vegetables, mixed with molasses or palm sugar, cane sugar, or brown sugar has a million benefits. Some of the benefits include natural household cleanser, it can also be used as treatment for various wounds, and also to improve air and water quality.
On 25 June 2023, in line with the call of Laudato Si’ to save mother earth, the Holy Trinity Church in particular the community of Bloc Rosary “Mother of Mercy” Kampung Tabuan Dayak organised a seminar on the said encyclical. The seminar was concluded with a demonstration on the making of Eco Enzyme, a solution to reduce excessive organic waste from house kitchens. The participants consisted mostly of housewives and each were given molasses as a kick-start to make Eco Enzyme in their own homes. This is a simple act of saving Mother Earth where the community can start reducing organic waste from their own kitchen.
