To celebrate Independence day, on 18 August 2022, Bumiterra visited Sekolah BISA located in Bintaro, South Tangerang to teach children ages 7 – 9 years old ‘How to Make Your Own Eco-Enzyme’.

Sekolah BISA is a non-profit school established by Yayasan Tangen Bagi Sesama and The Body Shop aims to give underprivileged children quality education. Sekolah BISA hopes to help children who do not have the opportunity to go to school so that they can have a better future. Students are taught regular school subjects with the addition of arts and other practical skills to explore their potential and support their future. These activities include sewing, motivational speaking, and sports. They also take pride in teaching kids sustainability and being eco-friendly, which aligns perfectly with what we are doing in Bumiterra. The school has initiatives that include separating the waste into organic and non-organic bins, not using an air conditioner for classroom activities, and having hydroponics. These activities are very important in teaching children to reduce their emissions and develop a low-carbon lifestyle.

Eco-enzyme promotes a low-carbon lifestyle because it prevents more carbon emissions from being released into the atmosphere. It does so by reusing waste into usable products and preventing the production of more greenhouse gas. When food is thrown away and rots, it produces methane—a greenhouse gas 30x more effective to trap heat than carbon dioxide. Research by Sustainable Waste Indonesia found that 60% of waste in Indonesia is food waste and only 7.5% is processed (Santividya, 2018: 1)1. The rest are burned and put into landfills to rot. By repurposing food waste, we can create a multi-purpose liquid and prevent more production of greenhouse gas, making it a low-carbon emitting alternative.

Eco-enzyme is a multipurpose liquid created by the fermentation process of fruit and vegetable waste which produces beneficial enzymes. Fermentation happens when bacteria use organic waste as food and produce alcohol, acetic acid, and beneficial enzymes. Alcohol and acetic acid have the disinfectant property that is used to clean surface areas. Beneficial enzymes are nutritious and can be used as fertilizers. Eco-enzyme is made by mixing organic food waste with water and letting it ferment for 1-3 months.

Eco-enzymes can be used after one month as insect repellent and fertilizers. After two months, eco-enzyme can be used as fruit and vegetable cleaner, and after three months of fermentation, home appliance cleaner and disinfectant for surfaces. Aside from reducing the use of chemical-based cleaning liquids, making eco-enzymes reduces the expense of buying cleaning products. Eco-enzymes are also much better than traditional cleaning products because they contain enzymes that break down dirt, dust, and debris naturally whereas traditional cleaning products made from plants are not as effective in getting rid of stains and smells.

We are happy to see more communities and individuals taking initiative to reduce their carbon footprint. We hope to see Sekolah BISA continue to make their eco-enzyme and teach more people about living a more low-carbon, sustainable lifestyle.