Innovation

Mrs. Guadalupe mentions to us that around 2019 and before the organic and inorganic waste generated by households, she came up with a great business idea, with the aim of contributing to the separation of organic waste, reducing the amount of garbage generated by each household. In addition this idea would contribute to the family savings in the payment of garbage to the particular service and to be able to create their own organic fertilizer, which acts as a fertilizer rich in nutrients, which will be used with plants. Therefore, we can consider this is the grain of sand to contribute to a culture of garbage separation, thus promoting an improvement for the green economy.

In addition, Mrs. Guadalupe tells us that the goal is to make a more responsible society in the sustainable management of organic and inorganic waste that families discard in urban areas, where there is an large amount of waste in cities of more than 100 thousand inhabitants and more than 80 tons of garbage per day, so the proper methods to manage this waste would help to reduce environmental pollution to reserve the economy and even benefit climate change.

Inspiration

Mrs. Guadalupe mentions that through this project, she is concerned about the adverse situations of society and began with an individual contribution to improve these conditions, to have a better present and an alternative for the future, so she assumed that what has been done in recent decades has been wrong. She considers it vital to encourage the social collective to influence in affirmative and more friendly actions with the planet, which every day presents more deterioration and there is a great pain on the part of society to reverse its practices, even many of them aggressive caused by lack of information and peolpe's selfishness.

Mrs. Guadalupe also mentions that the preservation of ecosystems and habitat should be a responsibility not only of state institutions, but should be a people's behavior change, and the desire to generate a culture of circular economy, in favor of the environment. Hence, Mrs. Guadalupe mentions that she wants to impact directly on society, and more than impact, create a culture of sustainability for people and the Oaxacan society and even go further in the future.

Overall impact

Mrs. Guadalupe mentions that in the short term, the sale of all the worm compost was achieved, so that households acquired the alternative proposal to reduce the generation of organic waste.

Mrs. Guadalupe tells us that in the long term they are helping to achieve a culture of separation of organic garbage, as well as to reduce this same garbage generated by each household. Mrs. Guadalupe also shows us that as evidence the sale of vermicompost has increased and the municipal authorities revealed that the generation of garbage has decreased.

Mrs. Guadalupe tells us that she saw that it is a viable strategy for the recovery of organic matter and soil fertility, because she applied worm humus. The use of the red Californian earthworm for the production of vermicompost was a success, given its ability to consume up to 100% of its weight on a daily basis, as well as doubling its population in a 3 months period. It was detected that some land and home's pots applying the vermicompost, that naturally provides hormones for the growth of crops, were benefited enhancing plants, reducing soil erosion, improving moisture retention and the structured of the land in which it's applied.

Business benefit

Mrs. Guadalupe mentions that there has been an opening of new markets with new interests, but that contribute to a green economy and sustainable projects.

The business also initiates a productive chain benefiting Oaxacan artisans from the central valleys region, mainly from the municipality of Santa María Atzompa, and this project is a citizen initiative that should become a public policy of the municipal, state or federal government, as part of the strategy for climate action and the life of terrestrial ecosystems of the 2030 agenda. The purchase of this vermicompost has promoted the culture of garbage separation and has made it possible for more households to produce their own compost and fertilizer for their own plants.

In addition, Mrs. Guadalupe tells us that all the people who work in the business, whom are currently 9, are satisfied with the work achieved and this encourages them to continue improving and growing, all together as a business. She also tells us that the employees have bought the same vermicompost and do not regret having done so, because this has benefited their families, and now they have a sustainable development culture. Guadalupe also mentions that business income increased during the second year, since during the first year they only invested in the business, although now it has paid off.

Social and environmental benefit

Mrs. Guadalupe tells us that with this she has achieved that one out of every ten homes has an earthworm compost, and has contributed to create a culture of garbage separation, which has also had an impact on family savings, as opposed to paying for private garbage.

It also tells us that this is a viable strategy for the recovery of organic matter and soil fertility, through the application of worm humus, which is understood as the process of organic waste degradation, through the digestion of worms and microorganisms that accelerate the decomposition of such waste, obtaining from the process a material with high content of nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, minerals and micronutrients needed in agriculture, as well as soil improvers.

The application of vermicompost also naturally provides hormones for the growth of any type of crops, as well as enzymes to a beneficial microbial population, which is free of pathogens, also greatly reduces soil erosion and helps families to be more responsible with the environment, as they care for the worms and also take care of their land and soil, so that this will provide them with better crops or simply a neat and beautiful plant.

Interview

María Guadalupe Cruz Núñez, Fundadora