Nature's Warriors
Nature provides us with both challenges and the solutions to those challenges. It is up to us humans to learn from both aspects and live a harmonious life in tune with nature.
Currently we use a plethora of chemicals to sanitise and protect ourselves and our environment from pathogens and other undesirables. This while being effective at the beginning, is a path of diminishing returns with the effectiveness of the method or chemicals decreasing with time. This in turn prompts us to over use the chemicals or go in for even more intensive chemical applications.
Instead of following the downward spiral, it would be simpler to follow and use what nature has provided us.
Sunlight is said to be the best disinfectant and cleaner. The ultra violet (UV) component in the sun rays are known to be a destroyer of bacteria, viruses and many other pathogens. The heat component of rays are known to make it uncomfortable for insects to exist in areas where sunlight is direct.
UV light
UV light rays can be used to disinfect surfaces and water. Small scale hand held UV devices are available in the market, that do an effective job of sterilising home and office surfaces as well as equipment. This can be done in commercial and public spaces as well. UV is being used in municipal water systems in many parts of the world, no reason not to do the same here.
Heat Generators
Commercial heat generators do a good job of disinfecting small closed spaces of insects without the need of any chemical cleaners or disinfectants. These should be popularised over conventional chemical pest treatments.
Ozone
Ozone is used to disinfect both water and air. As ozone is generated from the ambient air, it is relatively inexpensive compared to all the chemicals that are currently used.
Enzymes
Enzymes are proving highly effective in the cleaning industry. Compared to chemicals, a considerable small amount is needed and the effort to clean is also reduced. There are different enzymes for different purposes and these should be promoted.
We can start using Nature's Warriors in the following five areas. A Cost Benefit Analysis can also be done to measure what are the real benefits.
Food Supply Chain
Today we have massive wastage in our food chain. Right from the farm to homes, there is spoilage and wastage, at every step. Ozone treatment of all food produce, at every step in the food supply chain will reduce spoilage and extend the shelf life of the food produce.
Farmer Producer Companies (FPC) can be given ready to use Ozone trucks, which can easily extend the life of fresh produce by up to a week. These trucks can be used to store their produce as well as use it for distribution.
For grains, cereals and pulses, India can move to the container model. RFID tagged shipping containers that can be vacuum sealed should be made available. The produce can be vacuum packed in 25/50 kg bags. Before storing these bags, these containers can be treated with UV and ozone. Once the bags are stored, the container can be sealed and vacuumed. Advantage of this method is that containers can be transported pan India without need of multiple handling of produce. Storage of containers is economical compared to building warehouses and storing produce. RFID tagging will ensure live data on stock levels and movements.
EESL can be the nodal agency for both - trucks and containers. They have the experience in dispersing new technologies in mass numbers. A heat pump option on ozone trucks can be tried to see if it is more effective and economical than refrigeration. EESL can go one step further and ensure that all the ozone trucks are hydrogen based and that the FPCs have solar trees installed.
Municipal Drinking Water Supplies
Municipal drinking water supplies can be changed over to a system of sand and activated carbon filters, followed by ozonising and UV disinfection. This four step process will ensure good quality potable water without affecting the taste or natural TDS of the water.
Standardising the process and then implementing it pan India, will result in having uniform potable water standard. This will ensure that municipal bodies and other agencies that provide potable water do not need to relearn the process or use unnecessary chemicals as they currently do.
Sewage Systems
At present, most sewage systems in the country dump the untreated sewage directly into the nearest water body. This of course causes pollution but also results in a loss of precious national resources. Biogas can be generated in huge quantities from sewage.
A STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) model can be designed (different sizes can be finalised) and implemented across all habitats in the country.
The first step in this would be generation of biogas from the sewage. The biogas can be scrubbed on site and then sold directly to customers. Or it can be converted to electricity that can be fed into the grid.
The sludge and water that remains can be separated. The sludge can be treated with enzymes or sun dried to a fine powder. To ensure that no pathogens remain in the sludge, it can be treated with BARC technology. This powder can then be given to farmers to use as a supplemental fertiliser.
The waste water that remains can be then processed and sold as recycled water for agriculture, various cleaning purposes or used for generating hydrogen on site that can then be on sold.
Public Space Cleaning
Various enzyme based solutions can be determined and prescribed for different types of cleaning needs. This will ensure that the soil and water bodies are not polluted with chemical cleaners. At the same time, a better cleaning effect will also be visible.
The above solutions are already in practice in various forms the world over. What needs to be done is to make a standardised process and implement it nation wide. This will develop a whole new indigenous industry and simultaneously ensure that public health and cleanliness is maintained.
Enclosed Spaces
Enclosed public spaces see a lot of foot fall and hence have a greater need of frequent cleaning. Vacuuming, enzyme based cleaners and steam can be used to clean surfaces while ozone can be used to clean the enclosed ambient space.
There are many more applications using nature's warriors and these will be enumerated in the future. For now, we can start with the above five mentioned areas and save not only our economy but our ecology as well.
Currently we use a plethora of chemicals to sanitise and protect ourselves and our environment from pathogens and other undesirables. This while being effective at the beginning, is a path of diminishing returns with the effectiveness of the method or chemicals decreasing with time. This in turn prompts us to over use the chemicals or go in for even more intensive chemical applications.
Instead of following the downward spiral, it would be simpler to follow and use what nature has provided us.
Sunlight is said to be the best disinfectant and cleaner. The ultra violet (UV) component in the sun rays are known to be a destroyer of bacteria, viruses and many other pathogens. The heat component of rays are known to make it uncomfortable for insects to exist in areas where sunlight is direct.
UV light
UV light rays can be used to disinfect surfaces and water. Small scale hand held UV devices are available in the market, that do an effective job of sterilising home and office surfaces as well as equipment. This can be done in commercial and public spaces as well. UV is being used in municipal water systems in many parts of the world, no reason not to do the same here.
Heat Generators
Commercial heat generators do a good job of disinfecting small closed spaces of insects without the need of any chemical cleaners or disinfectants. These should be popularised over conventional chemical pest treatments.
Ozone
Ozone is used to disinfect both water and air. As ozone is generated from the ambient air, it is relatively inexpensive compared to all the chemicals that are currently used.
Enzymes
Enzymes are proving highly effective in the cleaning industry. Compared to chemicals, a considerable small amount is needed and the effort to clean is also reduced. There are different enzymes for different purposes and these should be promoted.
We can start using Nature's Warriors in the following five areas. A Cost Benefit Analysis can also be done to measure what are the real benefits.
Food Supply Chain
Today we have massive wastage in our food chain. Right from the farm to homes, there is spoilage and wastage, at every step. Ozone treatment of all food produce, at every step in the food supply chain will reduce spoilage and extend the shelf life of the food produce.
Farmer Producer Companies (FPC) can be given ready to use Ozone trucks, which can easily extend the life of fresh produce by up to a week. These trucks can be used to store their produce as well as use it for distribution.
For grains, cereals and pulses, India can move to the container model. RFID tagged shipping containers that can be vacuum sealed should be made available. The produce can be vacuum packed in 25/50 kg bags. Before storing these bags, these containers can be treated with UV and ozone. Once the bags are stored, the container can be sealed and vacuumed. Advantage of this method is that containers can be transported pan India without need of multiple handling of produce. Storage of containers is economical compared to building warehouses and storing produce. RFID tagging will ensure live data on stock levels and movements.
EESL can be the nodal agency for both - trucks and containers. They have the experience in dispersing new technologies in mass numbers. A heat pump option on ozone trucks can be tried to see if it is more effective and economical than refrigeration. EESL can go one step further and ensure that all the ozone trucks are hydrogen based and that the FPCs have solar trees installed.
Municipal Drinking Water Supplies
Municipal drinking water supplies can be changed over to a system of sand and activated carbon filters, followed by ozonising and UV disinfection. This four step process will ensure good quality potable water without affecting the taste or natural TDS of the water.
Standardising the process and then implementing it pan India, will result in having uniform potable water standard. This will ensure that municipal bodies and other agencies that provide potable water do not need to relearn the process or use unnecessary chemicals as they currently do.
Sewage Systems
At present, most sewage systems in the country dump the untreated sewage directly into the nearest water body. This of course causes pollution but also results in a loss of precious national resources. Biogas can be generated in huge quantities from sewage.
A STP (Sewage Treatment Plant) model can be designed (different sizes can be finalised) and implemented across all habitats in the country.
The first step in this would be generation of biogas from the sewage. The biogas can be scrubbed on site and then sold directly to customers. Or it can be converted to electricity that can be fed into the grid.
The sludge and water that remains can be separated. The sludge can be treated with enzymes or sun dried to a fine powder. To ensure that no pathogens remain in the sludge, it can be treated with BARC technology. This powder can then be given to farmers to use as a supplemental fertiliser.
The waste water that remains can be then processed and sold as recycled water for agriculture, various cleaning purposes or used for generating hydrogen on site that can then be on sold.
Public Space Cleaning
Various enzyme based solutions can be determined and prescribed for different types of cleaning needs. This will ensure that the soil and water bodies are not polluted with chemical cleaners. At the same time, a better cleaning effect will also be visible.
The above solutions are already in practice in various forms the world over. What needs to be done is to make a standardised process and implement it nation wide. This will develop a whole new indigenous industry and simultaneously ensure that public health and cleanliness is maintained.
Enclosed Spaces
Enclosed public spaces see a lot of foot fall and hence have a greater need of frequent cleaning. Vacuuming, enzyme based cleaners and steam can be used to clean surfaces while ozone can be used to clean the enclosed ambient space.
There are many more applications using nature's warriors and these will be enumerated in the future. For now, we can start with the above five mentioned areas and save not only our economy but our ecology as well.
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