Report on DIY Fertilizer Production and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

A method for creating homemade liquid fertilizer from common yard weeds has been demonstrated, presenting a practical application of sustainable principles at the household level. This report analyzes the methodology and its significant alignment with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Methodology for DIY Weed-Based Fertilizer

The process involves converting unwanted biomass (weeds) into a nutrient-rich liquid feed for gardens. This practice promotes a circular economy model by upcycling waste material.

1. Collection and Preparation: A bucket is filled to approximately 90% capacity with collected weeds. Chopping the weeds increases the surface area, accelerating decomposition.
2. Submersion and Fermentation: The plant matter is weighted down (e.g., with bricks) and fully submerged in water. The container is then covered and left to ferment for a minimum of two weeks.
3. Extraction and Dilution: After the fermentation period, the liquid is strained from the solid plant matter.
4. Application: The resulting concentrate is diluted for use, with a recommended ratio of one-half cup of fertilizer per gallon of water.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This DIY initiative directly supports numerous SDGs by promoting environmental stewardship, economic savings, and personal well-being.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• Food Security: Home gardening enhances household food security by providing direct access to fresh produce.
• Sustainable Agriculture: The use of this organic, homemade fertilizer improves soil health and can increase crop yields without synthetic inputs, contributing to sustainable small-scale agriculture.

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

• Waste Reduction: The method transforms yard waste, which would otherwise be discarded (often in landfills), into a valuable resource. This aligns with targets to substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.
• Sustainable Lifestyles: It reduces reliance on commercially produced fertilizers, which involve industrial manufacturing processes, packaging, and transportation.
• Reducing Food Waste: The report notes related practices, such as using crushed eggshells as a calcium supplement for soil, which further addresses SDG Target 12.3 to halve per capita food waste.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Reduced Carbon Footprint: The production of commercial inorganic fertilizers is an energy-intensive process, often relying on the combustion of fossil fuels and releasing significant greenhouse gases. By creating fertilizer at home from existing biomass, individuals can reduce their carbon footprint.
• Mitigating Landfill Emissions: Diverting organic waste like weeds from landfills prevents the generation of methane, a potent greenhouse gas produced during anaerobic decomposition.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Chemical-Free Produce: Utilizing organic fertilizer ensures produce is free from synthetic chemicals, contributing to healthier food consumption.
• Physical and Mental Health: The act of gardening itself is a form of physical exercise and has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, promoting overall well-being.

SDG 15: Life on Land

• Protecting Terrestrial Ecosystems: Using organic fertilizer avoids chemical runoff from synthetic products, which can pollute soil and water systems, harming local biodiversity. The practice enriches soil with essential macro and micronutrients (e.g., potassium, nitrogen, boron), promoting soil health.

Conclusion and Further Considerations

The creation of fertilizer from yard weeds is a simple, cost-effective, and impactful practice that empowers individuals to contribute to global sustainability targets. User feedback confirms the method’s efficacy, though it is noted that the fermentation process produces a strong, unpleasant odor. This technique, along with complementary practices like composting food scraps and utilizing animal manure, represents a significant step toward more sustainable and resilient household resource management.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article on creating DIY fertilizer from weeds and other organic materials touches upon several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting practices that are environmentally friendly, economically beneficial, and conducive to well-being.

   • SDG 2: Zero Hunger: The article connects gardening with reducing grocery expenses by “growing your own food” and notes that DIY fertilizer can “increase your yield,” which relates to food security and sustainable agricultural practices at a household level.
   • SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The text explicitly mentions that gardening offers “great mental and physical health benefits,” is “good exercise,” and helps “lower stress and anxiety levels,” directly aligning with the promotion of health and well-being.
   • SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: By encouraging the reuse of yard weeds and food scraps (like eggshells) that would otherwise be thrown away, the article addresses the issue of waste management. It quotes a person who can now “reduce that landfill waste,” which is a key component of sustainable community practices.
   • SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: This is a central theme. The article advocates for turning waste (weeds) into a resource (fertilizer), reducing food waste, and avoiding “expensive store-bought fertilizers.” This promotes a circular economy model and sustainable consumption patterns by reducing waste generation and reliance on mass-produced chemical products.
   • SDG 13: Climate Action: The article highlights the negative climate impact of commercial inorganic fertilizers, stating their production “involves combusting dirty fuels at high temperatures, which pollutes and overheats the atmosphere with the release of CO2.” By making DIY fertilizer, an individual can “reduce your carbon footprint and help enable a cooler planet.”
   • SDG 15: Life on Land: The practice of using organic fertilizer improves soil health by adding essential nutrients like “boron, iron, or selenium, or macronutrients like potassium and nitrogen.” The article also mentions that removing weeds is necessary to “protect your yard and native plants,” which relates to protecting local biodiversity and ecosystems.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Several specific SDG targets can be linked to the actions and benefits described in the article.

   • Target 2.4: “By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production… and progressively improve land and soil quality.” The DIY fertilizer method directly contributes to improving soil quality with nutrients and increasing garden yields, aligning with this target for sustainable food production.
   • Target 3.4: “By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.” The article’s emphasis on gardening as a form of exercise that lowers stress and anxiety directly supports the promotion of mental and physical well-being.
   • Target 11.6: “By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management.” The core idea of turning yard weeds and food scraps into fertilizer instead of sending them to landfills directly addresses the reduction of municipal waste.
   • Target 12.5: “By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.” The entire article is an example of this target in action. It provides a method to reuse yard waste (weeds) and recycle food waste (eggshells), thereby reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.
   • Target 13.3: “Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation…” The article serves as an educational tool, raising awareness about how individual choices, like making organic fertilizer, can mitigate climate change by reducing the carbon footprint associated with the production of inorganic fertilizers.
   • Target 15.5: “Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity…” By encouraging the removal of invasive weeds to “protect… native plants,” the article supports actions to preserve local biodiversity and natural habitats.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   The article mentions or implies several indicators that could be used to track progress towards the identified targets.

   • Indicator for Target 12.5: The article provides a direct statistic that can serve as a baseline indicator: “discarded food makes up to 30% to 40% of items in landfills, according to Feeding America.” Progress could be measured by a reduction in this percentage. An implied indicator is the volume or weight of yard and food waste diverted from landfills by households adopting these DIY practices.
   • Indicator for Target 2.4: An implied indicator is the “yield” of a garden. The article states that DIY fertilizer “can increase your yield.” Measuring the quantity of food produced per square meter of a garden before and after using the fertilizer would be a way to track progress. Another is the nutrient content of the soil, as the article mentions the fertilizer adds “micronutrients like boron, iron, or selenium, or macronutrients like potassium and nitrogen.”
   • Indicator for Target 13.3: An implied indicator is the reduction of an individual’s carbon footprint. The article states, “you can reduce your carbon footprint.” This could be quantified by calculating the avoided greenhouse gas emissions from not purchasing and using industrially produced inorganic fertilizer.
   • Indicator for Target 11.6: A key indicator is the “national recycling rate, tons of material recycled” (an official indicator for Target 12.5 that also applies here). The article implies this by quoting a user who will no longer be “throwing them in the trash!” and can now “reduce that landfill waste.” Measuring the reduction in household waste generation would be a direct indicator.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Summary

Source: thecooldown.com