“Just as Nature is dedicated to helping us, we too should be dedicated to helping Nature.
Only then can the harmony between Nature and humanity be preserved.” – Amma
Introduced to the world in 1982 by a Japanese scientist, Dr. Teruo Higa, EM (effective micro-organisms) is a combination of aerobic and anaerobic micro-organisms that coexist symbiotically in one liquid solution. In layman’s terms, it is “good bacteria,” beneficial micro-organisms that naturally eliminate harmful bacteria from the environment while at the same time strengthening the natural flora (immune system) of the surroundings.
When people use water for bathing, washing and general cleaning, the water becomes contaminated from the detergents, soaps and cleaners.Although household and personal-care products kill germs, they also kill the good bacteria, removing the environment’s natural resistance. EM is the only household cleaning product that actually helps the environment, cleaning the pipes, septic tanks and helping the rivers and seas, as it improves the micro flora in all the places with which it comes in contact.
Amritapuri Ashram started using EM in 2002. It is now in the Ashram’s institutions throughout India, including AIMS Hospital and Amrita University.
Here are some of the ways in which the Ashram is using EM:
- Applied to food waste, transforming it very quickly into compost for gardening
- Diluted and used for all general cleaning, replacing harmful, chemical products.
- Used as a natural pesticide in the gardens.
- Used in the cowshed to greatly reduce the smell and quantity of flies.
- Added to the laundry thereby halving the amount of detergent needed.
- Added to the ponds and waterways to reduce the mosquito population.
EM is quite cheap. It costs only about ten rupees for one to two litres.
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