The inventor of the globally renowned in-ground residential composting system, Subpod, has returned home to Byron Bay for a short stay before he embarks on a collaboration with a global company to take his latest project, WastePlant, around the world.
Tomorrow, Thursday May 25, from 6pm for a 6.30pm start, Andrew Hayim de Vries will host a public talk at his warehouse, where he will discuss why inground composting systems are perfect for residential food waste, and explain how to efficiently build your own DIY composting system at home.
Around three years ago, he says he left Subpod and moved on to develop WastePlant, ‘a community compost system and facility based on the same principle as the Subpod, on a much larger scale’.
Closed-loop design
According to www.wasteplant.com.au, the closed-loop design turns garden and food waste into ‘edible-plant-filled garden beds’. Substantial water efficiency is also achieved using WastePlant’s ‘proprietary in-garden irrigation and water management system, Vermigation™’.
He told The Echo, ‘For the past 15 months, I have been based in Indonesia, where I have been working with government officials, resorts, communities and universities, discussing plans to effectively solve their food waste issues’.
‘If there is a solution in a tropical environment like Indonesia, then there can be a solution in most parts of the world’.
Global Ripple fundraiser
A silent auction of two large protoype compost systems will be held at the May 25 talk, and those funds, plus the $5 entry fee, will be donated to the Global Ripple op shop, located around the corner in the Byron Arts and Industry estate.
‘Please feel free to bring a chair, otherwise this will be a standing event’.
A garage sale of all his remaining beloved warehouse items will also be held on Saturday, May 27, from 8am till 12pm at his Byron Arts and Industry unit, located at 1/22 Brigantine Street.
He says funds raised from the garage sale will also be donated to the Global Ripple op shop.
