Cultivating Change EP#4 Harbir Gill

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In this episode, we visit Harbir Gill, founder of Ground Control, at the company's composting facility in Port Dickson in the state of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

#4: The Business of Composting

, we visit Harbir Gill, founder of Ground Control, at the company’s composting facility in Port Dickson in the state of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Harbir shares his journey from running an events and media production agency to becoming passionate about composting and waste management. He discusses the processes and challenges of large-scale composting as a way to tackle waste generated in urban areas, the importance of healthy soils, the importance of sustainable waste management, and how composting can contribute to Malaysia's greening goals.

Harbir explains hot composting, what we can learn about organic waste from our rich rainforest ecosystems, the broader impact of waste management on urban biodiversity and healthy soils and more.

This episode provides insights into environmental stewardship through business and why it is important to make compost a part of any country’s waste management plans.

Show notes

[00:04:00] Harbir walks us through his compost production facility, Malaysia.
[00:02:15] Harbir describes the outdoor area of the production facility - the mounds of compost
[00:03:30] Learning about hot composting, the method that Ground Control uses for its organic compost
[00:04:30] Some of the machines that are involved in the composting business
[00:08:15] Sourcing the raw organic matter materials for a composting business
[00:11:30] Learning that landfills is not the only option for our food and organic waste
[00:12:45] Does composting on a large scale smell?
[00:13:15] The need for local policies to make composting the norm in the country
[00:15:15] No smell, but lots of biodiversity in and around the compost heaps
[00:16:15] How much organic waste the Malaysia produces per day and how much of it can Ground Control compost
[00:18:30] Learning from nature - Malaysia’s tropical rainforests - nature’s great composting machines and why our soils need more organic materials
[00:22:45] Is there a demand for locally made organic compost? Learning about the customers and where the growing demand is coming from
[00:25:45] The story of how Harbir got involved with composting
[00:30:15] How Malaysia can improve on its organic waste management and composting
[00:33:00] The impact Ground Control’s composting business has had on the council and some clients
[00:35:15] What individuals can do to stop organic waste going to landfills management in their localities

Additional Resources

1. Connect with Harbir Gill here.
2. Recommended reading on composting: Rodale Book on Composting.
3. Begin your urban composting journey with the compost tube. Learn with with this short step-by-step DIY guide.

Special thanks to Harbir Gill, Founder & Managing Director of Ground Control.

Senior producer: Nova Nelson.
Executive Producer,researcher and host: Tamanna Patel.
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About Cultivating Change

Cultivating Change is a podcast about people and communities shaping local regenerative food and agricultural systems in Southeast Asia.

We speak to farmers, small holders and urban growers, food producers, researchers, environmentalists, entrepreneurs and various individuals that are re-imagining, designing and creating healthier more sustainable food futures and landscapes from the ground up.

Our mission? To explore questions and find answers about the vital aspects of our food system, why it matters to your well-being, and the seismic impact it has on the environment in Southeast Asia. It's not just a podcast; it's a recipe for change.