Who Did You Interview?
- My high school friend.
Demographics That Might Provide Helpful Context for Their Responses
- Age: 22
- Indian
- Lives in Dubai
- Male
Key Findings from the Interview
- Understands the importance of composting but sometimes, due to his busy schedule and lack of proper disposal system, it becomes difficult to keep organic and inorganic waste separate.
- Finds the overall process of composting very time consuming and quite complicated. (This was after taking a class given by his local community.
- His view is that composting is not necessary since no one in the country really does it. He noted that he still separates items when placing them in local recycling bins.
Below are the (slightly shortened) original answers to the questions:
- Can you share your experience with managing organic waste at home? Do you deal with it a lot at home? What challenges have you faced from it?
Answer: Managing organic waste at home is quite challenging for me. The main challenge lies in segregation. I understand the importance of it but sometimes, due to my busy schedule and lack of proper disposal system, it becomes difficult to keep organic and inorganic waste separate.
- Tell me about the last time you used a product (or service) to reduce the impact of organic waste in your home.
Answer: Last year, I attended a local community initiative that encouraged composting at home. They gave us some compost bins and taught how to use them. It was a nice experience, but I found the process to be time-consuming and a little complicated to maintain consistently.
- Can you describe how important sustainability and the use of eco-friendly methods in agriculture is to you, and why?
Answer: Sustainability is very important to me. Coming from a country like India, where agriculture plays a vital role, I've seen the impact of using harsh chemical fertilizers first hand. My family owns a farm back in my village, and I've seen the bad long term effects of these chemicals on the soil quality and personal health. This is what motivates me to look for eco-friendly alternatives.
- What are your hopes and expectations for a product such as a compact composting system in terms of reducing the use of harsh fertilizers?
Answer: I have high hopes for a compact composting system. Theoretically, it could help reduce the need for chemical fertilizers by making nutrient-rich organic compost at home. But I'm also have concerns about how much of an impact it can actually make at a larger scale.
- Have you ever used a composting system before? If yes, what were the positive and negative aspects of your experience? If not, what barriers or concerns might have kept you from trying?
Answer: As I mentioned earlier, I have used a composting system as part of a community learning experience. It was a nice experience in terms of understanding the process and how it works. However, the composting was very smelly and it attracted insects (which became a concern for me).
- Are there any fears or concerns you might have regarding the use of composting systems or similar products in terms of efficiency, cleanliness, or other factors? Can you elaborate on these concerns?
Answer: Yes, there are a few concerns. Number one is the issue of hygiene; a composting system, if not properly managed, can attract insects as I mentioned before, and create bad odors. Second, there's the question of efficiency. I am unsure on how much compost can be produced and whether it would be enough to make a significant difference in my gardening or farming activities.
