Using the wood that was lying around, a scrap refrigerator door, jute rope, an old dish rack and 3 new plastic buckets, we were able to overhaul the dish washing and food sorting process.Now dish washing happens under a shaded structure close to the hand pump. We fill three buckets 1/3rd with water. Leftover food goes in the food waste bucket, dishes are soaked in first bucket, scrubbed with ash and coconut husk, rinsed in second bucket and then dunked in third bucket that contains water and vinegar which acts as an anti-bacterial agent, and left to dry in sun and UV in strong Indian sun finishes the job than vinegar started!
Not only we conserve water in this method, we get it using "manual" energy. Something which is always available as long as volunteers are there :) All that is left is a water loving green patch right outside the hut so the water can be cleaned by plant roots before it seeps. We have already done earth shaping and laid some gravel.
At the time of food sorting, the dish washing buckets go down and we get a nice "dog free" zone for food buckets. Since this is an enclosed area we can hang some shiny things to deter crows. Also, this has freed up the entry way to IACC which was earlier used for this and now we can get it all cleaned up and it's sure nice to have a gate which is not covered in crow droppings all the time.
We are also thinking of blending the food after sorting for puppies. Does any one have a hand blender they can spare?
Dish washing process prior to this change.
Earlier someone would have to hunch over a wheelbarrow and buckets under the sun and muck around in soapy water (dogs used to get into that as well!) and use up water from the tank.Food sorting process prior to this change.
Food sorting used to happen between the double doors at the entry way of IACC, which is un-shaded and attracted a lot of crows which led to a perpetually crow dropping covered gate. Also, the stinky food mess did not really make a good first impression.
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