When entering the age of 38 years, I never thought that it would be a year that changes my life.
I used to live like a normal person, born into a mediocre family in Phichit province, the province where most people are somewhat confused about where exactly this place is situated in this country. Having lived and grown in the province where I don’t know if it’s considered to be in the Lower North or Central or Upper Province, I am also yet unclear about our economic crops and food culture since we live in the boundary that is between every region. I, myself, used to like the prosperity of Bangkok’s fast food lifestyle. On the other hand, I was also in love with the local food. These were the sources of all the changes that happened in my 38-year-old life.
I am a woman that is considered fairly tall compared to those born in 1981. That's what made me complacent about my situation. With great heights and not much weight, I could eat a lot. While I liked city food style very much, eating fried chicken, hamburger, ham, sausage or cheese are somewhat very cool for a countryside girl like me. But that was not until the time I began to suffer from a fat blockage in the blood vessels. Therefore, that was the first change in my life.
Round 1: I began to turn to eating more vegetables and salads half and half portion according to the government campaign at that time for 8 months. It seemed to be better as some fats reduced. However, one day I had a stomachache and severe diarrhea. My two hands were numb and that was the moment signaling me for the second change.
Round 2: I eventually found out that the cause I mentioned above caused by the heavy metals contaminated in vegetables, fruits and seafood. What to do next? Growing vegetables to eat by myself would be something beyond my capacity. So, I started to search for information about safe vegetables’ suppliers. My 3 meals per day got so complicated even if I can cook. Finally, I became really interested in sourcing raw materials.
Round 3: I spent 2 years for this change. After I started sourcing for raw materials until I found that there are many reliable farmers markets in the country. That made me meet with uncle Wittaya, the organic coconut farmer who collects food waste in the organic market and uses them as a fertilizer for his farming. From that day until today, that is the last change for me.
Round 4: I have learned that organic waste is an organic fertilizer returned to the soil, whereas the chemical waste is chemical fertilizer returned to the soil likewise. This change, at the age of 38, made me tried very hard to live a life that doesn't have to be related to chemistry. Because we may become chemical builders back into the ecosystem unintentionally. I think this change is not just because I was a patient, but because I do not want to create more patients from waste we generated. I have become very well aware on even the use of replacement containers, waste recycling or even garbage separation. To allow natural mechanisms to decompose and return these wastes into the cleanest form to the soil.
I am just a small change that starts from within, but I truly hope that the small collective small change from every corner of the world would eventually drive forward for the better world. Everyone can be part of the change by not adding more chemicals to the soil and water sources. Meanwhile, we should create a clean area that can grow vegetables, animals, and agriculture safely that make our lives become more secure.
Author
Nattaporn Pinpech
Creative / Story teller