One of the major concerns of the present society is the rampant consumerism and the
malignant throw away culture, which has resulted in the accumulation of waste. Regardless
of urban or rural area, nobody wants rubbish in their backyard. The theology that emerges
from the present research is garbology which states that whatever God has created is
`good' and `holy'. The `good' is considered sacred and useful; and the useless is waste
and therefore must be thrown out. The author asserts that the management of waste is
required so as to keep our environment `good' and `holy'.
The book outshines various means of managing waste such as reducing usage, recycling or
reusing and making the waste organic/degradable and thus returning it to nature so that
nature can easily assimilate it.
The present research brings out the scenario of solid waste disposal in Vilappilsala, a
typical Kerala village in Thiruvananthapuram District. The village having experienced the
garbage imperialism from the city dwellers, resisted dumping and finally succeeded.
The book seeks to find an alternative and proposes a theology of zero waste which will
ultimately lead to a zero waste economy. God has created everything `good' and `holy' and
the book pinpoints the human responsibility to address the waste situation.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Preface
List of Abbreviations
List of Glossary
Introduction
1. History of Waste Disposal in Trivandrum and Conflict with Vilappilsala Janakeeya
Samithy
1. Introduction
1.1 Waste
1.2 The Indian Context of Waste Situation
1.3 History of Waste Situation in Kerala
1.4 Population
1.5 Solid Waste Management Crisis in Kerala
1.6 Statistics of Solid Waste Generation in Kerala
1.7 Good Instances of SWM in Kerala
1.8 The Peculiarity of Kerala in Relation to SWM
1.9 Consumerist Pattern and Waste Context in
Thiruvananthapuram
1.10 The Thiruvananthapuram Corporation
1.11 `Clean City, Green City' Project and Asian
Development Bank Loan
1.12 Solid Waste Treatment Plant in Vilappilsala
1.13 Criticism against the Plant
1.14 Various Protest Initiatives
1.15 Evaluation
1.16 Conclusion
2. Nature of Resistance against the System of Waste Disposal
2. Introduction
2.1 Vilappil Village
2.2 Historical Importance of the Plant Site
2.3 Geography of the Plant Site
2.4 Political Background
2.5 Waste Disposal Plant in Vilappilsala
2.6 Vilappilsala Janakeeya Samithy (VJS)
2.7 Leadership Issues and the Formation of the
Samyuktha Samara Samithy
2.8 Attempts to Close the Plant
2.9 The Present Condition of the Struggle and the
Plant (2016)
2.10 Evaluation
Conclusion
3. Impact of the Solid Waste Treatment Plant in Vilappilsala
3. Introduction
3.1 Impact of the Plant on the People
3.2 Analysis of the Data
3.3 Findings
Conclusion
4. Addressing Solid Waste Accumulation and Alternatives
4. Introduction
4.1 Reasons for the Blooming of Plastic Industry
4.2 Problems with Increasing Plastic Waste
4.3 Controlling Plastic and Polymer Industry
4.4 Integrated Waste Management (IWM)
4.5 Sanitary Landfill
4.6 Need for Organizing the Community
4.7 Evaluation
4.8 Suggestions
Conclusion
5. Theological Reflection on Waste Management
5. Introduction
5.1 The Concept of `Good'
5.2 The Holiness Code
5.3 Burial of the Night Soil and the Dead
5.4 Burning
5.5 Dumping/Land Filling of Waste in the Kidron
Valley
5.6 Waste as Resource: Alternative Use of Waste
5.7 The Waste Concept in Relation to Judas and
Jesus
5.8 Towards a Zero Waste Theology
Conclusion
General Conclusion
Bibliography
Appendices
R. Shibu Mayam, a Presbyter of CSI South Kerala Diocese, is presently
working at CSI Thirupuram. He obtained the Bachelor of Divinity degree from Kerala United
Theological Seminary, and then the Master's degree in Social Analysis from Tamil Nadu
Theological Seminary under the Senate of Serampore in 2014.
Other than attending various national seminars and workshops on ecological issues, he
was also part of the Cross Cultural Exposure (2008), held in Fiji Islands organized by the
Council for World Mission. With the strong backing of his fourteen years of rich
ministerial experience, he has contributed numerous articles in publications of various
seminaries and churches.
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