Effective Microorganisms
In general, three types of microorganisms exist around us. They are:
Positive microorganisms that are involved in regeneration, healing, restoration and resuscitation
Negative microorganisms that are involved in decomposition, degeneration, and putrefaction
Opportunist microorganisms that are neutral and exist in abundance
In soil, water, air and the human gut, the ratio of positive and negative microorganisms is critical, since the opportunistic microorganisms tend to follow the dominant group in defining our environment. To positively influence the given environment, we can increase the ratio of the positive microorganisms.
One way to do this is to make use of Effective Microorganisms (EM™). EM™ is a mixed culture of beneficial microorganisms found naturally in food and the environment. Discovered in the 1980s by Professor Teruo Higa in Okinawa, Japan, EM™ is produced naturally and is not chemically synthesised or genetically engineered. Professor Higa understood the need to improve soil biome in order to increase crop yield and solve food production problems of the time. By supplementing the population of good microbes in the soil, he found that plants could grow healthily and in abundance without the need for chemical fertilisers and pesticides which could cause downstream pollution of rivers and oceans.
Although more than 80 types of beneficial microbes exist in EM™, we can loosely classify them into three dominant groups—lactic acid bacteria, photosynthetic bacteria and yeast.
LACTIC ACID BACTERIA
Present in the gut of humans and many animal species, these bacteria maintain a healthy digestive tract by breaking down our food for complete absorption by our intestines. By converting sugars into lactic acid, these bacteria also lower the ph of the gut and thus inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms. Humans have also used these bacteria to produce consumables like cheese, yogurt and fermented vegetables.
PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA
One of the oldest living organisms on earth, these bacteria are found readily in our natural environment in the soil. Capable of harnessing the power of the sun, photosynthetic bacteria can break down organic and inorganic substances, and play a major role in nitrogen and carbon cycles.
YEAST
Yeast has been used by humans industrially for thousands of years, in bread making and alcohol production. Thriving in sugar-rich environments, yeast can also be found in nectar and on the surface of fruits. It is capable of producing enzymes, amino acids and polysaccharides. It is also very useful in environmental conservation through bioremediation, a waste management technique that uses bacteria to remove or neutralise pollutants from a contaminated site.
Since its discovery, EM™ has been used in more than 120 countries around the world, mainly as a soil conditioner to replace polluting agricultural chemicals. EM™ is also now being used to combat global environmental issues, such as water treatment, sustainable construction, food waste recycling, arable farmland desalination after tsunami, and disaster relief. In addition, it is used in homes and public spaces for sustainable cleaning as it replaces harmful chemical detergents.
Looking at the numerous uses of microorganisms and the positive impact they have, we could consider studying them further to someday harness their potential to address global pollution issues.
Sources:
http://www.ddn-news.com/index.php?newsarticle=7414 http://mpkb.org/home/pathogenesis/microbiota http://www.healthwatchcenter.com/2010/05/could-gutbacteria-be-making-you-fat/ http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/ archive/2013/12/23/soil-quality.aspx https://gaharujinkou.wordpress.com/video/em-introduction/