Innovation in Organic Waste Management Based on Buddhist Influence to Produce Renewable Energy in Lampang Province Households

Abstract

This research article aimed to: 1) Investigate the methodological processes of household waste management in community ecosystems; 2) Develop biomethanation technology for organic waste conversion to generate renewable energy at the household level; 3) Facilitate the implementation of a Buddhist-integrated organic waste management system utilizing biomethanation technology to catalyze participatory engagement in renewable energy generation among households in Bo Hae sub-district, Mueang Lampang District, Lampang Province. This qualitative investigation employed in-depth interview protocols with purposively selected key informants comprising five stakeholder categories: academic specialists, administrative authorities, indigenous knowledge practitioners, community leadership representatives, and civic collectives, with a cumulative sample of 25 participants.

The research found that:

1. Enhanced cognitive frameworks regarding household waste management protocols yield multidimensional positive externalities, including: 1) resource optimization and waste volume reduction through materials transformation; 2) elevated quality of life indicators and improved sanitation parameters resulting from environmental remediation; 3) enhanced communal identity and socioeconomic development through ecotourism advancement; 4) strengthened social cohesion through collaborative environmental stewardship; 5) establishment of paradigmatic exemplars for biodiversity conservation and natural resource preservation.
2. Biomethanation technology for organic waste valorization generates substantial sustainability benefits, including access to purified renewable energy, decreased household expenditure, reduced landfill dependency, attenuated greenhouse gas emissions, climate change mitigation, and production of nutrient-rich digestate for agricultural applications. Additionally, this technology facilitates energy autonomy within communities, contributing to resource utilization optimization.
3. The integration of Trisikkha (Threefold Training) philosophical principles with scientific and technological innovations in organic waste management frameworks fosters environmental responsibility at individual and collective levels, cultivates ecological consciousness, promotes waste segregation practices, enhances waste management efficiency, minimizes environmental contaminants, mitigates municipal solid waste challenges, and ultimately contributes to enhanced quality of life metrics and sustainable community development in Lampang Province.