ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Effective microorganism

Effective microorganisms (EM) are tiny living things that are too small to see with our eyes, like germs or bacteria. They are good for us and the environment because they can help keep bad things away and make things better. The way that EM work is like when we play with our toys - we can have fun alone, but when we play with our friends, we can do more things and have more fun together.

EM is a mixture of different types of bacteria, yeast, and fungi that are well-behaved and work well together. They are collected from different places, like the ocean or forests, where they naturally occur. EM are not harmful to people, but actually good for us because they can help us stay healthy and strong. They work to balance the environment and get rid of bad things like harmful germs, toxins, and odors.

We can use EM to make different things better, like the soil we grow our plants in, the water we drink, or the food we eat. When we add EM to soil, they help plants grow better and healthier because they help break down the nutrients in the soil. We can also add EM to our water to clean it up and rid it of toxins so that we can drink it safely. When we use EM to make food, like pickles or yogurt, they help to preserve the food and give it a delicious taste.

In summary, EM is a group of tiny living things that work together to help us stay healthy and make our environment better.