For three years I lived in a house with an outdoor composter. Then my family moved to an apartment in San Francisco where there was neither composter nor green box pickup! What was I going to do with all my kitchen scraps? I didn’t have the heart to put them in the landfill garbage or down the garb-o-rator.
According to the EPA, in 2007 organic-based materials continued to be the largest component of municipal garbage in America: 33% was paper and cardboard, and 25% was yard trimmings and food scraps. I could put my paper and cardboard in the recycling bin, but without a yard, how could I recycle my apple cores, cabbage trimmings, and eggshells? Then I remembered worms.
Worm composters are great for apartments. No matter the climate or the size of your home, vermicomposting is good for you. Well, good for your plants. If you have children, there’s the added advantage that most kids love worms (it’s genetic), despite the fact that they’re not very cuddly or furry.
My 4-year-old son is fascinated by worms: from our outdoor composter he’d already learned that worms turn kitchen scraps into soil as if by magic.
Soil is extraordinary stuff, and despite the fact that it’s as vital as water, it’s still not fully understood by scientists. But we do know that we’re losing soil to erosion and runoff, and that composting can help restore soil, save landfill space, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Worm composters are simple to build and easy to manage. Your worms can convert 5–6 pounds of food scraps a week into 10–15 gallons of compost a year.
Worm compost and worm tea (the drippings that collect in a tray at the bottom of the composter) can be used to fertilize both indoor and garden plants. Worm compost is higher in nutrient value than regular garden compost.
I’m looking forward to happy plants and less waste in my garbage cans, and so can you!
http://www.twilio.com/blog/2011/11/box-innovation-network-bin-launch-event-ticket-giveaway.html
This is a good information if you don’t know about the worms specifically, but there is no information about making the worm bin or pictures to further guide you to understand what the worm bin is supposed to end up looking like, nor the subsequent process steps with the supposed ‘worm bin’. This is definately not a MAKE experience.
It takes a lot of patience and interest to pursue the task of vermicomposting, an interesting site for all supplies is http://www.happyworms.ca , wanna share !
This is a great bit of DIY advice. I plan on making one of these using two containers. Is it safe to put them inside the house? Or is it maybe not that sanitary? People in apartments might not have balconeys, however they will still have plenty of scraps to feed to the worms.
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