Wiggling Around

Reading comments from a group of enthusiastic students was an amazing treat!  While at my day job, I checked my phone to find 10 plus comments from, what I’d like to call, “The Future Vermicomposters of Our Amazing Planet”!  Way to go young ones! Thanks for getting my Wonder Worman brain in action.  It has been a while since I have blogged and am so happy to be inspired by young, earth loving minds!

These young ones must have an amazing teacher!  Each comment began with a positive statement and ended with a well, thought out question!  What a great way to make someone feel heard and an even better way to get a quick reply.  Well done!  Some of the questions were precious, “Who is Max and Carlos?” “Is Carlos your Hubers?” (thanks for that question!  I will forever refer to Carlos as my hubers!) Some were thought provoking, “Why did you start composting with worms?” “How did you feel the first time you watched the Earth video?”

I happily replied to each of the questions and thanked them for their comments!  I really don’t know too much about the school and it’s philosophy, but I do know they compost in the classroom and have a group of young ones who care a bunch for our planet!  Way to go!

Keep on wormin’

WW

Today, I decided to take some pictures of my thump coffe cups in my worm bins.  The cups are 100% compostable and made from sugar cane and lined with material derived from corn.  Most of the compostable products made today are meant to be hot composted in a commercial facility, but I like to see what happens when these products are put into a cold composter like a Red Wiggler bin.

I have conducted many, many tests with compostable products.  Compostable plates, cups, utensils, and packages have been put to the test.  They are all breaking down at various rates with the plates being the quickest.  thump coffee (yes, I realize the “t” is not capitalized.  That’s their logo.  Bravo Carlos) cups are breaking down rather quickly too.

The Red Wigglers are doing fine and are not bothered by the cups.  Some days I can find them inside cleaning up the leftover coffee!

Cool wigglings happening in Tumalo!

This is my third year working with Tumalo Community School. For the past two years, they were vermicomposting in a few classrooms, but this year they have decided to include the rest of the school community with the eagerness of Mr. W. The school received grants through the Environmental Center to purchase worms and other educational materials. This year they decided to “go big” with a Wonder Worman Super Composting Bin to accomodate all of the waste.  I was more than happy to jump aboard, deliver the bin and donate my time in the cafeteria to get the program wiggling.  For the past 4 days, I have been roaming the cafeteria collecting fruit and veggie scraps while educating the kids along the way.  The students are avoiding the trash can if they have usable food waste and dumping it into the wiggler bucket. It’s awesome to see them make the connection, and soon they will be ready to take the wiggling reigns.

My plan is to continue visiting during the lunch hour for the remainder of the week.  Then reduce my time to once a month to check on the wigglers.