by Wonder Worman | Nov 12, 2010 | Less in the Landfill, Out and About, Red Wiggler World
Hi,
I am so excited to begin my composting experiment with the compostable bag! Thanks for creating this product. I am promoting the bag and really don’t care about the noise. I understand Frito Lay needs to listen to consumers in order for the product to survive, but was upset to see that there was a change back to the plastic bags while research is being conducted. I am the owner of Wonder Worman, a composting service business in Bend, Oregon. I sell Red Wiggler composting worms and worm bins. I also work with the Environmental Center, setting up our local schools with worm bins and composting bins. Please view my blog and web site. I will be updating the blog with the observations of my experiment on a regular basis.
www.wonderworman.com
http://wonderworman.blogspot.com/
Best to the business!
Laurie – Red Wiggler Merchant
Frito-Lay’s response
Hi Laurie,
Thank you for your enthusiastic response on Snack Chat about our SunChips compostable package. I’m not an expert on composting but have been told that the package does not break down as well in vermi-compost, because it is a cold compost method. The ideal compost temperature needed for our package to decompose is 120-140 degrees. To achieve this temperature there are some great suggestions on www.sunchips.com. Your business venture sounds like an exciting one, and certainly needed with the growing sentiment we’ve seen from consumers about being good stewards of our planet. We wish you the very best in your endeavor and thank you again for supporting our earth-friendly initiative.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Best regards,
Linda Phelps
Frito-Lay Consumer Affairs
by Wonder Worman | Nov 10, 2010 | Less in the Landfill, Red Wiggler World
Ready, Set, Go!!! This empty SunChips compostable bag will be put to the test in a Wonder Worman Bin! I have faith in Frito-Lay and believe this compostable bag will break down. The time frame is what I am not too sure about….13 weeks. My gut is telling me it will be longer due to the temperature of the bin. The website states that composting will occur at quicker rates if the pile is at 130 degrees F. We are close to winter,and the temperatures are hovering in the 20’s-40’s. Yesterday the temperature in the Wonder Worman bin was 60.
I sprinkled the bag with some of the bedding and compost mixture. This bin has been actively composting since May. It is already established with the brown(leaves, shredded newspaper, peat moss combo) and green(veggie scraps and lawn clippings) mixture.
By the way, the SunChips bag was added to my experimental bin! About 4 months ago, I added compostable party plates to this bin to test their ability to compost. These plates are breaking down and are very flimsy. Since these plates claim to be compostable and are showing signs of composting, I have faith in Frito-Lay and their compostable bags!
I am not too sure what is driving me to prove them right. Maybe it’s the hope that all disposable products will be compostable. I know there are other businesses out there looking to the future of our planet, Elements Naturals to name one off the top of my head! I’m just disappointed that the consumer couldn’t see the benefits of this bag which out weighed the minutes/seconds of noise they would need to endure. The plastic bags will be around A LOT longer than the noise!
by Wonder Worman | Nov 9, 2010 | Less in the Landfill, Red Wiggler World
I am pumped and ready to put the SunChips bag to the challenge. I am not too concerned with the amount of time it will take for the bag to be completely composted. I am more focused on the hope that it will just break down into usable compost.
As an avid composter for about 6 years, I know all of the right conditions need to be present for the optimum breakdown to occur, adding the right amount of brown and green waste and also reaching the right temperature. These conditions, I believe only happen in a controlled environment. The Sunchips bags were tested in a facility which maintained the composting temperature at 130 degrees Fahrenheit. The bags broke down in about 12-16 weeks. Realizing a home composter would not have access to those conditions, the SunChips testers mimicked a home composting bin and added browns and green waste to the SunChips bags. The bags broke down in about 13 weeks. They also conducted an Industrial Composting Standards test which is way beyond my backyard so I am not going to discuss all that they did…….
Basically, they passed a rigorous test protocol conducted by Cedar Grove in Seattle, Washington.
So, I am going to try two different composting methods, maybe even 3, depending on SunChip cravings!
1) Red Wiggler composting Bin
2) Backyard compost pile
3) Compost tumbler
All of these are already set up with brown and green waste. Temperatures will vary among the three.
I am thrilled SunShips created this compostable bag and am excited to see the results.
Happy Wormin’
by Wonder Worman | Nov 9, 2010 | Less in the Landfill
I’ve heard the upset about the SunChips compostable bags being too loud and disturbing. I’ve read blogs and viewed videos but haven’t had my own experience so I decided to purchase a bag last week. Yes, I agree they are very loud indeed. They are loud enough to wake a sleeping husband on the couch and probably loud enough to wake a sleeping baby.
I am really not upset with the fact that the bags are noisy. I am more upset that Frito-Lay had to switch back to the plastic bags and do away with the compostable bags with 5 of their 6 chip flavors, keeping the compostable bag limited to the Original flavor.
I do understand Frito-Lay needs to listen to it’s customers in order for the business to survive. They are working on a better, and I am sure quieter compostable bag. I am just bummed that the consumers couldn’t hold out until the new bag was made rather than forcing Frito-Lay to change back to plastic.
Does the consumer buy so many bags of SunChips for the noise to be that annoying?
by Wonder Worman | Nov 4, 2010 | Less in the Landfill
I’d like to share a video segment which aired last night on our local television station KTVZ.
Watch and enjoy! Pretty cool stuff!!!
Click here!!!
by Wonder Worman | Oct 29, 2010 | Less in the Landfill
This is the aftermath of fun times! A pile of dead batteries that once gave life to wireless video game controllers and wireless mice now sit on the kitchen table. As you can see, we are not loyal to one brand. We grab what is on sale and also have a few rechargeable batteries. Unfortunately, we don’t have many charging stations to satisfy our immediate need when one battery dies, especially during an epic battle in Halo! (a really cool game by the way. I admit. I have joined in on a few matches, getting my booty whipped and laughing as it’s happening) So, we resort to buying mass quantities of AA batteries.
Just last year, I would toss these into the trash not even giving it a second thought. Now running a composting business, I TRY my best to watch what is heading to the landfill. Realizing we can’t feed batteries to the Red Wigglers, we bagged them under the kitchen sink next to the other recycling containers. Yesterday the bag was about to bust so I called the landfill to see if they could be put at the curb for pickup. Nope, they have to be dropped at the Hazardous Waste Building, an annex next to the Recycling Center.
Before taking them, I dumped them onto the table to get a picture for my post. I couldn’t believe how many we bought over the past year!
Yuck! I really wish I put something on the table before I dumped them. This battery was already leaking the bad stuff! What it is….. I don’t really know to be honest with ya! I just have a feeling it can’t be good because my hair had a run in with a dead car battery that was stored in the back of my trunk when I skipped high school! ‘nough said!
Bottom Line: Bring your batteries to the Hazardous Waste Department (just that name let’s me know…the things inside the batteries are not good for the planet!)
The Red Wigglers will devour a few non food items, like coffee grounds and filters, newspapers, eggshells, toilet paper rolls, and compostable baby wipes, but they will not munch on batteries! Who would blame them?
