by Wonder Worman | Nov 18, 2010 | Less in the Landfill, Red Wiggler World
Can you see the bag? Look for the blue spots
Today marks the first week of my SunChips compostable bag experiment. These updates will be brief without any fluff and stuff. My format will be more scientific and less opinionated!
I. Title: The SunChips Compostable Bag Experiment.
II. Purpose: To test the compostability of the SunChips bag. Will it compost in a worm bin in 13 weeks, using the correct amount of browns and greens?
III. Prediction: I believe the bag will break down into usable compost in 21 weeks. (I loved when I was 21! Oh, that summer at college was amazing!). I just picked that number out of my as%, just knowing it will be longer than 13 because SunChips recommends the hot composting method over the cold vermicomposting method. 21 just sounds like a good # and the movie wasn’t too bad either! The book was better!
IV. Materials: Wonder Worman Bin, about 2lbs of Red Wigglers, a bunch of food scraps, a bunch of leaves, some peat moss, some shredded newspaper and about 30 compostable plates. Those plates are still there since July, but they are slowly breaking down. I will be tearing them up before December. I gave those suckers 4 months (16 weeks) to do it themselves. I think they need some of my help. Oh, I almost forgot and ONE SUNCHIPS bag!
V. Procedure: Cover the SunChips bag with the bedding mixture and let is decompose with the help of the various decomposers that inhabit a Wonder Wormin bin. Did you know there are more than Red Wigglers in a bin? That’s saved for another post.
Bag in the bin. The plates are removed for better viewing.
VI. Observations and Data: When the SunChips bag was first put into the bin on 11/10, the bin’s temperature was 60F. On 11/18 the temperature was 58F. When uncovering the bedding and looking at the bag, without taking it out of it’s place, the bag looked as it did at the initial start of the experiment.
It looks like things aren’t happening……… BUT WAIT!!!!
Look there's a rip in the bag!
The bag ripped when I took it out of the bin! This is a sign. The bag is breaking down on some molecular level! I think……I have no idea, but for it to rip when I gently lifted it to take a picture, something must be breaking down within the bag!
VII. Discussion: Anyone want to discuss with me???? more later…
Happy Wormin’
by Wonder Worman | Nov 17, 2010 | Red Wiggler World
bins surrounded with hay and a construction fence
I am often asked, “Wonder Worman what should I do with my Red Wigglers during the winter?”
Depending on my mood, I may reply…
“Oh, avid composter, don’t fear! You can still feed your Red Wigglers! Just put on your comfy, warm boots and venture out in the beautiful, fluffy white stuff and feed those wigglers. Just make sure you add some soft, colorful leaves to the bins to create a thick layer of natural insulation. You want to keep your babies warm!”
Some days, I can’t stand Central Oregon weather, and I may reply…well, I really wouldn’t say this. It’s kind of rude…but wouldn’t it be fun.
“Oh, whatever, don’t worry about those dreadful, icky, cold, crappy, days. Even though I can’t stand those days, the Red Wigglers don’t mind! Just feed them when you can! They’ll live.”
Actually, that doesn’t sound too bad! I guess I can’t “go there” in my writing. I am too worried I may offend someone. My thoughts are a lot worse, not about the person asking the question. It’s just the weather gets me down.
You can also gather some of your Red Wigglers and start a compost bin in your garage or laundry room, using a plastic container or bucket. The rate at which they consume your scraps will be faster in warmer temperatures.
You can get some info off of my website, and you can also buy worms, too!
Happy wormin’
by Wonder Worman | Nov 16, 2010 | Less in the Landfill, Red Wiggler World, Sidetracks
Listen to this post!
-
-
Stalk Market provides compostable tableware made with Ingeo
-
-
Elements Naturals makes compostable baby wipes with Ingeo
-
-
Jillson and Roberts uses compostable packing made with Ingeo.
Ingeo (pronounced in-gee-o) keeps popping up in my life and so unexpectedly! I’ve developed an interesting relationship with this silly word but great product!
Ingeo was first introduced to me over the summer when I met with Linda, the owner of Elements Naturals. Her compostable baby wipes are made with Ingeo, a plant based product which is 100% compostable. I was very happy to meet Ingeo and was very impressed by it’s capabilities. I also thought “Ooooooh, Ingeo, you are so soft!”
I didn’t run into Ingeo for quite sometime, until I bought a package of SunChips on Monday of last week. I then thought, “OH, Ingeo, you are so LOUD!, but that’s o.k. you’re good for the planet.”
Four days later, while wrapping a present, I started to undress Ingeo! Ingeo was covering my pretty yellow tissue paper. I then said , “ooooooh, Ingeo, you are sooooo smoooth!”
Then today the unspeakable happened! I had my lips on Ingeo!! While sipping a cup of coffee, I noticed the cup and lid were made with Ingeo.
Hmmmm, I am on the hunt for you Ingeo! Where and when will we meet again?! I can’t believe you had me kiss you without even asking! You are one smooooth operator!
If you’d like to learn more about this smooth, soft, sometimes loud but good for the planet product click here! (And to also see if you, too, may have had or still have a relationship with Ingeo?!)
I am in the process of vermicomposting the SunChips bag, some baby wipes and now the coffe lid and cup! I have to get rid of that evidence!
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 11, 2010 | Red Wiggler World
Tis the season for blankets and layers. This is also the case for your Red Wiggler friends. If you have an outdoor bin, it’s important to think about insulation so your wiggly friends will be warm and cozy all winter long. There are various things you can use. You can use hay to create a thick wall of insulation. Two years, I purchased some inexpensive fencing material from the hardware store. Then, secured it in the ground leaving some space to stuff the hay in between the bins and the fence. I also opened the lid and put a bunch of hay above the bedding. When it snowed, I left the snow on top to create another natural layer of insulation. If hay is not readily available, then lawn clippings and leaves will do which I am using this year. You can also use old blankets or tarps to cover your bin. Be creative!
You can also transfer some worms into a large plastic bin and put the bin in the garage or laundry room. Then the worms will consume the food at a quicker rate due to the warmer temperatures. If the worms are in an outdoor bin, you will notice their consumption rate has decreased. They too, like the bears go into a hibernation/dormant state.
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!
