WORMBUCKS COMPOST

Follow me as I experiment with vermicomposting:

I have chosen to use disposable coffee cups from a popular coffee shop whose garbage cans are always overflowing. I am encouraged that this particular coffee company has made great strides at reducing it's negative impact on the environment; however, it is quite obvious that there are large gaps in their plan and it seems that environmental concerns are not being addressed seriously enough. Though the "hot beverage" cups are made from "10% post-consumer fiber," they are not recyclable or compostable because of the plastic coating that is used to prevent leaking. Most of the plastics that are used by this company are labeled for recycling; unfortunately, labeling alone does not ensure proper disposal. As consumers, we should rally that actual store locations take on the responsibility of recycling collection. But, no matter how much noise we make, we cannot solve the problem that these "paper" cups have created: they are just plain garbage and over 300 billion of them end up in landfills each year.

[DAY 1] Each cup will contain bedding material, worms, and decomposing food stuffs. To set up the vermicomposting experiment, wash and dry 12 disposable coffee cups, as well as the plastic lid. Using an X-ACTO knife and following the circle logo on the front of each cup, cut out an observation window. Retain the circle logo for later use. To ensure the worms do not escape from the observation window, tape a small sheet of plastic wrap over the vacant space. Using the rectangular shapes along the side of the cup, cut out small vents to allow for air flow. Using the lid as a base, invert the cup and cut out the bottom of the cup - this allows for a feeding window. Use the circle logo to cover this vacant space, now and after each feeding. Label each cup in order from 1 - 12. The bedding material for each cup will consist of three toilet paper rolls torn into tiny bits about 2cm x 2cm (20gm) and shredded white paper about 5mm x 10mm (20gm). Using a small medicine dropper, moisten the bedding inside the cup with 25ml of purified* tap water. Using disposable chopsticks, fluff the bedding to ensure all of the material is properly moistened. Cover, and let stand over night. [DAY 1]

*Fill a tea pot with tap water, bring to a rolling boil. Pour into a glass container and allow to cool to room temperature before use. Save unused purified tap water for later use.

[DAY 2] Acquiring worms from a local retailer is the easiest and most cost-effective method. On average, $20 will buy 1000 worms (about one pound). To begin, count 50 worms and introduce them to their new home. DO NOT feed the worms on this day. Check the bedding material to ensure proper moisture level. Optimal condition for bedding material is damp, or similar to a squeezed sponge. *I added 10ml purified tap water.* Replace the lid and allow the worms to adjust to their new environment over night. Separate the cups into groups. Group A = cups marked 1, 2, and 3. Group B = cups marked 4, 5, and 6. Group C = cups marked 7, 8, and 9. Group D = cups marked 10, 11, and 12.[DAY 2]

[DAY 3] No change. [DAY 3]

[DAY 4] 0430 WORMS ARE ESCAPING! *Group A, 1 worm. Group B, 1 worm. Group C, 4 worms. Group D, 0 worms. Maybe they're hungry?* 0700 First feeding. Add to each each cup: 12.5ml spent coffee grounds, 20gm day-old watermelon rind (1cm x 1cm). Replace cover. [DAY 4]