We all would like a host of workers to take care of details, so we could do all the things that our heart rejoices in—things we normally never have time for. When it comes to home-scale composting it's an environmental no-brainer, but did you know there is an army of willing workers that you could put to work helping you compost? Red worm composting is a sustainable kitchen practice that will cut down on your waste footprint and benefit the eco-system.
Willing Worker Worms
One thing that worms love doing is eating garbage; one thing we have a problem with in this country (in this world, really) is garbage. Wow, solution! We create an abundance of food waste that usually finds its way to the landfill becoming a liability. Someone's trash is someone else's treasure. This is definitely the case with worms. Why not transform a liability into an asset by setting up a red worm composting bin.
What the Worms Do
Worms eat your leftovers. They love it. They will eat your food scraps and poop out something called castings which are a valuable and sought after organic soil amendment, boosting your garden's fertility.
Worms are Hungry
Worms eat about one-third of their body weight in one day. This is a rough estimate of their consumption. Some say they can eat up to more than half of their body weight. I should just ask one of my worm workers for clarification. When you start red worm composting, try to keep track of how quickly they are able to break down a specific amount of food. A worm warning to the wise: don't overfeed your worms.
What Worms Won't Eat
When it comes to red worm composting, the worms are vegetarians. All protein-dense foods like dairy and meat should be separated because they tend to putrify and give off odors. Bokashi composting and Black Soldier Fly Larvae Composting can readily deal with these type of foods.
Red Worm Composting Bin
You need a barracks for your willing-worm-worker-army and this is the red worm composting bin. You can build a simple, bare-bones bin with a plastic twenty gallon storage bin or get more creative, or you can invest in the nifty stackable systems that have a spigot that allow you to pour off the liquid worm compost tea (sounds yummy, right?). Whatever you choose for a bin, make sure it is a comfortable place where all the elements add up to a productive workplace for your worms keep in mind things like moisture, ventilation, and temperature.
Worms Can Save the World
It may seem like a small composting project that you are doing but you are making a heroic effort to change the world. Worms are smaller heroes in the greater environmental movement. In the wild, they are the aerator and fertilizer achievers that are an integral part of soil (and overall earth) health; making them vital for us and our survival. But on a home-scale composting level, they are organic waste garbage disposals that make our existences sustainable. Can I get a "Wow!" for the worm?
A bunch of small steps added together create a journey. Your small investment in red worm composting can add up to a huge investment in the earth. Just imagine if every household across the country; across the world, participated in this composting crusade. Compost on!
If you liked this Red Worm Composting article, check out this Worm Factory Review.