Confessions of a Worm Killer by MCR Alicia C.

One of the things we learn in the MCR course is that everyone approaches waste in different ways. What works for one person might not work for another. 

Two weeks ago, Trina G. shared her waste space, to show what works in her home. Today, Alicia C. is sharing a bit about her experiences with worm composting to show us that even the greatest intentions don't always lead to the best solution for everyone.

Do you have a waste-space story to share? We want to hear it! Help your fellow MCRs and waste-conscious readers learn from your experience.

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Over the last four years I’ve tried worm composting twice. And over the last four years I’ve killed a bunch of worms, twice. It’s a good thing that worms aren’t a protected species.

The first time I tried worm composting, I purchased a kit at Earth’s General Store. Those worms lasted a couple of years, although I sure don’t know how! The second time I tried worm composting, I created my own “kit” during one of my Master Composter Recycler (MCR) classes. Those worms lasted less than 2 months.

Conclusion—I suck at worm composting!

The question, however, is whether I should try again. My answer is…no. I think I’ve murdered enough worms to last me at least a decade or so.

I'm sorry, worms!
Photo provided by the City of Edmonton

You might be wondering why an MCR is writing about giving up on worm composting. I'm sharing my story because you shouldn’t be ashamed if you, too, have failed at worm composting. You shouldn’t be pressured or compelled to try again, if it just doesn't work for you.

Worm composting is great, if you have the lifestyle which allows it to be successful. But if you don’t have the time or skills, it doesn’t mean you care any less about waste management or the environment.

Even though I’ve decided not to try again, my analytical brain has been wondering why I’m not successful and I think I've figured out why. I suck at worm composting because...

I hate to cook!

Because I hate to cook, I rarely cook. And when I do, it’s usually not a complicated dish with a lot of ingredients. It's something simple, like toast, grilled cheese, Kraft dinner, etc.

Cooking usually means some sort of scraps, like the top from a carrot, the skin of a cucumber, or the peels from a potato. Not cooking means you don’t have any of these things. Making a bowl of cereal or a couple of slices of toast usually doesn’t create scraps. Nor does eating take-out food, unless you don’t finish your meal. Even then, only some of the unfinished items would be compostable in a worm bin.

I’m also a single person who lives on her own, and the food scraps I do create are not always appropriate for a worm bin. For example, a couple of months ago I bought a “box” (yes, a box) of naval oranges at Costco. I can’t remember exactly how many oranges were in the box, but let’s assume at least 20. As the only one who would be eating these oranges, and not wanting them to go bad, I usually ate 2 a day. This created a LOT of orange peel scraps. If you know anything about composting, especially on a small scale, you know that balance is key. Strong foods (like citrus scraps) should be limited in a worm bin, too. Putting 20 oranges' worth of peels in a worm compost is not a good idea.

I want to point out that I didn’t kill my worms with orange peels. I knew I couldn’t put ALL of them in the bin, so instead I researched what else I could do with them. There’s actually quite a lot you can do with orange, lemon and lime peels. (More on that in a future post!) But because I didn’t have any other appropriate scraps to put in the worm compost bin, the worms went without much food. And worms, apparently, can starve!

If you don't cook much, like me, you too will likely find worm composting difficult. And since it’s unlikely that I’m suddenly going to develop an intense need to become a chef, it’s probably best I let the worms live with someone who can actually feed them.

I guess the worms didn't finish breaking down all the tomato seeds in the bin.
Photo provided by Alicia C.

My story isn't all tragic, and even has a funny ending. The first worm composting kit I bought came with a large Rubbermaid bin and soil as a place for the worms to live. Last summer, since the worms were dead, I dumped the soil from the bin into one of my gardens. This year I have 3 tomato plants growing in that same garden, which I did not plant! Ironically, I usually kill the tomato plants I buy, yet these ones appear to be thriving.

The Rubbermaid bin was also re-purposed as a litter box for my cats. The worms may have been sacrificed, but at least I’ll have fresh tomatoes, and my cats have a decent-sized litter box. I guess we can consider that the circle of life!

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Pippin, one beneficiary of the nice, big, new litter box!
Photo provided by Alicia C.

Alicia Cappello is a graduate of the 2016 class of Master Composter Recyclers. She lives in Edmonton with her 5 cats and is currently a graduate student at the University of Alberta studying Humanities Computing and Library & Information Studies.

Our Waste Space - by MCR Trina G.

We know that the best way to promote responsible waste disposal at home is to help people change their waste habits. Did you know that our physical spaces can have a huge impact on how we behave?

Everyone's optimal "waste space" is going to look a little different, depending on their needs. What makes up your waste space? MCR Trina G. has shared hers below. 

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What do worms, blue bags, trash cans, and compost bins have in common? In our home, they make up our waste spaces! In total, my husband and I have seven waste spaces (sometimes eight). Crazy, huh?

The Main Game: 

We have a tall garbage can that is easily accessible and easy to clean in our kitchen.

Recycling Round-Up: 

We recycle through the City of Edmonton's blue bag recycling program in addition to regularly taking our bottles and cans to a bottle depot. We encourage guests to use both types of recycling when they are over.

Bathrooms:

We compost what we can (tissues, toilet paper rolls, paper products), take other items to an Eco Station (aerosol cans) and trash the rest. Also, look Ma -- no bag!

Indoor Composting, Step One:

Collecting compostable material in our house is quite easy with this tin bin. We contribute kitchen scraps (vegetable peels, fruit cores, egg shells, etc.) to this collection bin. When it's full, the scraps go either into our worm bin or outside into the composter.

Indoor Composting, Step Two:

This bin is kept in a spare room and hosts our worm farm. 

Outdoor Composting:

We have a composter that we use to compost grass, leaves, fruits, vegetables and other compostable materials. We compost year round! 

Other: 

When we have items to take to the Eco Station, Reuse Centre, or to donate to charity, we set up a temporary site for those items near our back door.

All of these waste spaces help us to stay organized with our waste and be conscious of What Goes Where!

What makes up your waste space? What techniques work for you and your family? Share your thoughts in the comments, or contact us to write your own "waste space" post!


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Trina completed the MCR Course in May 2014 and is dedicated to helping others reduce their waste footprint through fun and creative methods. Her goal as an MCR is to educate others, help them find solutions for waste issues that are important to them and encourage them to take action!

 

Get Ready for Back-to-School at the Reuse Centre

The City of Edmonton is inviting families to get ready for going back to school during a three-day event at the Reuse Centre.

Participate in free drop-in crafting workshops to decorate stationery out of reusable items and shop for school supplies (while supplies last). Residents can also donate unused school or office supplies.

Dates & Times:

Thursday, August 18, Noon - 8 p.m. (workshops from 4 - 7 p.m.)
Friday, August 19, Noon - 6 p.m. (workshops from 1 - 3 p.m.)
Saturday, August 20, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (workshops from Noon - 4 p.m.)

Location: Reuse Centre, 6835 83 Street
Admission: Free (shopping costs $5 for up to 50 kg)

Not able to attend? The Reuse Centre offers fun, hands-on learning experiences that show participants how to reduce waste at home through reuse, crafting and DIY ideas. They include:

• Group Programs (6 years - Adult, up to 30 participants)
• Birthday Party Programs (6 - 14 years, up to 20 participants)

The Reuse Centre promotes the benefits of reuse and diverts waste from landfill by accepting reusable items to make them available for others. The Reuse Centre is unique as it deals with many items that are not accepted elsewhere. In 2015, the centre accepted 243 tonnes of donations and had nearly 30,000 customer visits.