January 17, 2003

Worm Composting — An Environmentally Friendly Solution To Garbage

(Kalamazoo, MI) - A Kalamazoo woman has spent more than three decades studying and reporting on worm composting-vermicomposting. Entrepreneur publisher and businesswoman Mary Appelhof aka Worm Woman has information and products to enable eco-conscious people of all ages an alternative to putting food wastes in the garbage can and ultimately the local landfill.

In 1972 Ms. Appelhof established Flowerfield Enterprises to research and develop more convenient systems for people to harness worms to process their kitchen wastes. She added Flower Press in 1976 to formalize her publishing ventures and by 1982 selfpublished her first “How-to” book titled Worms Eat My Garbage: How to set up and maintain a worm composting system.

Ms. Appelhof’s newest endeavor is to bring a new voice to the vermicomposting field by publishing a children’s picture book about vermicomposting. Compost, By Gosh!, poetically written and delightfully illustrated by Michelle Eva Portman, is now available from Flower Press. Portman combines Dr. Seuss like poetry with child-like illustrations to explain the vermicomposting process to even the youngest reader/listener.

Flowerfield Enterprises & Flower Press provide all materials necessary to begin worm composting. A patented worm bin, the Worm-a-way®, is available for indoor composting. The bin was developed by Ms. Appelhof as an alternative to constructing a worm bin out of wood; self-construction is not difficult and is covered in Worms Eat My Garbage, but does require basic tools, construction time and space.

Whether housed in a commercially produced bin or one made at home, worms are a real solution to removing the stink from the garbage can. Two pounds of redworms (Worm Woman recommends Eisenia fetida) can transform about eight pounds of organic matter per week into a dark rich humus. The humus, also called worm castings, is nutrient rich and can be used to fortify house plants; provide essential microorganisms to yards, gardens and trees; or added to other materials to make potting soil.

The capability of worms to impact our global waste problem may seem insignificant as stated, however consider the following:

• The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States reports that each person generates 7.2 ounces of food waste per day (U.S Census, Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States 2000).
• Translated into relevance for Kalamazoo County with a population of 238,603 that equates to 107,371 pounds of food waste per day that is landfilled or deposited into the municipal waste system.
• Therefore, if Kalamazoo County was adorned with 93,950 worm bins each with two pounds of worms working their magic
• There would be a reduction of landfilled waste of 751,599 lbs/week

If just one third of the 93,479 households incorporated a worm bin in their New Year’s resolution then hundreds of pounds of worms would have homes and a majority of the food waste would not be stinking up the garbage cans, trash trucks or local landfill. The resulting humus could provide a fortification source for gardens, yards, parks and plants. Kalamazoo County’s environment could be relieved of the odorous landfilled waste and accentuated by thriving lawns, gardens and parks.

Ms. Appelhof has participated as presenter, and facilitated in earthworm conferences around the world. In an effort to spread the composting word look for Worm Woman to be in your neck of the worm burrow participating in public workshops and reading Compost, By Gosh!.

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