Why We Need Worms

Mr. Green is busy on his world-wide publicity tour for his new book. In the meantime, here's a Mr. Green classic column from April 2007.

Hey Mr. Green,
I'm surprised that in your recent article you mentioned composting but not worm boxes as an environmentally beneficial way to deal with food waste. Worms eat nearly all of our household garbage, and their beautiful castings are great fertilizer for houseplants. --Carol in Trinidad, California

Hey Carol,
I agree with you, but my editors thought most people were too squeamish about worms to include mention of this laudable practice. They've obviously never been fishing, except maybe with those artsy flies. Nor, apparently, do they pay the slightest heed to Charles Darwin's classic study The Formation of Vegetable Mould Through the Action of Worms, With Observations on Their Habits, wherein the great man explains why and how our very survival depends on worms. He even kept them in his office, in dirt-filled containers, and I say if it's good enough for Darwin, it's good enough for any self-respecting environmentalist. Since there's so much more to worms than meets the eye, I'd love to read more of your thoughts on your worm-composting (or vermicomposting) experience.
Environmentally,
Mr. Green

Comments

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Actually, my little girls love the worm composting. They are like pets. It reminds them of "Slimy" from Sesame Street. And it's fun to watch them compost the food!