website at website our from guide entire the download Youcan 341-6769. (916) The CIWMB does not discriminate on the basis of disability in disability of basis the on discriminate not does CIWMB The Office of Education and the Environment, at Environment, the and Education of Office access to its programs. CIWMB publications are available in available are publications CIWMB programs. its to access California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB), Board WasteManagement Integrated California accessible formats upon request by calling the Public Affairs Public the calling by request upon formats accessible For additional copies of this publication, contact the contact publication, this of copies additional For Office at (916) 341-6300. Persons with hearing impairments hearing with Persons 341-6300. (916) at Office can reach the CIWMB through the California Relay Service, Relay California the through CIWMB the reach can 1-800-735-2929. 2004 June Revised Publication #560-01-007 Publication

Copyright © 2001, 2004 by the California Integrated WasteIntegrated California the by 2004 2001, © Copyright Mark Leary,Director Mark Executive Management Board. All rights reserved. This publication, This reserved. rights All Board. Management or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form any in reproduced be not may thereof, parts or without permission. without State of California of State No worms were injured in the preparation of preparation the in injured were worms No Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold this guide. this Carl Washington,Member Carl Governor Cheryl Peace, Member Peace, Cheryl Rosalie Mulé, Member Mulé, Rosalie Rosario Marin, Member Marin, Rosario www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Schools/Curriculum/Worms/ TerryTamminen Michael Paparian, Member Paparian, Michael Secretary,Environmental California Linda Moulton-Patterson, Chair Moulton-Patterson, Linda Protection Agency Protection Management Board Management WasteIntegrated California

. i demand and cut your energy costs, Flex Your Power and visit Yourand Flex Power costs, energy your cut and demand reduce can you ways simple of list a For consumption. energy reduce to action immediate take to needs Californian Every real. is California facing challenge energy The document. this in included are than vermicomposting in options more are there but bin, worm a maintain and start to ways few a showcases guide this addtion, In topic. important this about knowledge and awareness public increase to effort an in information this distributing is only.CIWMB purposes The informational for provided is and (CIWMB) Board WasteManagement Integrated California the by endorsement constitute not does materials these in products and companies, individuals, of identification The Disclaimer Wong.Betty and Williams, Wessman,Becky TessaValorieTroyan,Shatynski, Kelli Sanchez, Alana Price, Kyle Lopez, Deni Lawrence, Pauline Kinsella, Chris Havstad, Cynthia DiCarlo, Yvette TerryBrennan, Arriaga, Oscar contributions: their of all for people following the to out goes “thanks” big a so guide, this creating of aspects various in involved were souls brave other Many Board. WasteManagement Integrated California the at Environment the and Education of Office the of Steen Rachelle and TaviaPagan by written was guide This Acknowledgements www.consumerenergycenter.org/flex/index.html .

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers Mission

The mission of the California Integrated Waste Management Board (CIWMB) is to reduce the generation and improve the management of solid waste in California in order to conserve resources, develop sustainable recycling markets, and protect public health and safety and the environment. We do this in partnership with public agencies, industry, business, and the public we serve.

In pursuing the above mission, CIWMB promotes the utilization of recovered materials (materials that would otherwise have been discarded, such as paper or aluminum cans). Vermicomposting deals with one recovered material in particular: food waste.

Assistance

The CIWMB has representatives to assist schools with a variety of issues including vermicomposting, school reuse and recycling To contact the CIWMB’s Office of Education programs, and environmental curricula that and the Environment, call us at focus on resource conservation and waste (916) 341-6769, or write to us at CIWMB / management. Office of Education and the Environment, Mail Stop #14-A / P.O. Box 4025 / Sacramento, If you are interested in recycling information California 95812-4025. We also encourage or would like to start a school waste diversion you to visit our website at program, please contact the CIWMB’s Office www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Schools/ for more of Local Assistance at (916) 341-6199. For information about our programs. education resources our Office of Education and the Environment can help you (contact information is below).

ii ❍ ❍ My WormBiography My ❍ ______the Wormthe ______Fundraising Activities for the Classroom the for Activities My Worm Story and Picture Book Picture and WormStory My Closing the Food Loop at YourSchool at Loop Food the Closing Activities by Subject by Activities ❍ The Adventures of Vermi the Worm!Vermithe of Adventures The The Garden Connection Garden The TableContents of ❍ Other Worm Bin Residents WormBin Other ❍ Biology

Troubleshooting ❍ Integrated WasteManagement Integrated Harvesting Bin Worms Bedding Feeding Basics of Vermicompostingof Basics p9 p8 p7 p5 p4 p3 p2 p2 p1 p23 p22 p18 p17 p16 p16 p15 p13 p12 p10 iii Garden of Learning of Garden Appendix D: Worm Bin Options WormBin D: Appendix Options Reuse C: Appendix WebSources B: Appendix Materials Educational A: Appendix Difference: a Making Food District School Unified Joint Davis ❍ ❍

Appendices Studies Case (Park View Center School) Center View (Park One Piece of Paper at a Timea at Paper of Piece One (Louisiana Schnell Elementary School) Elementary Schnell (Louisiana Waste Diversion Project WasteDiversion

p37 p34 p32 p32 p30 p28 p24 p24

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers Integrated Waste Management vermicomposting, worms do the “dirty work.” The organic materials decompose and are At the very heart of waste management transformed into a nutrient-rich material that is the integrated waste management can be used-or, in this case, “reused”-as soil hierarchy—reduce, reuse, and recycle. amendments and fertilizer. Your plants will Many people have added a fourth thank you! component to the hierarchy—rot—in order to further eliminate waste from By reducing, you decrease waste from the entering the landfill. The first, and start. By reusing, recycling, and allowing most preferred, option is to reduce food waste to rot into compost, you cycle what you use. Buy items with less materials back for another round of use packaging, and only buy what you instead of sending them on a one-way need. That’s easy! When you reduce, road to the landfill. Your solid “waste” has you save landfill space, valuable remained a resource. agricultural land, natural resources, and money. Integrated Waste Management Hierarchy

The second option is to reuse an item that you no longer use or want. The saying “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure” is true! Take items that are in good shape to a secondhand store or to other reuse organizations for someone else to use. If you have large quantities of items, you may want to place a free ad on CalMAX, a statewide material exchange program listing wanted or available goods (included in Appendix C). Many items destined for the landfill can easily be repaired or combined with other materials to make new, functional products. Californians throw away more than 5 million Most of us are familiar with the concept of tons of food waste each year! In fact, over 30 recycling, but as the third option in the percent of California’s waste stream consists hierarchy, recycle is less preferred than of compostable organic materials such as reducing and reusing. When materials are wood scraps, yard waste, and food waste. recycled, energy and resources are still expended, whereas with the first two options, they would not be. The good news is that when manufacturers use recycled materials to make a new product, they often use fewer Californians natural resources and less energy than if they throw away 5 had used virgin materials. Recycling materials million tons of is definitely a better choice than sending food waste them to the landfill. To support recycling efforts, buy back the materials you recycle each year! by purchasing recycled-content products.

Rot refers to recycling food waste and other organic materials through composting or vermicomposting. In

1 As an educator, you are faced with the with faced educator,are an you As worms. to your students, like natural cycles and cycles natural like students, your to concepts various teaching of challenge students about waste management by using by management waste about students nutrition, while making it fun and interactive. and fun it making while nutrition, we discover how you can teach your teach can you how discover we If there is a compost pile at your school, you school, your at pile compost a is there If fancy name for worm poop—”castings”—as worm for name fancy can teach these concepts in a visual, hands- visual, a in concepts these teach can is a great plant fertilizer.the plant use Let’sgreat just a is on manner. If your school has a garden, you garden, a has school manner.your on If of beneficial microbes and nutrients, and nutrients, and microbes beneficial of can take the lessons a step further.step But, a lessons the take can how can you take a hands-on approach to approach hands-on a take you can how Worm poop is the best compost! It is full is It compost! best the is Wormpoop teaching cycles and nutrition if you don’t you if nutrition and cycles teaching have either of these? The answer is both is answer The these? of either have amendment. vermicompost, a very effective soil effective very a vermicompost, easy and fun-make a classroom worm classroom a fun-make and easy It is to our advantage to keep these keep to advantage our to is It eat decaying food waste and produce and waste food decaying eat bin! Since a worm bin represents a represents bin worm a Since bin! materials out of our landfills, thus saving thus landfills, our of out materials waste into nutrient-rich soil. Wormssoil. nutrient-rich into waste small ecosystem, it is a unique teaching unique a is it ecosystem, small space and allowing these materials to materials these allowing and space “worm”) to process organic food organic process to “worm”) be reused for other purposes. For purposes. other for reused be of using worms (“vermi” is Latin for Latin is (“vermi” worms using of tool for you and an interesting way of way interesting an and you for tool example, many waste management waste many example, Vermicomposting is the process the Vermicompostingis facilities utilize organic materials that materials organic utilize facilities learning for your students. your for learning have been disposed of by turning by of disposed been have Basics of Vermicompostingof Basics it into compost. This concept can concept This compost. into it also be applied on a much smaller much a on applied be also scale by composting food waste food composting by scale in reducing food waste at their at waste food reducing in role their and composting of process the understand students helps compost to worms Using worms. of help the with school at school.

2 most quiet, well-behaved “pets” you have ever have you “pets” well-behaved quiet, most the be will Yourworms friends. new tiny some make to ready get and sleeves your up push So, For a classroom worm bin, a small storage small a bin, worm classroom a For D.) Appendix in are instructions assembly bin “estate.”(Detailed bin worm large a to size shoebox small a from range can they and from, select to bins of sizes numerous are There bin. the store to plan you where and processed want you waste food much how decide first must you needs, your for bin worm right the selecting In bin! a Youthing’sneed first. First Home Sweet Home Bin had! piece of plywood used as a lid. aplywood aspieceusedof awith bin aformstacked tobealsoblocks can outsideCinderhardwarebin.anmake storeto localgroceryyourfromor free available be may Woodpallets bin. the build to size to cut be can and by come to easy fairly is lumber Scrap items. unique other lumber,many and paint, tile, inexpensive buy can you where C) Appendix (check you near center reuse a be may There decorate! to opportunity the you gives also It bin. the of appearance and size in flexibility more allows bin own your Building imagination. your by limited only are bin worm a make to use can you materials of options The it. of hang the have you once expand and small start to best be may It maintain. help to willing are they bin outdoor an large how exactly on input offer all should staff grounds school and staff, service food Administrators, outside. kept be probably should which bin, larger much a need will you waste, food cafeteria Toprocess fine. just do will tub storage 12-gallon medium-size a or container

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers For an easy-to-make bin, use a plastic 3 inches from each corner of the bottom of storage tub. Availability and types of your bin. If you use screws or nails to attach tubs differ from store to store. The the feet, make sure they are short enough so best times to find these storage tubs they will not poke any fingers. are at the beginning of the school year and during the December • Worm Tea. Place a tray underneath your holiday season. From this point bin to collect any drainage (“worm tea”). forward, a “standard bin” will refer Aluminum oven pans work well and can to a 12-gallon bin or one that is be purchased inexpensively at your local approximately 21 inches long, 15 grocery or discount store. Cafeteria trays also inches wide, and 12 inches high. work. If you do not have a tray, you can use a couple of paper grocery bags or a piece Whichever size or type of worm bin of cardboard instead and replace them you choose, there are a few details periodically, placing them into the bin as that must always be considered: additional bedding. Any worm tea that may drain from your bin is very nutrient-rich and • Location! Location! Location! If you your houseplants and garden will love it! plan to keep your bin outside, make sure it is in a place that will not get • It’s too bright; keep out the light! Red too hot or too cold. Your worms will worms have no eyes and cannot see. They be most productive in temperatures use light-sensitive skin cells concentrated between 55º and 77ºF. Extreme at the front end of their bodies to sense temperatures below or above this light and move away from it. Choose a bin range may be harmful to your worms, made of material that is not transparent. so take this into consideration when Keep a lid on your bin to prevent any light deciding where you will keep your bin. from entering. Your worms will feed on the Generally speaking, your bin will be okay surface and stay active. If you can only find on a patio next to your classroom during a transparent bin, improvise by lining the the winter months. The bin should be kept outside of the bin with dark paper to keep in a shady, cool area during the summer any light out. months, or brought inside. Kitchens are a convenient place to keep worm bins. Do not place your bin in direct sunlight. Bedding • Don’t forget to breathe! Using a 1/4- to 1/2- Comfort Piled High inch drill bit, drill several holes throughout the bottom of the bin to allow for proper After a long day at work, it’s nice to lie down airflow. These holes will allow for ventilation on a comfortable bed, right? That’s right! and drainage. The worms will stay in the bin Your worms will agree. because they prefer dark, moist places to dry, lighted places. Vermicomposting is an aerobic activity, needing oxygen. If your bin becomes anaerobic due to insufficient airflow, you will most likely develop an odor problem. Avoid using • Standing on four feet. “Feet” are also newspaper inserts used to prop up the bin for drainage and glossy magazines, and, ventilation. Small wooden blocks or plastic fluorescent paper as soda-pop bottle lids perform this function well. You will need four of whichever bedding material. item you choose. Secure each foot 2 to

3 Fluff the newspaper strips to avoid thick avoid to strips newspaper the Fluff full. two-thirds approximately is bin the until strips one-inch into newspaper the clumps. Initially, add several cups of water.of cups Initially, several clumps. add shred newspaper.and of Unfold stack Continue to add water and “stir” until all the all until “stir” and water add to Continue small a collect bedding, the Toprepare newspaper strips are thoroughly moist and moist thoroughly are strips newspaper your bedding material feels like a wrung- a like feels material bedding your needed. out sponge-this is about a 3:1 ratio of ratio 3:1 a about is sponge-this out near your bin and spray the contents as contents the spray and bin your near water to bedding by weight. Be sure the sure Be weight. by bedding to water to keep a squirt bottle filled with water with filled bottle squirt a keep to bedding is not soupy or too dry because dry too or soupy not is bedding these extreme environments will serve as serve will environments extreme these of the bin tend to dry out, you may want may you out, dry to tend bin the of an eviction notice to your worms and worms your to notice eviction an their bodies. If you notice the contents the notice you If bodies. their they will start looking elsewhere for a for elsewhere looking start will they and maintain the moisture content inside content moisture the maintain and They need bedding inside their bin to bin their inside bedding need They new home. The bedding also serves as serves also bedding The home. new allows your worms to stay comfortable stay to worms your allows keep them comfortable and feeling and comfortable them keep 75 to 90 percent water.bedding percent Moist 90 to 75 a medium in which to bury the food the bury to which in medium a safe. As always, there are many are there always, As safe. environment—their bodies consist of consist bodies environment—their waste and prevent odors. Use your Use odors. prevent and waste options for bedding material. One material. bedding for options absorb water. Worms need a moist water.a absorb Wormsneed option is peat moss, which can be can which moss, peat is option material must have is the ability to ability the is have must material The one property the bedding the property one The purchased at any local nursery,local any at purchased but must be leached or it will be will it or leached be must but nothing. too acidic for the worms. Other worms. the for acidic too it’s easy to obtain and can cost can and obtain to it’seasy office include bedding of types shredded newspaper because newspaper shredded paper,fiber,shredded coconut or In this guide we will use hand- use will we guide this In materials. the discarding of instead reuse, of concept the apply to opportunity the have you bedding, for materials these of some using newspaper.or When cardboard 4

your bin is ready for worms! for ready is bin your freely.Now circulate can air and around move can worms your so bedding the “fluff” to hands the surface of the soil and do not need a lot a need not do and soil the of surface the distinctive environments. Night crawlers need crawlers Night environments. distinctive requiring species worm different totally two are crawlers night and worms red as crawlers,” “night for creatures little these mistake Don’t day.each weight own their to quantities-up mass in matter organic eat matter.worms organic Red decomposing eat to is life in goal main their as bin, worm a inhabit to candidates perfect the are worms These wigglers.” “red or worms,” “manure worms,” “red as known otherwise foetida, worm—Eisenia of type special a using be will we because is That requests. special of lot a have worms that noticed already have Youmay Wigglers Red Worms of the little wigglers! wigglers! little the of 1,000 about to equal worms, of pound one with starting recommend we bin, standard the For die. even may and other’senvironment, the in happy be not will species worm burrow.Each to space of Red worms, on the other hand, live close to close live hand, other the on worms, Red tunnels. making by soil the aerate that dwellers” “deep are they burrow; to which in area large a

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A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers You can start with fewer worms, but the boom! Unless you have a major “tragedy,” quantity of food you initially add to your you probably won’t need to replenish the bin will need to be decreased. Worms amount of worms in your bin. in your yard, garden, and compost pile may be red worms, but it’s not likely. Just to be safe, get your red worms from a friend who already has a worm Feeding bin or purchase them from a local Feed Me! worm grower. (See www.ciwmb. Worms are not picky when it comes to food, ca.gov/Schools/Curriculum/Worms/ as they eat many of the same items you do. for a complete listing of worm They especially enjoy vegetable and fruit suppliers.) peelings, grains, coffee grounds and filters, Place your worms on the bedding newspaper, and anything else that is organic. you have prepared and watch them Although worms eat fruit, be sure not to burrow away from the light, down overload your bin with a high citrus diet. For into the newspaper. They should example, if you are making a large amount “disappear” in 5 to 10 minutes. If you of freshly squeezed orange juice, all of the are building a bin with your class, this remaining orange peels can introduce a may be an interesting feature for your toxic amount of d-limonene, a chemical that students to witness. occurs naturally in citrus and other plants, into A healthy worm bin should be able to your bin. D-limonene is released as the peels supply enough worms to get another are torn and broken down. So, you wouldn’t bin started, but wait a few months want to pulverize the peels before adding before you attempt to share worms from them to your bin, as this would create a high your new bin. After you divide the worms, d-limonene concentration. Due to the slow both bins will eventually reach an optimal decomposition rate of citrus peels, however, population level. Red worms also have the it is okay to add small to moderate amounts amazing ability to control their population to an established bin. If you add citrus peels growth, which means you don’t need to to your bin and it begins to smell like a moldy worry about a massive worm population fruit stand, then you may want to save it for a future feeding.

Worms do not have teeth! They have a gizzard, similar to birds, that helps them grind small bits of food. Adding ground-up eggshells, oyster shell “flour,” or a handful of gritty soil to your bin will help your worms with this process. Other organisms you will Your worms can find in your bin, like springtails and mold, assist worms by breaking down the food eat up to their own weight in food waste first. Some foods take longer to break each day! down because they are more fibrous, such as broccoli stocks, carrots, and potato peels. Some people like to puree their food waste first, thus allowing the worms to eat more quickly and process even more food. Worms in a standard bin can eat about a pound of food a day.

5 • • • • • Lawn clippings and weeds and clippings Lawn filters and grounds Coffee Teabags Do not place the following in a worm bin: worm a in following the place not Do or mayonnaise) or Fallen leaves Fallen (without butter,(without margarine, Egg shells Egg • • • trimmings Grains, beans, or breads or beans, Grains, Meat products Meat • • Dairy products Dairy Contrary to popular belief, worms are worms belief, popular to Contrary products Fruit and vegetable and Fruit not vegetarians. They will eat meat if meat eat will They vegetarians. not • Oily products Oily you let them. However,advise them. we let you that you not add any meat, dairy,meat, or any add not you that Shredded paper Shredded Place the following in a worm bin worm a in following the Place oily foods because they form strong form they because foods oily odors as they decompose, which decompose, they as odors attract undesirable visitors, such as such visitors, undesirable attract mice and rats, to your bin. These bin. your to rats, and mice critters may carry disease that you that disease carry may critters section). from the bin (see “Harvesting” (see bin the from your to on pass to want not do burying food or harvesting castings harvesting or food burying anyone to hazard a be would edges sharp bones’ the that well so bones meat clean eventually will worms your to, allowed If caution: of word A yourself! or garden

: 6 feed them more food or more often. ready to feed in quadrant 1 again, you may want tothefood placed in quadrant 3when you are often.If your worms have already eaten through theprocess again, feeding them less food or less daysto eat what is already there and then start Giveoften. themtoo or afew much too worms your feeding are you 1, quadrant in food still is there If again. quadrant first the in bury to ready are you until pattern this Continue food. the follow will Yourworms 2. quadrant in bury later,two or day a feed, you time next The 1. quadrant in it bury food, bury you time first The works: it your students to practice fractions. Here’show fractions. practice to students your allows also and eating are worms your food of amount the monitor closely to you allows system This system. “quadrant” a up set or food, bury to spots pick randomly Youcan place. into back bedding the put and food, the add bedding, of bit a lift Simply critters. unwanted and odors prevent to deep inch one least at food the Bury result.) quickly will spores container,mold a as in waste food storing of instead away right worms the feed allergies, or asthma have (However,you if feedings. future for waste food your save to tub margarine or container cream sour old an reuse meantime, the In force. full in be will appetites their point, this At environment. bin the to acclimate to week a to days few a them Give home. new their to them introduce you after immediately worms your feeding begin not Do Quadrants

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers Your students can keep track of the is a pile of worms. The harvested compost feeding schedule by placing a laminated can be transferred to a separate storage copy of your quadrant layout (like the container at this point, and your worms can diagram above) near the bin. Have return to their home with newly prepared your students use a nontoxic dry-erase bedding waiting for them. marker to cross out each quadrant as they place food in it. You can also • Migrating Method: This is a handy method write the date of feeding for journal for those who want to harvest fairly quickly, and record-keeping purposes. When or not all at once. Open your bin and gently all quadrants are crossed out, erase push the compost over to one side. Prepare all of the markings and start over with new bedding and place it in the now empty quadrant 1. half of the bin. From this point on, stop placing food in the compost side of the bin, and begin feeding in the new bedding area. Worms love your food waste, so it is the perfect bait for them to follow. Once most of your worms have made the journey over to their new bedding area, you can remove the , use a small ift the If you are concerned aboutl compost. At this point, you will want to add your students' desks and/or more bedding to fill in the empty area of clothesgarden getting "claw" dirty to ar the your bin. You can alternate your harvesting beddingYou andmay then also burywant food.to sides on a continual basis. keep a towel ne. bin for handswiping dirty • Scoop Method: This is a perfect method for people who only need a small amount of compost at a time. Open your bin to Harvesting allow light to penetrate the castings, thus Reap the Rewards gently forcing the worms to burrow away. Stirring the surface a bit will also encourage Your worms have been busy eating, and the worms to dive. After about 10 minutes, the contents of your bin are looking more scoop off the top layer of castings. There like soil than shredded newspaper. You have should be few, if any, worms in the compost compost! Since it is not necessary to harvest you have removed. If you still need more right away, you can plan a harvesting time that compost, continue to leave the lid off fits your schedule. The amount of time you and wait another 10 minutes before need depends on the harvesting method you scooping again. choose:

• Cone Method: If you don’t mind getting your hands a little dirty, this is a great harvesting method for your students. Find a work area, preferably outside in a shady area, during a period of moderate temperatures, and lay down a tarp or large piece of plastic. Carefully empty the contents of your bin, worms and If too many all, onto the work surface. Separate this pile included with wor them cocoon harvested, the castings yous are into “cones” of about six inches in diameter. may wor stop m p w growing for opulat Give the worms a fair amount of time ill less a wh ion proc en the food ile (about 10 minutes) to burrow down, away esse that . This d until th will be from the light. After they have done so, can rega e popul in a ba ation sift through the compost from each pile, lance. a handful at a time, until all you have left

7 Strong, Bad Smell Not enough air circulation. Fluff bedding. Fluff circulation. air enough Not Smell Bad Strong,

repel the ants. the repel may jelly petroleum or chalk of barrier A If bedding seems dry,water.seems add bedding If up extra moisture. extra up vegetables. and fruits as such content, liquid. in feet bin Immerse waste. vegetable and fruit less in Put content. moisture high with food Toomuch bin. your near,in, traps not ant Place soak to water.paper adding Add Stop moisture high with foods Avoidadding worms. overfeed Don’t gone. are you while bin the adopt teacher another or parent a have to want Youmay purposes. feeding for weeks few every least at classroom your visit to plan you unless periods, vacation extended during home bin Takeyour fatalities. worm avoid to premises the from bin your remove reasons, other bedding. to added water Too much or ants for done be will spraying If outside. or classroom the in is it whether place, take may that spraying pesticide any of time of ahead you notify they request and bin worm a have you know them Let staff. grounds school your with contact in keep to sure Be completely. food Bury high. is population Mite moisture. absorb to bedding Add completely.food Bury Moist Overly food. Toomuch products. dairy,oily meat, and Remove Infestation Mite and/or food less worms Feed conditions. Anaerobic exposed. Food exposed. Food Infestation Ant added. food Improper bin. in food Toomuch Flies Fruit Symptom below.listed problems common the of some encounter Youmay improvement. smell—an cases, see—or,many you in until ups check- daily bin your give to Continue there. stop don’t solution, a found you’ve think you and occur does problem a If problem. a remedy to trying when helpful very becomes bin your know to getting so experimentation, on based Troubleshootingis WormDoctor The Troubleshooting lcigtearoe. blockingairholes.the notcompostbeddingsure Makeisor less often. less

(temperature must not be below 50ºF). below be not must (temperature weather colder in outside bin Place to try. If all else fails, worm counseling is available! Call the Office of Education and the Environment at (916) 341-6769 and ask and 341-6769 (916) at Environment the and Education of Office the Call available! is counseling worm fails, else try.all to If want may you remedies and encounter may you problems lists section this in information troubleshooting The sense. common and judgment own your Use bin. worm a maintain and make to way right one not is There works. bin your how know to get care, a successful bin is really based on one thing—observation! There are many variables from bin to bin, so take the time to time the take so bin, to bin from variables many are There thing—observation! one on based really is bin successful a care, for assistance from your county representative. county your from assistance for Vermicomposting is not an exact science. Although red worms are small creatures that need your tender loving tender your need that creatures small are worms red Although science. exact an not Warning:Vermicompostingis

Diagnosis 8 Remedy

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers prostomium anus clitellum brain exodermis ovaries gizzard

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hearts intestines Biology Ovaries and Testes Annelid Anatomy Red worms are hermaphrodites, which means each worm is equipped with both female Annelids are segmented worms. The and male reproductive organs (ovaries and term “annelid” is derived from the testes, respectively). phylum in which these creatures are classified—Annelida. This phylum Clitellum includes marine worms, leeches, and The clitellum is the light-colored band visible earthworms, all of which possess the on the outside of a worm’s body. It plays fundamental characteristic of soft, a major role in the reproduction process segmented bodies. of the red worm. Two worms join together so that each worm is in contact with the Anus other’s clitellum. Each clitellum secretes The end product can be found here. mucus, through which sperm are exchanged Worm castings are excreted through and then enter the opposite worm’s sperm the anus, which is at the end of the storage sac. After the worms separate from intestine. each other, the clitellum secretes another substance that hardens and forms a tiny, Intestine lemon-shaped egg case, or cocoon. As A red worm’s intestine is a long tube that the worm separates from the cocoon, it extends from the gizzard to the anus. Food deposits eggs from its own body along with passes through this tube by peristaltic muscle its partner’s sperm from its sperm storage sac movement (progressive waves of contraction and fertilization then takes place inside the and relaxation). cocoon. Two or more baby worms will hatch Exodermis from the cocoon after a few weeks, looking Unlike humans, worms do not have lungs. small and transparent. These baby worms will Instead, they respire through the entire become sexually mature when their clitellum surface of their bodies, the exodermis. appears. Although worms are extremely Oxygen dissolves in the moisture on the prolific, their numbers will be regulated by worm’s exodermis and then passes into their environmental factors. Cold weather tends to bloodstream. Worms need enough moisture slow reproduction, while an increase in food to maintain their bodies’ moisture content, supply will often increase your worm supply. which is similar to that of humans at 75 to 90 Gizzard percent. If you remove the worms from their A red worm’s muscular gizzard functions bin for an activity, make it easy for them to similarly to that of a bird. Small particles of survive the experience: place them on moist sand and minerals lodge in the gizzard to aid paper towels or newspaper and only keep in digestion. Muscular contractions compress them out of the bin for about 10 minutes. the particles against each other and the food, mix it with enzymatic fluid, and grind the food into smaller particles. Undigested matter passes through the intestine as castings.

9 move soil into clumps. Some people would people Some clumps. into soil move and tunnels create I particles. smaller into down materials break I because decomposer rather not have me around their homes. I am I homes. their around me have not rather a am I legs. six with insect an am I black, brown, or red. Worms especially don’t Wormsespecially red. or brown, black, like me because I eat them. eat I because me like Ant Bacteria Ugly the and Bad, the Good, The

I am so tiny that you can’t even see me. see even can’t you that tiny so am I Other Worm Bin Residents WormBin Other I can eat almost anything. Some of us of Some anything. almost eat can I

live together in groups and others of us of others and groups in together live Hearts don’t. Worms have five hearts that pump that hearts five Wormshave becoming a worm casting. worm a becoming blood throughout the body.the The throughout blood aids that food particle on its way to way its on particle food that aids blood carries digested food particles food digested carries blood action throughout the worm’sbody the throughout action to whatever part of the worm’sbody the of part whatever to mouth, where the peristaltic muscle peristaltic the where mouth, needs them. needs it pushes the food into the worm’sthe into food the pushes it prostomium finds a food particle, food a finds prostomium Brain as the worm moves along. When the When along. moves worm the as Red worms have a primitive brain— primitive a have worms Red to push soil particles out of the way the of out particles soil push to the size of a pinhead. This is where is This pinhead. a of size the red worm’s mouth. It stretches out stretches It worm’smouth. red

the worm’s actions, is located. is worm’sactions, the control which nerves, of cluster a pad of flesh that protrudes above a above protrudes that flesh of pad sensitive small, a is prostomium The Prostomium

10 I am usually reddish brown. reddish usually am I long. inches 2 to 1 about away.am getting I from prey my keep help to claws poisonous of pair my use I worms. eat to love and hunter fierce a am I each. on legs of pair a with segments 137 to 15 have I legs. many my on quickly move I Collembola Centipede places. Beetle Fruit Fly Fruit Earthworm at a time. a at eggs of thousands lay can I warm. and it’smoist where fruit in eggs my lay to prefer I fruit. food, favorite my bury to forgot person a if bin worm a around me see will you Sometimes eyes. white or red have usually and abdomen, my on stripes black with color in brownish be to tend I worms. harm or sounds, buzzing make sting, bite, don’t I bricks. by down weighted heavy,if as look I around, fly fly.I small When very a am I I live beneath stones, boards, and in other moist other in and boards, stones, beneath live I caterpillars. as such insects soft and snails, slugs, eat and predator a am I long. inch 1/2 about am and wings shiny,tough with black, insect an am I dark, moist places. moist dark, like I materials. decaying and fungi, bacteria, eat I skin. my through breath I and light sense I eyes. or legs have not do I segments. little many has that annelid soft-bodied thin long, a am I white in color.in white matter.am decaying I and molds eat I long. inch an of 1/16 tiny,than am less I do. they like jump can’t but springtail the of relative close a am I

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers Fungus Gnat Slug

I am a small, dark gray or black fly. I I have muscular discs on my underside that fly around like a paper airplane. As a are adapted for creeping and crawling. I lay larva, I feed on soil fungi and plant egg masses that look like Jell-O. I eat living roots and often hang out around material but will make an appearance from houseplants. I can infect houseplants time to time in your compost pile to eat fresh easily, so it is hard to get rid of me. garbage and garden trimmings. Sometimes my friends and I will occupy a worm bin, but only in small numbers. Snail

Mite Like my friend the slug, I am a mollusk and creep around on my muscular belly. I, I am tiny. It would take 25 of us to however, carry on my back a spirally curved cover an inch-long line. My body is shell. I also have a broad retractable hood round and fat, so it’s hard to see my and a distinct head. Like slugs, I prefer to eat eight legs. I eat plant materials such living material, such as leaves, but I will also as mold and soft tissues of leaves. show up in your compost pile or worm bin. Some of us eat the manure of other organisms. I am usually white, red, or brown. Soldier Fly Millipede I am usually black and look like a large I have so many legs you would have a wasp-like fly. I always breed in organic hard time counting them. My name means material that is damp and usually in an “thousand legs,” but I don’t have that many- advanced stage of decomposition. I hang only two legs per segment. I am very shy out around dumpsters, garbage receptacles, and I roll up in a ball to avoid danger. I am a and compost piles to lay my eggs. vegetarian and eat soft, moist, decaying plants. I am dark red to black in color and am 1 to 3 inches long. Soldier Fly Larva

Mold I have a flattened body. Generally, I range in color from dark brown to cream. I move fast I am a fungus and related to mushrooms. In from one place to another because I wiggle your bin, most of us live on old food. around aggressively. Since my appetite is huge, I can eat massive amounts of organic Pill Bug or Roly Poly material. I don’t eat worms, though. You can find me around dumpsters, garbage receptacles, and compost piles. I am an isopod, which means my pairs of legs look very similar to each other. I eat old leaves and other stuff like vegetable scraps. I am about a half inch long and I roll up in a ball if I am disturbed. Some people think I look like a little armadillo. I am a dark, greyish color.

11 I look like a frayed piece of thread. I am a am I thread. of piece frayed a like look I WormWhite skinny, white worm, about an inch long. I like I long. inch an about skinny,worm, white

to eat rotting food after the other critters get critters other the after food rotting eat to to it. You might think of me as one who likes who one as me of think Youmight it. to to finish off the job. the off finish to jump high into the air. I am white. air.am the I into high jump materials. I have a little spring that helps me helps that spring little a have I materials. Textadaptedfrom of an inch long. I eat molds and decaying and molds eat I long. inch an of Compost Activities Compost I am a tiny insect less than one-sixteenth than less insect tiny a am I AuthorityAlamedaandCountySource Reduction and RecyclingLeandro,Board,Sanwith1997.UsedCA, permission. Springtail Bug Sow

will hurt a garden. a hurt will My pairs of legs look alike, and that and alike, look legs of pairs My work hard to help control pests that pests control help to hard work makes me an isopod like my cousin my like isopod an me makes compost. I feed on other insects and insects other on feed I compost. Roly Poly. I eat vegetation and old and vegetation Poly.eat Roly I appreciated animals in the garden and garden the in animals appreciated leaves. My half-inch-long body is oval is body half-inch-long My leaves. eight nifty legs. I am one of the least the of one am I legs. nifty eight and flat with flattened plates, but I but plates, flattened with flat and I am related to mites and have and mites to related am I can’t roll up into a ball like Roly Poly.Roly like ball a into up roll can’t I am related to crayfish and lobsters. and crayfish to related am I greyish color.greyish dark, a am I place. moist damp, a in live must I so gills, with breathe I Spider

Do the Rot Thing: A Teacher’s Guide to to Guide Teacher’s A Thing: Rot the Do , AlamedaCounty,Waste Management

12 Learning by doing often allows students to students allows often doing by Learning you. surrounds that world the exploring your getting for perfect are They learning. everything, gardens are a place for place a are gardens everything, of bit little a or vegetables, herbs, flowers, grow you Whether above. the of all or flora, endemic for habitat a rest, of place a classroom, outdoor an source, food a be can garden A Connection Garden The takes to get food from a farm to our tables. our to farm a from food get to takes it what and crops, harvest to how crop, healthy a maintain to how soil, isneededprepare to whatmakeshands seedaand grow, eyes what own their with discover can Students lives. daily our into ties world, the and California, of sector agricultural the how demonstrates scale, small a on garden, school A before. tried never have they vegetables and fruits eat to opportunity the provides garden school a students, some For tasty! quite is harvest garden their that discover vegetables, or fruits certain eating to opposed completely once were who students eaters, finicky most the of Some students. the of health ultimately,the and, in learning garden in part large a plays education Nutrition agriculture. and nutrition as such well, as explored are concepts other but gardens, with associated automatically are concepts mathematical and science Basic classroom. outdoor an is garden school A accomplishments. hands dirty and your mind engaged in engaged mind your and dirty hands normally quiet or have difficulty learning in a in learning difficulty have or quiet normally are who students when exciting is It everyone. for fun and engaging are activities Hands-on taught. being are they concepts the see and touch can academically,they succeed because esteem and pride for both individual and team and individual both for pride and esteem self- create helps activities these in involved Being success. their for ownership claim and project, a of part for responsible become patiently,wait nurture, to learn students garden, school a With qualities. leadership show and role active an take setting formal

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers Other topics, such as economics, There are several methods schools can use cultural diversity, language arts, music, to “reduce” food waste. One such method and art are often overlooked but are is “offer vs. serve.” This option empowers wonderful avenues to tie into lesson students to reduce the amount of waste they plans. Instruments used for rhythm can create by allowing them to select which food be made by putting seeds in a sealed items they prefer, rather than being served container. Language art lovers can something they may not want. Food items write to their heart’s content through that are slightly stale, irregular, or past the poetry or creative writing about the due date are often thrown away. Wait! This garden. Endless art pieces can be food can be donated to a local food bank to inspired by a garden, whether it is provide meals to people in your community. a flower petal mosaic or a painting Food items that are very old and not suitable of a favorite flower. Once students for human consumption may be useful as get hooked, it’s hard to stop them! animal feed for a local farmer. With these School gardens are an endless kinds of partnerships, everyone wins. Your source of learning and fun. school reduces disposal costs, people are fed, the farmer has free animal feed, landfill space is saved, and natural resources are cycled for reuse. Closing the Food Loop at Your School If there are large amounts of food waste from the school, ask your local public If you have a school garden, a works department if services are available vermicomposting system is likely to that allow you to have the food waste follow. Fruit and vegetable waste from composted at a local composting facility. the garden or cafeteria are a valuable This process cycles the decomposing resource for your school. These materials materials back to the earth. You can also can be cycled back to the garden as save energy and gas by keeping the food compost through vermicomposting, instead waste at your school and composting it of being wasted and sent to the landfill. yourself. School staff and/or students may In addition to the integrated waste be willing to maintain a compost pile or management hierarchy, your school can also large-scale vermicomposting bin. utilize the food waste hierarchy.

Food Waste Hierarchy School Food Cycle

13 problems they foresee. Take the time now time Takethe foresee. they problems possible on thoughts their for players key the Ask worms. the feed to collect to want problems! All involved will have different have will involved All problems! become they before issues the out work to you food much how Determine agenda. and valuable insights based on their own their on based insights valuable and the on first is food the separate to system perspectives gained from working on working from gained perspectives collection A program. the of structure different parts of the program. the of parts different basic the developing start goals, program 3. 4. system (or outdoor compost bin) to bin) compost outdoor (or system successes. accommodate the amount of food waste food of amount the accommodate Once you have established your established have you Once determined necessary for the program. the for necessary determined Build a large enough vermicomposting enough large a Build your program, and then build on your on build then and program, your small to ensure a solid foundation for foundation solid a ensure to small How to Get Started Get to How to foster program ownership. Start out Start ownership. program foster to custodial staff in the planning process planning the in staff custodial Be assured there is no one way of way one no is there assured Be good idea to include food service and service food include to idea good setting up a food diversion program diversion food a up setting out the roles of each individual. It is a is It individual. each of roles the out at your school, but there are a few a are there but school, your at the purpose of the project and spell and project the of purpose the key ideas to keep in mind as you get you as mind in keep to ideas key stays on target. Objectives outline Objectives target. on stays started. objectives ensures that the project the that ensures objectives 2. 1. involved. full support of your administrators your of support full leaves the school or is no longer no is or school the leaves facilitator key the once fail likely will that project pet a than rather school the of function normal a as program the institutionalize to help can They anything. doing before Next, develop a plan. Writing out Writing plan. a develop Next, First and foremost, obtain the obtain foremost, and First 14 can make adjustments as necessary.as adjustments make can you so yourself student a were you if as process collection the through go to helpful be would it date, start initial the Before food. their separate 6. 5. and build on your successes! your on build and simple program the Keep flexible. way,be so the along adjustments make to need Youwill days. few a for container a in waste food the store than rather collection, after soon this do they sure be bins, in waste food place students or staff Whether staff. service food and custodial for load the lightens role Their bin. worm the in food the placing then and contamination, minimize to bins the at separated properly is food that ensuring students, other teaching for responsible are They successful. program the make help then who experts” “worm become to students trained have state the throughout programs Many are. roles their what and happening is what everyone reminding program, the of date start the before times several it repeat and simple review away.this thrown Keep be must what and compost as collected be can what school whole the teach will it as critical, is outreach This students. faculty,and the staff, to points key present to plan and guide this in information to students for easy is it so “Compost” Before implementing the program, review the review program, the implementing Before and “Garbage” containers mark Clearly

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers Fundraising • Wood shop classes can make wooden Making Money Worm-Style worm bins to sell to interested members of the community or donate to your school’s Here are a few ideas for raising money program. for your program. • Have students approach businesses and • Package and sell worm castings to local organizations that may offer parents and community gardeners. community assistance in the form of funding and/or resources for your school’s • Establish a partnership with a local vermicomposting program. Students should bait shop to sell red worms. be prepared to share program goals, • Grow plants with worm casting- projected outcomes, how the company enriched soil and host a plant sale. will benefit from contributing to the program, and what is needed in order to • Create a worm starter kit, which accomplish program goals. Some possible could include worm bedding, red businesses or organizations to contact are: worms, and an instructional packet on how to get started. Sell the kits at • Local hardware, lumber, and nursery Open House, Back-to-School Night, a stores. science fair, or a PTA event. • Local chapter of the Association of • Make planter containers out of Nurserymen. recycled paper to sell at your plant sale. • Certified master gardeners. Instructions for this project are included in the “Making Recycled Paper by Hand” • Kiwanis, Rotary, and other service lesson in the CIWMB curriculum, Closing organizations. the Loop—call (916) 341-6769 to request a copy. • PTA and booster clubs.

• Make a calendar or poster to promote • Conservation corps. your school garden and recycling efforts to reduce food waste. You can include some • Recycling, composting, and waste of the worm facts found in this guide (use hauling companies. nontoxic markers.) Sell the calendars or posters at Open House or Back-to-School Night.

• Host a puppet show! Make worm puppets by stuffing pantyhose with cotton balls or dryer lint and reusing other items to embellish the puppets’ worm features. Collect donations to view the puppet show at Family Night.

• Facilitate a student-run vermicomposting mini-workshop to promote food waste reduction in your community. The students can build the bins on site and sell them at the workshop.

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16

Name

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers ––––––––––––––––––––––the Worm Name ______(name)

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate type of word to create a silly story!

It was feeding time at the worm bin, and not a(n) ______too soon. (measurement of time)

______the worm was getting awfully ______. “I wonder what kind (worm name) (adjective) of ______I will be ______today,” ______the worm (noun) (verb ending in “ing”) (worm name) thought. “It better be______. Yesterday, all I got to______was (adjective) (verb) a______, and that was really______. “The lid to the bin opened, (noun) (adjective) and______saw that familiar______. It was the same______(worm name) (body part) (same body part) that came every feeding day. ______the worm waited with______.“ (worm name) (feeling or emotion)

______!” ______the worm shouted. “It’s a______! (exclamation) (worm name) (noun)

This will keep me very ______until next feeding time.” With that,______(adjective) (worm name) the worm went to bed with a very______tummy. (adjective)

17 around the around the up squirm... a for went worm Wallythe together.half-sheets the staple and line dotted the along cut book, your Todone. make has he what show to Wally’spictures create draw story.to Then, blanks the in Fill Book Picture and WormStory My

18 Name ______Name , ,

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers and into the .

Along the way, Wally bumped into Sammy the Spider, his best friend, and they decided to go towards the

19 the over the into and

20 , ,

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers across the ,

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21 Music figuring the bin’s entire population. bin’sentire the figuring population count of one quadrant and then and quadrant one of count population • Write lyrics, create a dance routine, or routine, dance a create lyrics, Write • • Teach extrapolation by conducting a conducting by Teachextrapolation • create hand motions to a song about natural about song a to motions hand create resources and/or vermicomposting. Have the Have vermicomposting. and/or resources using your worm bin. worm your using class perform at Open House to teach to House Open at perform class divert from your classroom/cafeteria by classroom/cafeteria your from divert students and parents what they learned. they what parents and students • Calculate how much food waste you waste food much how Calculate • • Explore other cultures. How are rain are How cultures. other Explore • sticks made and what is their purpose? their is what and made sticks • Determine the water-to-beddingratio. the Determine • feeding system. feeding Activities by Subject by Activities • Teach fractions with the quadrant the with Teachfractions • The following are “starting points” “starting are following The Math grouped by subject matter that you that matter subject by grouped may wish to use in developing a developing in use to wish may has already been used on one side. one on used been already has lesson correlated to your worm bin. worm your to correlated lesson make the journal out of paper that paper of out journal the make • Keep a worm bin journal. Youcan journal. bin worm a Keep • Art worm. • Illustrate your worm story.worm your Illustrate • • Write a story or poem about a about poem or story a Write • English/Language Arts English/Language your bin. your near display to Items” WormFood Bad and “Good of poster a Make •

22 • Use vermicompost to grow plants. Compare plants. grow to vermicompost Use • • Make a poster of the life cycle of a seed or a or seed a of cycle life the of poster a Make • • Research how Research • • Research the history of America’sfarmland of history the Research • • Observe worm anatomy under a dissecting a under anatomy worm Observe • Science in stored minerals and vitamins about Learn • produced be can energy much how Determine • Nutrition • Research how a local restaurant or cafeteria or restaurant local a how Research • Learning Service waste of history the Research • Studies/History Social • Have students research worm secretions and secretions worm research students Have • scavengers. and decomposers Discuss • cycle. soil the Discuss • find information on their medical uses for burn for uses medical their on information find mixtures. casting of levels the growth rate of plants by using varying using by plants of rate growth the microscope. worm. patients. agriculture and economy.and agriculture California’saffected has this how and topsoil socially acceptable. socially more become have practices and concepts fruits and vegetables. and fruits food. of quantities certain eating by plan into action! into plan the put and landfill the from waste that divert to plan a devise manager or owner the Help waste. food its of disposes community your in management in California or the world. the or California in management reduce, reuse, and recycle and reuse, reduce,

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers

much more! much ending up in the garbage. And there’sAnd garbage. the in up ending from items saving vermicompost-thus and choices on how to reduce, reuse, recycle, reuse, reduce, to how on choices This activity can be used in conjunction in used be can activity This vermicompost; with Trashcan, they’ll make Trashcan,they’ll with vermicompost; with classroom lessons, as part of school of part as lessons, classroom with garden, they’ll do an experiment using experiment an do they’ll garden, gardening activities, or as a self-contained, a as or activities, gardening computer-based experience for your for computer-basedexperience help regulate a worm’s habitat; at the at worm’shabitat; a regulate help new buddies. At the worm bin, they’ll bin, worm the At buddies. new students. Use it with small groups or let or groups small with it Use students. students encounter it individually.it “The encounter students participate interactively by helping their helping by interactively participate Adventures of Vermi the Worm!”would Vermithe of Adventures or the 3R’s and have the chance to chance the have 3R’sand the or make great use of computer lab time for time lab computer of use great make view something about vermicomposting about something view your students. your Trashcan. At each stop, students will students stop, each Trashcan.At The Adventures of Vermiof Adventures The Hugh Hammer,Flower,Hugh Sunny and the Worm!the up with his buddies, Bubba the Worm,the Bubba buddies, his with up he visits a school garden and hooks and garden school a visits he We have a new way for your students your for way new a Wehave adventure with Vermi the Wormas Vermithe with adventure to learn about vermicomposting! about learn to Your students will go on an on go will Yourstudents Would you like to energize your energize to like Wouldyou and Recycle! and waste management—Reduce, Reuse, management—Reduce, waste students Wouldyour plan? lesson benefits, as well as the “3R’s”of the as well as benefits, they if learning about excited get basics of vermicomposting and its and vermicomposting of basics you If computer? the use to got Vermi the Worm!-that teaches the Worm!-thatteaches Vermithe of Adventures Website-The for.interactive animated, It’san looking been you’ve tool teaching the have we then questions, these of either “Yes!”to answered

23 • 56K modem minimum connection speed, ISDN, speed, connection minimum modem 56K • operating minimum 8.5 MacOS or 95 Windows • RAM. of MB 64 with Macintosh PowerPC Any • minimum, RAM of MB 64 with 166 Pentium • • Microsoft Internet Explorer with Flash 5 Flash with Explorer Internet Microsoft • MB): 9 size, (approximate WormWebsite Vermithe the using for requirements System students! your with it share then and try a it give So, students. older and younger for applicable it find may you level, grade 3rd the at designed was site the Though site. the within located teacher’spage the on found be can Correlations standards. content State the to correlated are activities These Websiteaddress: DSL, T1 or cable modem preferred. modem cable or T1 DSL, preferred. 9.1 MacOS or 2000 Windows minimum, system preferred. RAM of MB 128 with II Pentium plug-in. www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Vermi/

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A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers Case Studies Integrated Waste Management Board, to develop and test site-specific systems Davis Joint Unified School District reducing lunch waste at three elementary Food Waste Diversion Project schools (Birch Lane Elementary, Cesar Chavez Elementary, and Pioneer Elementary Schools). Submitted by Cynthia M. Havstad The Davis Farm to School Connection (a UC Davis School Gardens Project project of the Davis Educational Foundation) Davis, California is a coalition of district staff, parents, and community members with a vision to On an average day in Davis, educate and nourish students through a California, each elementary school in farm- and garden-based experience. The the Davis Joint Unified School District coalition has raised funds to integrate (DJUSD) generates approximately school garden-based educational activities 140 pounds of waste from student with opportunities for students to eat from lunches. This is enough for every locally supplied salad bars, compost lunch school to fill two-thirds of a food waste, visit local farms, and cook in dumpster with trash from lunch each the classroom-all with the goals of increasing school day, 176 days of the year. The enthusiasm for learning, improving eating items that take up the most room habits, and guiding students to become in the trash can are the 200 to 300 mindful caretakers of their community and disposable trays on which hot lunch the environment. is served. The cost the DJUSD pays for disposing of these trays is more than The DJUSD Food Waste Diversion Project $1,300 per school—much higher than included vermicomposting, composting, the three-cents-per-tray purchase price! food rescue efforts, and a switch to an offer-vs.-serve food service plan. At all Slightly more than 100 pounds of the daily schools in Davis, including the three sites lunch waste is food. On a yearly basis, that for this project, the DJUSD nutrition service adds up to 9.2 tons per school, about as director implemented a lunch program that much as would fill nine dumpsters at each offered students choices of hot lunch items. of the eight elementary schools in Davis. Providing students with a choice at lunch can What’s more, almost one-fourth of all the reduce the waste stream. Also, at all three “trash” thrown away every day is edible food- project sites, the organic wastes generated unopened packaged hot-lunch items such as from student lunches and school gardens burritos and bags of carrots, full cartons of were composted or vermicomposted. The milk, and untouched apples. methods of composting included a mid- scale composting system with an enzyme Compostable food waste is also generated pretreatment, mid-scale composting every lunch period—about 15 pounds from and vermicomposting systems without each school. This food waste can be fed to pretreatment, and a classroom-scale worms or put in a compost pile, thus reducing vermicomposting system. Rescue of edible, the waste stream, cutting disposal costs, and unopened food was included in the project providing students with hands-on learning at two of the three sites, Cesar Chavez activities that can be used to meet and Pioneer Elementary Schools. To further State standards. reduce the lunch waste stream, molded fiber Understanding the tremendous educational trays replaced the polystyrene (“Styrofoam”) potential for students, the Davis Farm to trays previously used for hot lunches at Cesar School Connection thus established a pilot Chavez and Pioneer Elementary Schools. project (DJUSD Food Waste Diversion Project), funded by the California

24 to successfully divert food waste and waste food divert successfully to able was sites school three the of Each implement effective composting systems composting effective implement lunch. for salad a for handling that waste. Two of the three the Twoof waste. that handling for of choice the given are they when food less schools significantly reduced the total school total the reduced significantly schools away throw clearly Students introduction. its waste stream, achieving 47 percent and percent 47 achieving stream, waste was available; only 14 pounds per day,per after pounds 14 only available; was 50 percent reductions by the end of the of end the by reductions percent 50 thrown away daily before the Crunch Lunch Crunch the before daily away thrown pilot year and saving the district $6,230 in $6,230 district the saving and year pilot packaged food and whole fruits were fruits whole and food packaged disposal fees alone. This does not include not does This alone. fees disposal 60 percent—34 pounds of unopened of pounds percent—34 60 savings generated by decreasing the time the decreasing by generated savings thrown away decreased by more than more by decreased away thrown the custodian spends handling lunch handling spends custodian the waste or reducing the trash bags and bags trash the reducing or waste more dramatically, the edible food being food dramatically,edible more the Unique to Pioneer Elementary School Elementary Pioneer to Unique introduction of the salad bar.salad Even the of introduction cans used. And, because the reductions the because And, used. cans was the introduction of a salad bar.salad The a of introduction the was volume by more than one-third after one-third than more by volume were phased in over the course the over in phased were salad bar, which is called the “Crunch the called bar,is salad which stream at Pioneer decreased in decreased Pioneer at stream Lunch,” was offered as an alternative an as offered was Lunch,” waste portion of the lunch waste lunch the of portion waste of the school year, it is projected year,is school it the of to the hot lunch. Students are given are Students lunch. hot the to available. Remarkably,food available. the to 114 after the Crunch Lunch was Lunch Crunch the after 114 to the choice between the hot lunch hot the between choice the and a salad with fresh, locally grown locally fresh, with salad a and average of 235 the previous year previous the 235 of average lunches served declined from an from declined served lunches fruits and vegetables. Davis Farm Davis vegetables. and fruits was offered. The number of hot of number The offered. was to wants Connection School to 300, chose a salad every day it day every salad a chose 300, with along concept, this introduce of 179 students, with as many as many as with students, 179 of average an popular: tremendously was bar Pioneer,salad At the Davis. in school every to projects, recycling and gardens 25 that follow from them, are: them, from follow that recommendations the and program, school each from revealed were that lessons the of Some community.the to diversion waste lunch about information bringing or curriculum, the into project the integrating waste, reducing project: the of components more or one in strengths different demonstrated sites pilot three The Recommendations and Lessons significant! more even be would savings the district, school the across Multiplied student. per $6.60 of savings approximate an to equivalent is That fees. disposal in $13,675 district the save could sites three same the at year school 2001-2002 the for project the continuing that 3. 2. 1. Implementing, managing, and managing, Implementing, addition an than more is coordinator site The It cannot be assumed that the school the that assumed be cannot It meet service-learning requirements. service-learning meet to opportunity an them offering while teams site to students school high providing project, diversion waste lunch a to partner valuable a be also could program service/learning school opportunity.high educational The excellent an project the makes then which team, the of members valuable are Students parents. and students, coordinator,staff, site teachers, the includes that team a utilize should and work much involves curricula school the into project diversion waste lunch a integrating responsibilities is critical. is responsibilities those fulfill to required day per hours 1.5 the for person that Paying curriculum. the into program the of integration facilitating and stream, waste the reducing and evaluating team, site a creating include responsibilities person’sthat as staff, custodial the to early in the process as possible. as process the in early as superintendent district and board school the of support the cultivate and identify first projects reduction waste any that important very therefore is It costs. hauling waste decrease solutions such when even classes, their in about learning are they problems environmental the to solutions practice to opportunity the students giving thus and practices management waste integrated modeling of value the recognize will district

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers 4. Having a memorandum of The Future of Lunch Waste Diversion in the understanding signed by principals, Davis Joint Unified School District site coordinators, and district staff would clarify everyone’s roles and Eight additional elementary and junior high commitments. schools in Davis have indicated interest in composting or vermicomposting lunch waste 5. Audits are critical to designing next year. To support start-up at new school appropriate composting or sites, funding commitments to purchase vermicomposting systems, keeping the sorting stations for each school ($300 value project within budget, and preventing each) and for photocopy costs for parent composting problems. outreach ($300 per school) have been made by Davis Waste Removal and the City 6. Disposable trays make up the of Davis. Responding to the interest while largest portion of the lunch waste also “growing” the program at a moderate stream. It can cost as much or more rate, the Davis Farm to School Connection to throw them away as to purchase proposed that the program be continued at them. Substituting recyclable or Birch Lane, Cesar Chavez, and Pioneer, and compostable trays is thus very that it be started at three additional schools important in reducing waste disposal next year. If each school reduces its waste costs. “Carry out” trays are a lightweight stream by 40 percent, as demonstrated cardboard and are recyclable in Davis, the first year, the total projected savings of even when contaminated with some $32,490 would more than cover the cost of food waste. The district purchased these the program. trays with a child nutrition message on them from Sysco at $13.10 per case of Although the DJUSD has determined it is not 500. willing to financially support any lunch waste diversion efforts, there is sufficient interest 7. Edible food is also a significant portion and dedication on the part of parents, of the lunch waste, on a per-weight basis. teachers, and staff to continue diverting food Policies on food sharing and returning from the lunch waste stream at the current unopened food to the district’s food services and new sites without funding from the or donating it to school district. Such a program will focus on off-site sources must be developed. composting or vermicomposting food waste Distributing information on the Good Samaritan and the associated educational Act* would facilitate this process. opportunities for students, modeling environmentally sound practices for our 8. There are often others who are using the students, and integrating the composting school’s waste containers. Identifying those who program into our school garden program, as have access to the dumpster and encouraging part of the vision of the Davis Farm to School their participation or preventing their access to Connection. Reducing the lunch waste volume the containers is important. or reducing the disposal costs for the district will not be stated as goals. The Davis Farm to 9. Salad bars do not generate additional lunch School Connection will continue to encourage waste, though they do change the nature of the district superintendent and school the waste stream. More compostable food is board to support a district-wide lunch waste generated, but significantly less edible food is diversion program, based on the success of thrown away. and knowledge gained from the pilot project.

*The Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act is For more information on the Davis Joint legislation providing protection to citizens, businesses, Unified School District Food Waste Diversion and nonprofit organizations that donate, recover, and distribute excess food in good faith (42 United States Project, please contact Cynthia Havstad at Code, section 1791). [email protected].

26 The new lunch program is envisioned by envisioned is program lunch new The fruits. organizers as a way to offer children healthier children offer to way a as organizers lunch, she was able to eat a lot of her favorite her of lot a eat to able was she lunch, food while teaching them about agriculture about them teaching while food $1.75, the same price as the traditional school traditional the as price same the $1.75, “crunch lunch” salad bar was “great.” For “great.” was bar salad lunch” “crunch and nutrition. and Alyssa Gutierrez, 10, said she thought the thought she said 10, Gutierrez, Alyssa Funded through grants from the California the from grants through Funded Department of Education and the U.S. the and Education of Department “This is brand new.”brand is “This Department of Agriculture, as well as private as well as Agriculture, of Department of the pizza being offered across the room. the across offered being pizza the of donation, the program also supports local supports also program the donation, “That’s really old,” Matthew Heard, 10, said 10, Heard, Matthew old,” “That’sreally farms by using their produce in schools. in produce their using by farms children for decades. for children The following article about Pioneer about article following The “The farmers market salad bar at Pioneer at bar salad market farmers “The lunch fare that has been eaten by eaten been has that fare lunch Elementary School’s lunch salad bar,salad School’slunch Elementary builds on our vision of a garden in every in garden a of vision our on builds alternative to the much-maligned school much-maligned the to alternative “‘Crunch lunch’ in Davis,” appeared in appeared Davis,” in lunch’ “‘Crunch school where the kids are growing are kids the where school lunch” program offers kids an organic an kids offers program lunch” The Sacramento Bee April 13, 2001. Text2001. 13, April Bee Sacramento The on local farms, Pioneer’s new “crunch Pioneer’snew farms, local on and photographs used with permission. with used photographs and A buffet of vegetables and fruits grown fruits and vegetables of buffet A Photographs by Jay Mather.Jay by Photographs school’s new, organic “crunch lunch.” school’s“crunch new,organic “Crunch lunch” in Davis in lunch” “Crunch Thursday as kids lined up to buy the buy to up lined kids as Thursday A buffet of locally grown produce produce grown locally of buffet A Pioneer Elementary School in Davis on Davis in School Elementary Pioneer uneaten at the hot-lunch table at table hot-lunch the at uneaten offers a fresh alternative to much- to alternative fresh a offers slabs of pizza sat unopened and unopened sat pizza of slabs microwaveable Plastic-wrapped, Writer Staff Bee Martineau, Pamela By maligned school cafeteria fare. cafeteria school maligned

27 Delaine Eastin, state superintendent of public of superintendent state Eastin, Delaine counter.”lunch said school their at farmers local by grown foods fresh seasonal same the of some see to chance a have and food healthy growing a small organic garden. organic small a growing are kids program, lunch” “crunch new Schoolʼs Elementary Pioneer of bar.part salad Thursdayʼsfor As leaves lettuce select 8, Hansen, Michelle and 7, Okamoto, Nasa left, 7, Turner,Jamon second-graders helps Lust VolunteerMary trips. field on farms local visit children the And recycling. and composting encourage to children the with works also program, garden school Pioneer the of director Buffington, Jamie farms. local from is fare bar salad the bar.of salad Most the into it make garden school the in vegetables the of few a only grow.But to need they what and season in are vegetables and fruits which learning gardens school the in Pioneer,work At children 10. Heard, Matthew new,”says brand is bar.“This salad the for line hot-lunch traditional the bypass students Many instruction.

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers Pioneer is the first Davis school to open Making a Difference: One Piece of Paper an organic salad bar. Organizers hope at a Time to open another next month at Cesar Chavez Elementary School. Eventually, (Jiminy Cricket’s Environmentality they hope to have an organic salad Challenge—2000–2001 Grand Prize Project) bar in every Davis school. Submitted by Deni Lopez Teaching good nutrition is key to Park View Center School the Farm to School program. Renata Simi Valley, California Brillinger, who coordinates the program for the Davis Joint School School Description: Park View Center District, said an adult will be on hand School is a K–6 school serving 630 students. at each salad bar as the children Approximately one-third of the student body load up their plates, making sure consists of second-language learners; the they get enough protein and a class has two non-English-speaking (Spanish- healthy mix of food. Each salad bar speaking) students. The school has 32 special offers a complete meal of six to eight education students who participate in the seasonal vegetables or fruits and two school. Park View is a Title 1 school or three protein-rich food such as (low-income) serving a large population of eggs, tuna fish, beans and turkey. at-risk students and their families.

The Farm to School program is part Project Title: Making a Difference: One Piece of the California Department of of Paper at a Time Education’s push to teach healthier eating habits to children in an effort to Project Goal: Reduce trash the school sends cut down on the childhood obesity that to the landfill and educate the school and is plaguing the nation. community on how to recycle and reduce.

A nutrition specialist at the University of Project Description California at Davis is evaluating the salad bar program for the state Department of • Reconstructed existing school worm farm Education. The School to Farm program is that had been abandoned (when the modeled after similar ventures in Santa teacher who built it went to another Monica and Berkeley. school) and later vandalized.

Copyright, The Sacramento Bee, 2004 • Worms now consume 30 pounds of cafeteria food every day.

• Produced 96 cubic feet of vermicompost (as of March, 2001).

• Recharged and expanded school recycling program.

• Recycled school food waste from cafeteria to feed the worms.

• Reduced the amount of food going to the landfill daily by 50 percent (from between 60 and 90 pounds to between 30 and 45 pounds).

28 Developed a “Sorting Paper Game Board.” Game Paper “Sorting a Developed • school. Developed educational posters to hang at hang to posters educational Developed • Participated in districtwide Math-Science districtwide in Participated • Olympiad Day (sponsored by district math district by (sponsored Day Olympiad recycling and papermaking. and recycling mentors). on presentations classroom Conducted • Had an educational booth at local Farm local at booth educational an Had • classroom (27). classroom Fest (April 28, 2001). 28, (April Fest Provided mini worm farms for each for farms worm mini Provided • Wrote to other schools in district in schools other to Wrote • offering to teach them how to implement to how them teach to offering assembly for the entire school. entire the for assembly recycling/composting programs. recycling/composting Held a Worm and Recycling Education Recycling Wormand a Held • Recycled school paper,glass, school plastic, Recycled • and metal to raise money.raise to metal and and how to make paper.make to how and Six other teachers in district now district in teachers other Six • problems facing the Simi ValleyLandfill, Simi the facing problems Established permanent recycling permanent Established • have vermicomposting programs. vermicomposting have to recycle, how to care for worms, for care to how recycle, to area. school waste, why it is important is it why waste, school • Educated others on how to recycle to how on others Educated • Conducted recycling drives. recycling Conducted • incorporating vermicompost. incorporating • Created a papermaking factory in factory papermaking a Created • • Revitalized school garden soil by soil garden school Revitalized • the classroom. the Used school recycled paper to paper recycled school Used • Built dehydrator to use in use to dehydrator Built • and to produce items for sale. for items produce to and projects art for paper new create papermaking process. papermaking

29 Sold mini worm farms at local Farm Fest Farm local at farms worm mini Sold • India aid to donated were raised Funds • drive. recycling Held • (journals, products paper homemade Sold • farm worm mini sold and produced, Wrote, • nationally.farms worm mini Sold • vermicompost. Sold • worms. Sold • This project was tied to the California the to tied was project This Connections Curriculum • The amount of items in regular trash that trash regular in items of amount The • interest: particular Of reasoning. math and data, geometry,and statistics algebra, sense, number speaking, and listening language, oral and written writing, reading, for requirements covered It mathematics. and arts language in particularly standards, content • Fundraising. • • Language arts skills were developed were skills arts Language • expository writing. expository and lessons, and lessons, and presentations oral developing letterwriting, research, care worm and recycling through Recycling Education assembly; recycling rates recycling assembly; Education Recycling Wormand the after and before evaluated were rates money.Recycling unearned and wasted, trees of numbers wasted, water of gallons wasted, electricity of kilowatts to equated then was number That level. grade by tracked, was recycled been have could increased. purchase new recycling bins for 25 classes. 25 for bins recycling new purchase to used and ($650) victims earthquake projects). art cards, greeting squares, scented book. instruction (April 28, 2001). 28, (April

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers • On the Stanford 9 Test, this class closely with teachers and with a school made dramatic gains of 9 to 15 percent garden coordinator, and/or a committee over the previous year’s scores in the of coordinators. In the garden, students areas of reading, math, and language. participate in weekly activity plans covering More specifically, 5 out of 29 students a variety of subjects. scored “Advanced” on California’s content standards and 10 out of 29 The activity plans not only educate students, scored “Proficient.” This means over but also provide opportunities to do work in 50 percent of the class was proficient a garden or perform garden-related activities. on the content standards. By Activity plans may call for a student to work contrast, only 20 percent of the new necessary fertilizers into the soil or use a students at Park View Center School soil-test kit to learn about pH. Many of and 30 percent of the students in the mid-winter activities have indoor the entire State of California scored components. “Proficient.” Students do all of the hands-on work in the For more information on the Making garden under parent and teacher supervision. a Difference project, please contact In the summer, the garden goes essentially Deni Lopez at (805) 520-6758. unattended. It is mulched heavily to prevent weeds, watered by an automatic sprinkler system, and then cleaned up when students return to a new school year in August. Then Garden of Learning they harvest the autumn crop (planted during the previous spring) and prepare for planting Submitted by Kelli Wessman the winter crops. The students continue to Louisiana Schnell Elementary School nurture the garden throughout the Placerville, California school year.

The garden at Louisiana Schnell Elementary Students use organic gardening techniques School started in much the same way to raise vegetables, flowers, and herbs. as other school gardens. Teachers and They tend the garden, tilling and weeding administrators, enthused by the potential of it. Ultimately, they eat part of what they a garden as an outdoor classroom, rounded produce, and sell the remainder at their own up parent volunteers and a small amount of “farmer’s market” during the spring to help funding, resulting in a garden as a part of the sustain the program. school landscape. The garden program also provides a The Schnell School Garden tremendous spectrum of experience-based learning that includes composting and Once the garden was built, the key players vermicomposting activities. Students build worked out the logistics of providing access compost piles, observing and comparing the for 20 classes every week of the school year. rate of decomposition for various materials. It was a daunting task. The school’s 450 This activity teaches them about scientific students were organized into small groups observation skills and the obstacles society so they could efficiently and effectively faces with waste management. carry out their garden activities. The groups are led by teachers and volunteer Vermicomposting is a large part of the “garden parents” from each classroom. garden program. It is implemented These parent volunteers receive ongoing throughout the year because it is so instruction and training to ensure the popular with the students. program’s sustainability. They work

30 As the very foundation of this school this of foundation very the As a curriculum and organizational system organizational and curriculum a Learning, of Garden the is program garden for running elementary school garden school elementary running for programs. The Garden of Learning program Learning of Garden The programs. Classroom Instruction Classroom was developed by Kelli Wessman,Schnell Kelli by developed was Connecting the Garden to Garden the Connecting School’s garden coordinator,School’shas garden and evolved since 1990. More than a than More 1990. since evolved science,andfine arts. dozen California schools use the use schools California dozen Garden of Learning program, with Kelli with program, Learning of Garden writing,math, nutrition, social studies, as a consultant. The program’s mission is program’smission The consultant. a as gardenisused toenhance skills inreading, to establish garden programs that teach that programs garden establish to activities with classroom studies. Thestudies. classroom with activities a wide variety of subjects and can be can and subjects of variety wide a Teachers integrate weekly garden weekly Teachersintegrate At the beginning of every school year,school every of beginning the At sustained over many years at minimal at years many over sustained in the Garden of Learning program. Learning of Garden the in students “rebuild” the contents of contents the “rebuild” students cost, by careful organizing and making and organizing careful by cost, are only a fraction of what is done is what of fraction a only are their huge “Worm Motel.” Then for Then “WormMotel.” huge their Activities with worms and composting and worms with Activities good use of parent and community and parent of use good the remainder of the year students year the of remainder the plots to enrich the soil. the enrich to plots scraps garden and lunch recycle volunteers. Motel and dig them into the garden the into them dig and Motel to feed the worms. The school’sThe worms. the feed to they remove castings from the Wormthe from castings remove they lunch staff supervises and monitors and supervises staff lunch which they will return in autumn, in return will they which the students as they separate out separate they as students the students replant the garden to garden the replant students the from materials compostable end of the school year,school before the of end the In waste. garden and food role in enriching the soil. At the At soil. the enriching in role their about and anatomy physical their about learning worms, the studying and examining enjoy They WormMotel. the from worms out” winter,“check of students middle

31 Placerville, CA 95667 / (530) 626-1083. (530) / 95667 CA Placerville, / Road Canyon Goose Wild 2400 Wessman/ Kelli contact: Learning, of Garden on information For House. Open during and spring the in held usually farmer’smarket, annual an be to tends event fundraising largest The excitement. community and help financial both generate events fundraising Garden tools. and materials supply which stores, hardware and nurseries local with partnerships through managed are expenses Garden contributions. cash make often groups local other and associations, farm local clubs, service Community clubs. parent from and councils site school to available funds discretionary from support financial benefits children in many ways: many in children benefits program garden well-structured A experiences. meaningful and rich with away come students curriculum, classroom to linked closely are that activities hands-on real-life, integrating how,by of example an is Learning of Garden 5. by life school busy the from respite a Provides 4. children as spirit cooperative true a Develops 3. all engages that learning for focus a Provides 2. in pride and ownership of sense a Fosters 1. large cash outlay. They typically receive outlay.typically cash They large a require don’t programs Learning of Garden their school. their allowing children to focus on a task in a in task a on focus to children allowing goal. common a toward together work styles. child’slearning a of smaller,setting. quieter themselves nurtured. themselves are they plants, nurturing and protecting what nurturing means-in the process of process the means-in nurturing what Provides for children an understanding of understanding an children for Provides

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers Appendix A Appendix B ••• Educational Materials ••• Web Sources • Closing the Loop: Exploring •• Vermicomposting Integrated Waste Management and Resource Conservation, California • The Worm Woman Integrated Waste Management Board, Mary Appelhof’s site for worm composting Sacramento California. offers a list of helpful resources and equipment (916) 341-6769 for both home and classroom worm bins. www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Schools/ www.wormwoman.com

• Do the Rot Thing: A Teacher’s • Worms! Guide to Compost Activities, The California Integrated Waste Management Alameda County Waste Management Board addresses the recovery of organic Authority and Alameda County resources. Teachers and students can learn the Source Reduction and Recycling role of vermicomposting and find a list of worm Board, San Leandro, California. and worm bin suppliers by county. (510) 635-6275 www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Organics/Worms/ www.stopwaste.org/edresources.html

• Composting Across the Curriculum, •• Composting Marin County Office of Waste Management, San Rafael, California. • Composting for Home Gardens (415) 499-6647 You will find helpful definitions of composting terms and examples of different types of • Creepy Crawlies for Curious Kids, Lynn available bins, provided by North Carolina Ransford, Teacher Created Materials, Inc., State University. Sunset Beach, California. www.ces.ncsu.edu/hil/hil-8100.html www.buyteachercreated.com/estore/ product/0217 • Composting in Schools The reader will learn in detail the science and • “Getting Hooked on Worms” in Grow Lab: engineering of composting, ideas for student Activities for Growing Minds, pp. 214–221, research projects, composting resource National Gardening Association, 180 Flynn materials, glossary of composting terms, and a Avenue, Burlington, Vermont 05401. composting quiz! There are numerous science • The Wonderful World of Wigglers, A project lessons for students in grades 6 through 12. Common Roots Guidebook, Julia Hand. Food http://compost.css.cornell.edu/schools.html Works, Montpelier, Vermont. • The National Gardening Association • Worms Eat Our Garbage, Mary Appelhof, RotWeb! provides detailed information about Mary Frances Fenton, Barbara Loss Harris. home composting and a how-to guide for Flower Press, Kalamazoo, Michigan. starting a composting system. The reader will also find a resource book list and information on demonstration sites. Rot Web is interested in listing your classroom's project on its website. www.kidsgardening.com

32 www. and a quiz to test your compost knowledge. compost your test to quiz a and cfm?contentid=2037 and needed supplies, as well as a case study case a as well as supplies, needed and • Garden in Every School Registry School Every in Garden • what to compost, how compost is made, is compost how compost, to what school, giving the public information about information public the giving school, Register your school garden, or identify or garden, school your Register start a waste prevention initiative in your in initiative prevention waste a start existing gardens in your area. your in gardens existing Environmental Defense describes how to how describes Defense Environmental www.kidsgardening.com/school/ Recycling Program Recycling searchform. • ••

Composting: Nature’sComposting: environmentaldefen www.cfaitc.org/ • www.mastercomposter.com• Garden/School Garden Garden/School You will find appropriate methods for methods appropriate find Youwill and students. and Classroom’s outreach to educators to Classroom’soutreach composting organic materials, organic composting Foundation for Agriculture in the in Agriculture for Foundation instructions for building bins, building for instructions materials support the California the support materials information on vermicomposting, on information student programs, and resource and programs, student and information on compost on information and Information on teacher training, teacher on Information methods other than piles or worm or piles than other methods Agriculture in the Classroom the in Agriculture bins. The “Find Your Local Program” YourLocal “Find The bins. • California Foundation for Foundation California • search function allows you to you allows function search programs in your local area. local your in programs training and contacts for search www.mastercomposter.com •• asp Agriculture

se.org/article.

33 • Gardens School • • • Youth Garden Grants YouthGarden • Schoolyard Edible The • TeacherGarden TrainingSchool •

www.cde.ca.gov/ www.kidsgardening.com/grants.asp States. United the throughout annually grants garden 400 offers Association Gardening National The encourages a garden in every school. every in garden a encourages and supports Division Services Nutrition Education of Department California The Instructional School garden Grants garden School Instructional Urban Agriculture Notes: School Gardens http://commserv.ucdavis.edu/CESanDiego/ www.cityfarmer.org/schgard15.html and Support and center for children.centerfor livinglearningbenefitsacreatesthe andasit schoolmaintaingardentoexamplesahow of Canada’sUrbanAgricultureOfficeof provides Schlgrdn/HomePage.html gardens. school elementary to specific activities and tips, resources, provides County Diego San of Extension Cooperative California of University The www.edibleschoolyard.org/ working and gardening, nature, of value community,the the with along children, school Berkeley,teaches in California, School Middle King Luther Martin at garden working The www.oaec.org/OAEC_Services.html Area. Bay the around and County Sonoma in gardens school for support and training teacher provides Center Ecology and Arts Occidental The prepareproducemealssite.fromgrownon together.

Children work in the garden and helpgardenChildrenandthe in work

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A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers •• Miscellaneous • The Master Gardeners The University of California Cooperative • Resources for Students Extension’s Master Gardeners Program and Teachers provides seminars, workshops, Alameda County Waste Management demonstrations, and plant clinics on Authority offers free worm bins and gardening/horticultural science to groups compost bins, along with many other of all ages. The page also provides free resources and information on numerous links for the consumer and field trips and school grants, for backyard grower. teachers and schools in Alameda http://fruitsandnuts.ucdavis.edu County. www.stopwaste.org/fseducate.html • United States Department of Agriculture: Browse USDA Web Site by Subject • Earthworm Ecology in California The United States Department of Agriculture Interesting information is presented site addresses issues such as food recovery on relatives of the red worm—earth- and nutrition education. worms! www.usda.gov/subject/subject.html http://danr.ucop.edu/ihrmp/oak99.htm • Worm Talk! • Food Scrap Management Post questions and answers about a variety of The California Integrated Waste worm-related topics on this site belonging to Management Board offers food scrap the Happy D Ranch Worm Farm. prevention tips and suggestions for www.happydranch.com/wormtalk/index.cgi both on- and off-site composting. www.ciwmb.ca.gov/FoodWaste/

• Integrated Environmental Studies Appendix C Environmental Education, Native American ••• Lands: A Cultural Approach to Integrated Reuse Options Environmental Studies is a comprehensive • California Materials Exchange lesson plan, which includes several activities California Materials Exchange (CalMAX) is encompassing waste management. Check out a statewide materials exchange program lessons 46, 47, and 48 on school composting, sponsored by the California Integrated vermiculture, and school gardening. By Waste Management Board and is generally participating in these activities, primary and advertised as “the waste-not want secondary grade students will understand ads” for businesses, industry, nonprofit the process and benefits of how waste organizations, and institutions.” materials become useful to the soil through (877) 520-9703 (toll-free) decomposition. [email protected] www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/tribal/educout. www.ciwmb.ca.gov/CalMAX/ htm#k12

• Junior Master Gardener Junior Master Gardener is an international youth gardening program that uses fun activities to teach horticulture and environmental science concepts. www.jmgkids.com

34 (626) 458-2196 (626) Fax: (626) 458-3593 (626) Fax: Alhambra, CA 91803-1331 CA Alhambra, [email protected] 900 S. Fremont Avenue, 3rd Floor Annex Floor Avenue,3rd Fremont S. 900 Environmental Programs Division Programs Environmental www.ladpw.org/epd/lacomax/ L. A. County Department of Public WorksPublic of Department County A. L. • Jennifer Nguyen Jennifer Exchange Program Exchange Exchange Program Exchange City of Napa Public WorksPublic Napa of City • Napa County Materials County Napa • Department WasteReduction Department and Recycling Coordinator Recycling and KidMAX is a specific part of CalMAX and CalMAX of part specific a is KidMAX P.O.660 Box MiniMAXs.htm L.A. County Materials County L.A. KidMAX is the catchphrase for promoting CalMAX promoting for catchphrase the is www.ciwmb.ca.gov/CalMAX/ Napa, CA 94559-0660 CA Napa, in California’s schools. KidMAX offers KidMAX California’sschools. in (707) 257-9520 ext.7291 257-9520 (707) enrich their classrooms. their enrich free and/or bargain-priced materials bargain-priced and/or free administrators will find resources to resources find will administrators Fax: (707) 257-9522 (707) Fax: and free advertisements (for wanted (for advertisements free and curricula, teachers and school and teachers curricula, or available materials). available or computers to environmental to computers [email protected] (877) 520-9703 (toll-free) 520-9703 (877) administrators. From art supplies and supplies art From administrators. [email protected] California public school teachers and teachers school public California www.ciwmb.ca.gov/CalMAX/ and recycling resources that will help will that resources recycling and KidMAX.htm state that includes a variety of reuse of variety a includes that state specific counties throughout the throughout counties specific Exchange (MiniMAX) Programs (MiniMAX) Exchange Material Local California • local material exchange listings for listings exchange material local provides program MiniMAX The

35 • • • • • Sonoma County Materials Exchange Program Exchange Materials County Sonoma Sha Materials County Cruz Santa Ventura County Materials Exchange Program Exchange Materials VenturaCounty Builder’sExchange Solano-Napa Management Department Management Fax: (805) 648-9233 (805) Fax: 93009-1650 Ventura,CA 800 S. Victoria AvenueVictoria S. 800 www.vcmax.org WasteSolid VenturaCounty Contact: (805) 648-9226 (805) Santa Rosa, CA 95403 CA Rosa, Santa 2255 Abernathy Lane Abernathy 2255 P.O.1188 Box www.recyclenow.org/sonomax/ (831) 426-5925 ext. 28 ext. 426-5925 (831) 575 Administration Drive, Room 117A Room Drive, Administration 575 Redding, CA 96049-6071 CA Redding, Fax: (717) 255-2749 (717) Fax: Eco-Desk Hotline: (707) 565-DESK (3375) www.grn.com/exch/aa027669.html www.ecoact.org/waste/promax temp/zero (707) 565-3668 (707) Solid WasteUtility Solid Napa, CA 94558 CA Napa, Santa Cruz, CA 95061-1188 CA Cruz, Santa Contact: Sonoma County WasteCounty Sonoma Contact: [email protected] Redding of City The Contact: [email protected] Action Ecology Contact: http://[email protected] Dorado Camino 135 [email protected] (707) 255-2515 (707) (530) 224-6201 (530) P.O.496071 Box Exchange Program Exchange Management Agency Management sta County Materials Exchange Program Exchange Materials County

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A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers v School- and Vermicomposting- 46-350 Arabia Street Related Reuse Stores Indio, CA 92201 There are many school- and (760) 863-7777 vermicomposting-related reuse stores Fax: (760) 863-8973 that carry different types of materials [email protected] useful for teachers and/or schools. An www.nonprofitpages.com/scrapgallery “NP” designation indicates a group’s nonprofit status, and “GOV” indicates a governmental agency. •• Book Supplies

••Art Supplies and Materials • Books for the Barrios (NP) Books for the Barrios delivers mass • Art from Scrap (NP) Community Environmental Council quantities of quality educational materials, 302 East Cota procured from donor individuals and the discards of U.S. public school districts, to Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (805) 884-0459 the most remote disadvantaged schools in Fax: (805) 884-1879 developing countries. [email protected] 1125 Widget Lane www.communityenvironmentalcouncil. Walnut Creek, CA 94598 org/artfromscrap/ (925) 687-7701 Fax: (925) 687-8298 • Creative Reuse, North Bay (NP) [email protected] P.O. Box 1802 www.booksforthebarrios.com/ Santa Rosa, CA 95402-1802 (707) 546-3340 • Sacramento Surplus Book Room (NP) The Sacramento Surplus Book Room • East Bay Depot Center for facilitates the collection and distribution Creative Reuse (NP) of surplus textbooks, providing quality 6713 San Pablo Avenue textbooks to schools, teachers, children, Oakland, CA 94608 and parents. (510) 547-6470 4121 Power Inn Road Fax: (510) 655-6536 Sacramento, CA 95826 www.eastbaydepot.com (916) 454-3459 Fax: (916) 454-0118 • Scroungers’ Center for Reusable Art Parts [email protected] (SCRAP) (NP) www.bookroom.org 801 Toland Street San Francisco, CA 94124 (415) 647-1746 Fax: (415) 587-1768 [email protected] www.scrap-sf.org

• Student Creative Recycle Art Program (S.C.R.A.P.) Gallery (NP) Riverside County Fairgrounds

36 waste each day.each waste food of pound one approximately process will • approximately one pound of worms, which worms, of pound one approximately — One nontransparent plastic storage plastic nontransparent One — container (21” long x 15” wide x 12” x wide 15” x long (21” container worm bin is easy. This bin can house can bin easy.This is bin worm Transforming a plastic storage container into a into container storage plastic Transforminga high) with a tight-fitting lid tight-fitting a with high) •• — Four plastic bottle caps or wooden blocks wooden or caps bottle plastic Four — Materials (scrap wood blocks will work) will blocks wood (scrap Instructions ••• — Four 5/8” screws or “super glue” “super or screws 5/8” Four — Plastic WormBin Plastic • D Appendix •• — Power drill with 1/4” bit 1/4” with drill Power — Tools www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Reuse/Links/ Worm Bin Assembly Assembly WormBin Food.htm www.raft.net Please be safe! be Please [email protected] •• Fax: (408) 451-1428 (408) Fax: Food Rescue Programs Rescue Food protection when drilling. when protection (408) 451-1420 (408) Supplies San Jose, CA 95131 CA Jose, San • 1355 Ridder Park Drive Park Ridder 1355 3224 Riverside Drive Riverside 3224 (RAFT)(NP) Fax: (213) 485-9237 (213) Fax: Los Angeles, CA 90027 CA Angeles, Los (213) 485-1097 (213) • www.lashares.org

L.A. SHARES (NP) SHARES L.A. School Materials and Materials School ResourceArea for Teachers

Wear earplugs and eye and Wearearplugs

37 — Power drill with 1/4” bit 1/4” with drill Power — •• • — Long straight-edge or chalk snap line snap chalk or straight-edge Long — • Hardware Lumber • • — Twosawhorses — — Saw — — Tapemeasure — Assembly Tools Materials Cost — Thirty-two 1” galvanized screws galvanized 1” Thirty-two — — One 8-foot, 1” x 2” board 2” x 1” 8-foot, One — great!) works sheet cookie or tray TV old An (Hint: castings. or liquid any collect to bin the underneath tray a or plastic of sheet a Place bin. worm the of base the from drain to liquid and circulate to air allow will “feet” These bin. the of corners four the of each underneath cap bottle plastic or block wooden one attach glue, or screws the either Using drainage. and ventilation for apart, inches three approximately bin, plastic the of bottom the in holes Drill you use recycled or scrap materials. scrap or recycled use you if money less for or hardware, and wood new with $30 about for built be can bin wooden This grade plywood grade — One 4’ x 8’ sheet of 1/2” exterior 1/2” of sheet 8’ x 4’ One — — Eight 1–1/2” galvanized screws galvanized 1–1/2” Eight — — Two 3” hinges Two3” — — Approximately— 12 galvanized screws, 1/2” pounds of food waste each day.each waste food of pounds four approximately process will which worms, of pounds four approximately house can bin worm This content. moisture proper the maintain to watering need occasionally may it so well, breathes bin worm wooden A simple. relatively be should project the diagrams, and directions the follow you if but bin, worm wooden this construct to required are skills carpentry Basic “estate”! bin worm wooden a Build Large WoodenWormBin Large

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers Please be safe! Wear earplugs, eye protection, and a dust mask when 1" x 2" sawing, hammering, and drilling. 48"

• Assembly 16" Preparation 1. Measure and cut the sheet of plywood as indicated in Diagram 1.

You will then have two side pieces, 24" two end pieces, a base, and a top. Diagram 2

Base 1. Set the base panel on top of the box “walls” so the panel edges are flush with the walls.

2. Secure the base panel to the walls by drilling one 1” screw through the panel into the 1” x 2” piece at each corner of the box.

3. Using a 1/4” drill bit, drill holes into the base Diagram 1 panel. One hole every three to four inches should allow for sufficient ventilation.

4. Cut the remaining 1” x 2” board into two 16” Bin pieces. These will be the “feet” of the bin. 1. Cut four 16” pieces from the 1” x 2” board. 5. Set one piece on each of the base panel’s 2. Place the 1” side of one piece against the short ends, so the 2” side of each piece is 16” edge of an end panel. Position the against the panel. piece so it is flush against the panel edge and corners. Secure the piece to the end panel 6. Secure each 1” x 2” piece using four with three 1” screws. Repeat this process for 1–1/2” screws. the other 16” panel edge (Diagram 2). 7. Flip the box over, so that the feet are 3. Repeat step 2 for the other end panel. touching the ground (Diagram 2).

4. Secure the side panels to the end panels by Lid drilling four 1” screws through the end of each 1. Attach the two hinges to one side of side panel into each 1” x 2” piece at each the top panel (Diagram 3) using 1/2” screws. corner of the box. 2. Secure the lid to the box by drilling 1/2” screws through the bottom part of each hinge into the inside of one side panel. You may need extra hands to do this!

38 per day.per • The size bin you choose determines the determines choose you bin size The cost of the materials. Determine the size by size the Determine materials. the of cost approximately six pounds of food waste food of pounds six approximately analyzing the space you have available on available have you space the analyzing six pounds of worms, which will process will which worms, of pounds six which to house the bin and by the amount the by and bin the house to which high. This size bin can house approximately house can bin size This high. of food you are planning to process. to planning are you food of the dimensions of 4’ wide x 3’ long x 2’ x long 3’ x wide 4’ of dimensions the Cinder blocks and materials for a lid can be can lid a for materials and blocks Cinder Cost for building a cinder block worm bin with bin worm block cinder a building for 16" purchased at your local hardware store. hardware local your at purchased away of castings. These are instructions are These castings. of away reused after a good spray-off to clean it clean to spray-off good a after reused type of bin, the cinder blocks can be can blocks cinder the bin, of type decide to vermicompost with a different a with vermicompost to decide of the bin. Also, if at a later date you date later a at if Also, bin. the of

regulating the internal temperature internal the regulating The blocks are very sturdy and aid in aid and sturdy very are blocks The can be assembled in no time at all. at time no in assembled be can to use for an outdoor worm bin and bin worm outdoor an for use to Cinder blocks are a great material great a are blocks Cinder ••

Cinder Block WormBin Block Cinder

1" x2" 48" Diagram 3 Diagram Base Panel (plywood) Side Panel

(plywood)

(plywood)

To

p

Panel 48"

16" 24"

24" 1

/ 2 " Screw s 39 and the block’s closest outside edge. outside block’sclosest the and sawing, hammering, and drilling. and hammering, sawing, protection, and a dust mask when mask dust a and protection, distance between the cinder block hole block cinder the between distance you will need to modify the lumber sizes and sizes lumber the modify to need will you size, other any is rectangle your If rectangle. 3’ x 4’ a form will block cinder size This Note: wide) 6” x long (12” blocks cinder 36 — — 3/4” screws (approximately 38, depending 38, (approximately screws 3/4” — — Screwdriver or electric drill electric or Screwdriver — lid) secure to want you if (optional, — — Hardware — — — Lumber instructions. • Please be safe! be Please gun staple Heavy-duty — — • — — — — form right angles right form Then add 1” to that dimension. that to 1” add Then hinges you buy) you hinges Cinder Blocks Cinder one “leg” equal to that measurement.) that to equal “leg” one Purchase brackets which have at least at have which brackets Purchase and brackets the in holes of number the on — Tapemeasure — — Saw — Tools Materials 4–8 L-shaped brackets (Measure the (Measure brackets L-shaped 4–8 4.) least (at screws 1–3/4” T-Square or other device to help to device T-Squareother or gun staple heavy-duty for Staples chain 1/2”-thick of length 85” One screws needed and latch 1 hinges 2 Two 4’2” lengths of 1” x 4” lumber 4” x 1” of lengths Two4’2” lumber 4” x 1” of lengths Two3’ plywood 1”-thick grade, exterior 3’2”, x 4’2”

Wear earplugs, eye Wearearplugs,

A Vermicomposting Guide for Teachers • Assembly Brackets Select an outside area where you will 1"x 2" house your bin. Keep convenience and Wood ease of maintenance in mind.

Bin 1. Lay out the first layer of cinder Diagram 3 blocks, to form a 4’ x 3’ rectangle (Diagram 1). Be sure to have the holes 3. Use four to eight brackets (either one or of the blocks facing upwards. Make two on each side of the frame, depending sure the ends of the blocks are tight on your preference) to secure the frame against one another. to the cinder blocks (Diagram 3). To do this, screw one leg of each bracket into 48" the top of the frame using 3/4” screws; the other leg will extend into the cinder block hole.

4. Attach hinges to one of the 4’2” sides of 36" the plywood lid using 3/4” screws (Diagram 4). As an option, you may decide to attach a latch to the side opposite the hinges in order to further guard against rodents and other unwanted critters. Diagram 1

2. Add the second and third layers of blocks, alternating the blocks for each layer so that the edges of the blocks line up in rows 1 and 3 only. Make sure that the top level of blocks is flush, so that the lid will lie Hinges evenly (Diagram 2). Brackets

48" 1"x 2" Wood 36"

Diagram 4

Diagram 2 5. Place the lid on top of the bin so that the hinged side is at the back and the latch Lid side is at the front. Screw the hinges into 1. Measure the outside perimeter of your the bin frame to secure the lid to the bin newly formed bin to be sure it is 4’ x 3’, as using 3/4” screws. Attach the bottom part the instructions that follow are intended for of the latch to the front of the bin frame those exact dimensions. and check to see that it opens easily.

2. To make the lid frame, screw together the 3’ and 4’2” length pieces of lumber, using the 1–3/4” screws to form a rectangular frame around the rim of the cinder block bin structure (Diagram 3).

40 For additional activities, please go to our to go please activities, additional For Curriculum/Worms/ website at: website BinSuply.htm www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Organics/Worms/ supplier information: supplier 6. Our website provides the most current most the provides website Our of the chain to the outside edge of one of edge outside the to chain the of Worm Bin Supplie ••WormBin side of the bin frame. Attach the other the Attach frame. bin the of side Using the staple gun, attach one end one attach gun, staple the Using end of the chain to the outside edge outside the to chain the of end of the lid. the of WrmSuply.htm For additional information regarding information additional For www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Organics/Worms/ worm suppliers, worm bin suppliers, bin worm suppliers, worm current supplier information: supplier current and lessons from Closing the Loop, the Closing from lessons and Our website provides the most the provides website Our visit the CIWMB website at: website CIWMB the visit •• Curriculum/Worms/ www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Schools/ W www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Schools/ orm Suppliers orm

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