The 7th & 8th Grade Greenhouse Program

1. Composting & Vermicomposting The 7th & 8th Grade Greenhouse Program

2. Composting Grant • Teacher Center Grant in fall of 2007 • Student driven learning and research • Process: • KWL • Essential Questions • Background info and guided research • Made type, location, size recommendations based on research • Culmination of a semester’s worth of work

3. What is Compost? • Humus: Rich, dark, earthy material made of decayed plant material. • Nutrient-rich, natural fertilizer. • One of nature’s best mulches and soil amendments • Cheap way to improve soil fertility

4. Why Make Compost? • Plants will have stronger roots • Loosens clay soil • Creates healthy, balanced soil • Food for micro-organisms • Best soil additive

5. Why Make Compost? ( Continued…) • Improves aeration • Soil can hold more water • Copies the way nature breaks down wastes • Cheap!

6. Benefits to the Community • Healthier on the community (less land fills) • LESS TRASH because 1\3 of all trash is organic waste that could be composted • Creates more useable space • Saves money on buying store fertilizer and soil

7. What to Put in Your Compost • Compost needs a proper ratio of “green” to “brown” materials to work • “Green” materials-nitrogen-rich materials, such as such grass clippings, vegetable scraps • “Brown” materials- carbon-rich materials such as leaves, straw, woodchips, pine needles, newspapers • Ratio: 2 parts brown to 1 part green (2:1) • Too much carbon- breaks down too slowly • Too much nitrogen- it will putrefy (stink)!

8. What NOT to Put in Your Compost • Meat • Dairy • High fat foods • Treated wood • Metal • Trash • Lime • Dog/Cat waste • Pesticides (including too many banana peels!)

9. Qualities of a Good Compost Site • Level place • Sheltered spot from too much cold or too much heat • You need an effective storage system • Well drained area

10. Passive vs. Managed Composting ( Passive) • Passive composting means to just let it sit. You don’t have to do anything to the pile. • Least amount of time to maintain • Most amount of time to get usable compost

11. Passive vs. Managed Composting (Managed) • Managed composting means to be involved with it and actively participate. You would have to turn the pile every now and then. • Most amount of time to maintain • Least amount of time to get usable compost • There is a wide range between passive and managed composting.

12. How Air, Water and Temperature Affect Composting Rates • Temperature- • If it is too hot then it attracts flies and the micro-organisms can die. • If it is too cold the micro-organisms could die.

13. Water • Water- • If it is too dry the decomposing process slows down. • If it is too wet, then it will flood. Water replaces the air creating an anaerobic (no oxygen) environment and slows decomposition. The micro-organisms can’t live.

14. Air • Air Circulation- • The organisms that are in the compost pile need air to live and decompose the materials there. • You need good ventilation and to turn the pile often.

15. Types of Composting Bins There are a few types of composting bins: • 1) Holding Unit: Simply holds the materials to be composted

16. Types of Composting Bins • 2) Turning Unit: Lets you turn the composting materials so they can decompose faster • 3) Or you can just make a pile!

17. What is Vermicomposting? • Composting with worms • Uses red worms that produce castings (worm poop) • Should be in a shady area • Great for composting food waste or for composting in small places

18. Benefits of Vermicomposting • There are many benefits of vermicomposting over traditional composting. Here are a few: • 1) doesn't stink • 2) takes low maintenance • 3) easy (if you have the patience) • 4) can do it in a small space, even inside!

19. Types of Vermicomposting Bins • Non-Continuous (or Batch Composter) • This type of bin is used because it is small and easy to build. • Relatively difficult to harvest compost because the materials and worms must be separated when harvesting.

20. Types of Vermicomposting Bins • Continuous Horizontal Flow • A series of bins lined up horizontally. • Relies on the earthworms migrating sideways towards food. • Larger than a non-continuous system but can be used indoors • Easier to harvest the compost. • Get useable compost faster!

21. Types of Vermicomposting Bins • Continuous Vertical Flow • Series of bins stacked vertically. • Relies on the worms moving upwards towards food. • Can be used in doors. • Easy to harvest compost because worms move to the trays in the bin where fresh food is.

22. How do You Care for a Worm Bin? • Materials You’ll Need- • Bedding (newspapers) or “Brown” Material • Water • Worms • Food scraps • Temperature-between 14° and 25°c (50 °F and 80 °F) • PH should be neutral to slightly acidic • Needs to have holes to allow oxygen in.

23. Worm Bedding • You can use: • Potting soil • Shredded paper or newspaper • Leaves • Peat moss • Hay • Sawdust • Needs to be kept moist and loose

24. Worms Like to Eat Food Scraps • Egg shells • Fruit • Coffee grinds • Veggies • No meat • No dairy things • No greasy foods (It coats their bodies, and they can’t breathe) • Don’t add new food until the old food is gone

25. How Much Does a Worm Eat? • For one pound per day of food waste, you’ll need 2000 worms! • When the bin is new, feed them one-half their body weight per day • Eventually, they will eat their body weight in one day!

26. Why Does Our School Need a Vermicomposting Bin? • Our school needs a vermicomposting bin so we can take responsibility for our school’s waste systems and help the Spencer Schools work towards being a “green school”. • We can use the compost product for our plants in the Green House Program • We can sell worms for profit.

27. What is a Waste Audit? • A test to measure how much compostable material a certain group (sixth grade) produces over a set amount of time • Labeled trash cans will separate compostable material from trash • A tally will count number of people dumping waste • We will measure compostable material collected, then use the information to calculate average amount of waste contributed by each individual • We will use this information to figure out bin size and amount of worms needed

28. Waste Audit Results • Waste audit conducted 1/24/08 to determine amount of waste generated: • 4.1 lbs of compostable waste was generated by 91 students • On average S-VE students generate: • 14.35 lbs of compostable waste per day • 71.5 lbs of compostable waste per week • 2,583 lbs of compostable waste per year • 29 lbs of worms are needed to consume an average day’s compostable waste! • We will use this information to: • determine the size of the worm bin we need • Determine the number of worms we need

29. Next Steps: We’re Not Done Yet! • Conduct school wide (grades 5-8) lunch waste audit week of March 3rd, 2008. • Was 6th grade a valid and reliable sample? • Would it look different with other grades? • What about breakfast? Kitchen scraps? • Determine location of worm bin (Sarah) • Purchasing • Staff and student education

30. A Special Thank You This project is partially funded by the Schuyler-Chemung-Tioga/Corning Teacher Center. The SCT/C Teacher Center offers a mini-grant program each year to area educators to develop innovative projects that impact instruction and student learning. We thank you for your generous support of our project.