Savvy Parenting : Composting 101: Let Worms Eat Your Garbage! The Savvy Source for Parents

Do your kids love dirt and worms? Are you looking for an eco-friendly family project to celebrate Earth Day? I have the perfect idea for you. Try vermicomposting with your kids.

Vermicomposting is the process of using worms to eat your kitchen garbage and turn it into nutrient-right compost material for your garden. The traditional composting process can be a bit intimidating, but vermicomposting is an inexpensive, straightforward process that any family can do (no matter how much space you have).

In order to get started vermicomposting, you need three things: red wiggler worms, a home for your new "pets," and the right kind of kitchen scraps. Red wiggler worms are available from a variety of suppliers. Check out the Urban Worm Girl for worms and other supplies. You can buy a "wormerie" or make your own. We use plastic bins with holes drilled in the lid. We added slightly damp, shredded paper and the worms along with some of the dirt they came with. We feed them kitchen waste including coffee grinds, fruit and vegetable scraps and eggshells. In a few months, we will have compost ready to sprinkle on our garden!

For more details and additional local resources, check out my article in the April issue of Chicago Parent Magazine.

Caitlin is the Chicago City Editor for The Savvy Source. You can read more of her work every day at Being Savvy Chicago.

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