Goal For The Green

Well, here it is Saturday again.  I don’t know if you agree but, most Saturday evenings, there is just nothing on TV.  At least, that is what I thought last weekend, when I convinced my husband to watch “The Garbage Moguls,” on the science channel.  So, here I was watching this program, mouth hanging open in utter amazement, thinking UNBELIEVABLE!

If you didn’t know, this week has been National Compost week.  Most people that are into gardening, know that worm castings (vermicompost) is like black gold for your garden. I know this to be true, by working at a local worm farm, where developmentally  disabled adults maintain the worm bins. They chop after market fruits and vegetables, feed the worms, and then dry, sift and bag the castings.  You then, can make your own worm tea (liquified worm poop) from the bagged product (castings).

In 2001, two Princeton University students, Tom Szaky and Jon Beyer, set out to turn the concept of  worm compost, into a real-life commercially viable “green” business. Thus, TerraCycle was born.

The TerraCycle Story, is a story of Eco-Capitalism at its finest.  The flagship product,   TerraCycle Plant Food™, is 100% organic certified, liquid plant food, made from worm waste (poop).  It is then, packaged in reused soda bottles, the sprayers are other companies leftovers, and the boxes that they use for shipping, would have been trashed for printing mistakes.  To date, this company has kept at least 100 million tons of plastic bottles, juice pouches, and other types of packaging out of landfills.

Today, TerraCycle  can be credited for not only turning something as simple as worm poop, into a household name, but for leading the way in how we look at many environmental issues.  They look at new and innovative ways to take the waste that people and companies generate on a daily basis, and turn garbage, that would otherwise wind up in our landfills, into 100% profitable and usable products.

TerraCycle has teamed up with such companies as Office Max, Office Depot, WalMart and Home Depot, to name a few of their clients, to bring you new (from recycled material) and unique products.  The company collects all kinds of waste products, such as discarded electronics, soda bottles, drink pouches, cookie wrappers, and yes, worm poop (their flagship product) and turns it into household cleaners,  office supplies, backpacks and other usefully unique products.

This young and unique company, has not only successfully turned trash into gold, but they have given new meaning to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.  They truly are working toward a better tomorrow for the entire planet!

Yesterday was an 80 degree day here in western Washington. We had many things to accomplish at the worm farm, where I work. Work starts at 8A.M. The workers arrive on the Access Bus, ready to start the day. They work a four hour shift. There are five adults, two young men and three young women, all in their 20’s or 30’s. Most of them are Autistic, and in this group they all speak.

We have three 4×30 foot bins that the clients help feed and maintain. The end result is a master gardener’s delight. The product is 100% organic certified vermicompost. A moist, rich soil amendment for both indoor and outdoor plants.

The plan for the day was to feed the worms, bag some product, pick a couple pounds of worms for a customer, and chop some more after market vegetables. Most of the time they do pretty good at staying on task, but yesterday they were just plain silly. They love music, so we have to have the radio on…the oldies station. We got the worms fed in about forty -five minutes. Each bucket is about 20 lbs of vegetable slop mixed with shredded newspaper. It is spread evenly in each bin. On top of that, goes used coffee grounds from coffee stands, and then a light layer of more shredded newspaper.

After the main project of feeding the worms, was done they wanted to work outside. So, they had their works stations with buckets, shovels, chairs and spinach that they needed to chop. Then that song “Shake Your Booty” came on the radio. They all got up and started shaking their booties and laughing. Then when it was over,one of th guys said in a high pitched voice “Chicken dance–Chicken dance.” Well, they all got a big surprise when Christa (my co-worker) and I, came outside doing the funky chicken! It was pretty funny…they were laughing and laughing. It’s amazing sometimes, how it doesn’t take much to amuse them or make their day sparkle and shine. They are all very scheduled and as is typical of autism, they don’t adapt well to change in their routine. All that aside, we do cut loose once in awhile and have fun, even at work.

It always amazes me how most of them usually always wear a smile. They could have so much more to complain about than they do. With autism though, many can not convey their feelings or emotions. For some they don’t feel physical pain and are unable to tell you where they hurt, or if they hurt. For me, I don’t know if I could cope with what they have to on a regular daily basis. That is why I feel they have as much reason and purpose in life as the rest of us do. They just have to try so much harder to have some kind of “normal.” They really do want to be “normal” just like everyone else. I feel like the lucky one, to give them a six hour slice of my day. Most of the time it’s not like work. Besides, it helps me be both thankful and grateful for the blessings in my life.