Teaching Sustainability

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Teaching Sustainability Interdisciplinary
Inclusion within Middle School through
vermicomposting.
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Course Description

• Community Science service based learning through
  Aloha Aina Project and vermicomposting.
• Through the Aloha Aina project we investigate our
  relationship to the Aina and how it is influenced
  by cultural traditions.
• We will encourage, reduce, recycle and reuse as a
  standard for sustainability in the Aina. Aina
  that which nourishes.

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Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Act

• Sustainable Economy Hawaii's physical isolation,
  reliance on imports for food and supplies, and
  economic dependence on tourism makes our state
  highly sensitive to national and global economic
  conditions.
• Sustainable Society Hawaii is a unique and
  beautiful state for many, it is an ideal place
  to live and is second to none for providing a
  preferred quality of life.

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Hawaii 2050 Sustainability Act

• Sustainable Environment Hawaii is a marvel of
  natural beauty and resources. Our skies are
  clean, our drinking water is among the best in
  the world and oceans, beaches, forests and
  mountains make our Islands one of the best places
  to live in the world.

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Why Compost?

• Save money on soil amendments, fertilizer water
• Produce Healthier Plants Stimulate growth,
  improve disease resistance drought tolerance
• Improve Soil Structure Create lighter yet more
  absorbent soil
• Improve Soil Chemistry Soften alkaline or acidic
  soil, increase micronutrient availability
• Save Water Improve water penetration (clay
  soils) retention (sandy soils)
• Reduce the Waste Stream By diverting materials
  headed for the landfill

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The FACTS

• Annually, 50,000 tons of food waste alone is
  generated on Oahu.
• The average family generates four pounds of food
  waste per week. If only 5,000 households shifted
  their practice of flushing or throwing away food
  waste to feeding a worm colony...
• 5,000 households x 4 pounds 20,000 pounds or 10
  tons 10 tons x 52 weeks 520 tons of waste are
  diverted from Oahu's wastestream each year.
• IMAGINE WHAT A SCHOOL COULD DO?

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Where do you start?

• Teachers Worm Workshop
• Teachers' Worm Workshops are comprehensive,
  professional-level, hands-on sessions in two
  separate two-hour classes that may be scheduled
  on your campus after school, weekends, or for
  in-service days, retreats, or conferences.
• Each participant receives a Mini-Bin and starter
  colony of worms, 4 oz. sample of vermicast, and
  Hawaii Teacher's Guide to Classroom
  Vermicomposting.
• Minimum registration is 5 teachers maximum 20.
  The fee is 200 plus 20 per participant for
  materials. Waikiki Worm Co. is an approved DOE
  vendor.
• Visit www.wakikiworm.com for more information

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FYI There is Funding for School Worms!

• Funding up to 500 per year per school is
  available for Teachers Worm Workshops and other
  school worm recycling projects through the City
  County Recycling Office.
• Go to their website at www.opala.org and scroll
  down to Recycling Teaching Partners to download
  the Recycling Project Proposal form. On-going, no
  deadline.

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No time for Workshops?

• You can purchase your own starter bin and guide
  through the Wakiki Worm Company
• There are also community workshops that you can
  attend on Saturday and Sundays at various
  locations and dates for only 30.00 where you
  will receive your own mini-bin like the ones
  featured here today.

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What is a Worm Bin

• Worm boxes can be purchased or made. Plastic
  storage containers are convenient and come in a
  variety of sizes.
• These containers are easily transported and are a
  nice alternative to heavier wood bins.
• Many people choose to have several small bins as
  opposed to one heavier, large wood bin.
• Small bins work best in homes, apartments and
  school classrooms. They are easy to tuck under
  desks, place below kitchen sinks and keep out of
  the way in laundry rooms. 

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How to make a Worm Bin

• Depending on the size of the container, drill 8
  to 12 holes (1/4 - l/2 inches) in the bottom for
  aeration and drainage. A plastic bin may need
  more drainage
• If contents get too wet, drill more holes. Raise
  the bin on bricks or wooden blocks, and place a
  tray underneath to capture excess liquid which
  can be used as liquid plant fertilizer. 

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Covering the Bin

• The bin needs a cover to conserve moisture and
  provide darkness for the worms.
• If the bin is indoors, a sheet of dark plastic or
  burlap sacking placed loosely on top of the
  bedding is sufficient as a cover.
• For outdoor bins, a solid lid is preferable, to
  keep out unwanted scavengers and rain. Like us,
  worms need air to live, so be sure to have your
  bin sufficiently ventilated. 

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What goes into the Worm Bin

• The bedding for vermicomposting systems must be
  able to retain both moisture and air while
  providing a place for the worms to live.
• Shredded corrugated cardboard
• Shredded paper like newspaper and computer paper

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Next, Just Add Water

• Water is needed to moisten the bedding
• Add water until it covers the bedding. Allow the
  bedding to absorb as much water as possible
  before putting it in the worm bin.
• This could take from two to 24 hours, depending
  on the bedding used. 
• The bedding should feel like a well-wrung
  washcloth. Place the bedding in the bin and
  fluff. 

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The Right Kind of Worm

• Composting worms in Hawaii is Perionyx excavatus,
  also called Indian blue, Malaysian blue, or
  blueworm.
• Robust blueworms collected from local family
  farms may be purchased from Waikiki Worm Company
  or you can order them through lawn and garden
  catalogs
• You may also be able to find them in a bait store

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Feeding

• The kitchen waste fed to worms can come from a
  variety of sources, including all vegetable and
  fruit waste
• Avoid meat and dairy
• First, and foremost, START SLOWLY
• If you feed them too much your bin will smell
• They will not starvethey eat bedding

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Harvesting

• In about 3-4 months, the worms will have digested
  nearly all the garbage and bedding and the bin
  will be filled with a rich, black natural
  fertilizer and soil amendment.
• To keep your bin going, you will need to remove
  the castings from time to time
• Just sift out the worms, remove the old bedding
  and put fresh bedding into the bin

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Ready to Worm?

• No need to create extra work for yourself.
• There are plenty of lesson plans for
  vermicomposting on the web.
• Great Sources include
• Cornell Composting
• http//compost.css.cornell.edu/CompostingHomepage.
  html
• Aggie Horticulture
• http//aggiehorticulture.tamu.edu/extension/compos
  tfacility/worm1.htm

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Cornells Featured LessonsGrades 6th-8th

• Recycling
• Don't Be Last To Join In Recycle Today
• Math Problems Aluminum Recycling
•  
• Composting
• Composting A Great, Rotten Idea
• Watching Waste Rot
• How Hot Is My Compost?

• Reduction, Reuse, Prevention
• Recycling and Precycling
• Do We Throw This Away Or Fix It?
• Trash or Treasure?
• Wise Use Of Paper
• Packaging Design
• How Do We Decide?
• Toxics Lesson Plan
•  
•  

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Cornells Featured LessonsGrades 6th-8th

• Other
• What Is This Computer Made Of?
• Supply And Demand

• What We Do With What's Left
• Not In My Backyard Siting Resource Recovery
  Facility
• How Do Landfills Work?
• Solid Waste - General
• Garbology
• Map Your Area
• Human Problem Solvers
•  

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Aggie Horticultures Featured Lessons Grades
K-6th

• Lesson Plan 5 Purpose To show students how
  different types of paper will affect the quality
  of recycled paper.
• Lesson Plan 6 Biodegradability Capsule (2nd
  3rd grades)
• Lesson Plan 7 Fireplace Logs From Newspapers
  (1st - 6th)
• Lesson Plan8 Is Your School a Dumping Ground?
  (5th)

• Lesson Plan 1 Purpose To show students what
  happens to the trash they throw away.
• Lesson Plan 2 Purpose To show students the
  potential hazardous effects of common household
  products
• Lesson Plan 3 Pupose To show students
  alternatives to household products that are not
  as hazardous to the environment.
• Lesson Plan 4 Purpose To show students that
  reusing items decreases waste.

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Aggie Horticultures Featured Lessons Grades
K-6th

• Lesson 13 How hot is my compost? For (7th-8th)
  The objective is to study the dynamics of heat in
  the composting process.
• Lesson 14 Composting a great, rotten idea
  (7th-8th). The objective is to have students
  investigate the pros and cons of composting.
• Lesson 15 Where should it go? Recycle, Compost?
  Incinerater? Lansfill? (K-3rd) The objective of
  this lesson is to understand that solutions to
  garbage disposal problems are varied and complex.

• Lesson Plan9 Junk Art (Kindergarten)
• Lesson Plan10 Making a Mini-Landfill (4th - 6th)
  
• Lesson Plan11 Paper Capers (4th - 6th)
• Lesson 12 Best ever compost activity for
  (4th-6th). The objective is to learn about
  composting.

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Thank you!

• Do not forget to pick up your packets with all
  the lessons, links and presentation ideas.