![]() ![]() Anderson echoes the sentiment, noting that the Facebook fan page for Toronto Worm Exchange has just 27 members he is aware of a much larger number of participants who are taking part in worm exchanges. Since its inception in 2005, the Yahoo group has grown to 315 members, but Gordon believes the program has a much broader reach. “We’ve loved seeing the positive reaction to the program,” notes Gordon. Inspired by the community exchanges happening through websites like Craigslist and Freecycle, Gordon launched an online group through Yahoo to connect residents who were willing to share information about vermicomposting and offer worms to others who wanted to start worm bins. As part of an ongoing effort to help divert food waste from the landfill, Susie Gordon, a senior environmental planner with the Fort Collins Natural Resources Department, was charged with promoting worm composting. ![]() The worm exchange program in Fort Collins, Colo., has had similar success. The program has become so popular that there is a long waiting list for free worms. In order to meet the demand for free worms, students started offering produce grown through the campus Sustainable Food Project called Buddha Garden in exchange for worms. Students at the Maryland Institute College of Art founded a worm-exchange program in 2009 to help encourage Baltimore residents to compost. In Baltimore, those excess worms can even be traded for fresh veggies. In fact, in an established worm bin, red wigglers can double their numbers after a few months, giving composters an excess of worms to share. “We thought a worm exchange was a good option to make worm composting more accessible without huge startup costs.”Īccording to Anderson, worm composting can be done without spending a red cent on red wigglers. “One of the biggest complaints about some environmental initiatives is the expense associated with getting started,” Anderson explains. The group doesn’t have meetings or membership requirements, and there are no fees it’s just an informal group of compost enthusiasts who share information-and worms. Colin Anderson started the Toronto Worm Exchange in 2008. ![]()
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