OK, so I’m looking at our list of posts here on LT and feeling quite shameful.  Clearly, lea is pulling her weight around here much more than I am, and I  decided it was time for me to contribute something so that we can keep this site going even - though things have been somewhat crazy for us these days.

And what do I want to write about?  Why, what else but worm poop?

So, I was watching Live Earth last weekend (you all watched, right?), and I saw this great interview with the co-founders of Terracycle.  I have to say that I was MOST impressed by their ideas and what they are doing with their business.  Then I checked out their site and I am even more blown away. 

 So what’s this all about?  Well, here is what they do in a nutshell:

“At TerraCycle we manufacture affordable, potent, organic products that are not only made from waste, but are also packaged entirely in waste! TerraCycle Plant Food™ is made by feeding premium organic waste to millions of worms. The worm poop is then liquified into a powerful organic plant food and bottled directly in used soda bottles.”

(from www.terracycle.net)

Isn’t that amazing?  Not only great products for all your planting and gardening needs, but made completely from garbage with a negative ecological footprint!  They take garbage OUT of our landfills in order to create their plant foods and fertilizers!  In addition to recycling used soda bottles, the sprayers and lids for their bottles are leftovers from large companies that would otherwise go to waste. 

I don’t know why, but reading about what this company is doing just makes me so happy - it inspires me and brings me no end of delight.

I must admit, I don’t currently do as much gardening as I’d like to, so don’t use a lot of these types of products YET!  But I’m thrilled to know that they are carried by Home Depot and other large retailers, so we’ll be able to buy them when we move to Alaska.  I have big plans for gardening next spring/summer in the Land of the Midnight Sun – and you better believe that I will be using Worm Poop to help all my flowers and veggies survive the potentially deadly effects of my very brown thumb!

I’m also excited to read about their Bottle Brigade.  One of the hardest things for me to face about our upcoming move to Alaska (aside from the long, dark, cold winters and the potential for death by crashing my car into a moose) is the lack of recycling facilities near our future home.  It’s possible to recycle some things, but plastics recycling is one of the most difficult challenges for Alaska, which is currently not available up there.  But now that I know that I might be able to collect and donate at least one type of plastic bottle to this worthy company, I’m excited at the prospect of reducing some of that landfill waste – even if only on a small scale.  Hooray for innovation and recycling, all in one!

So – during this lovely growing season, think about reaching for a Terracycle product next time your leafy green things need a little help – rather than that other yellow-and-green product full of who knows what nasty chemicals!

happy worms + recycled bottles = happy plants + happy earth!