WHY COMPOST?

Nature generates no waste.
Composting is nature's circular economy in action. An economy where the currency is nutrients. When living creatures - plants and animals - cross the rainbow bridge and fall to the forest floor, they become food for microbes, bacteria, and other living organisms (like wormies) that eat the decaying matter as food. This decomposition breaks down complex molecules to smaller nutrient fragments in the soil that are then used up by plants to grow.
The soil food web is complex, and it is hard to know how humans fit into it, but we have to learn! The human world is currently quite linear - we extract, process, consume, and finally discard. From the land and into landfill.
Composting can change that. Together, WE can change that in our lifetime by re-imagining our kitchen waste as simply soil-yet-to-be-made. 
Linear Food System
If we can view our food scraps as a valuable resource rather than waste we can generate a circular food system. This means that the nutrients in your food are restored through natural processes. We never have to contribute "new" materials into the system (such as inorganic fertilizer, or GMOs), nature takes care of that for us. 
the circular waste system
the circular waste system
One way to achieve this is through composting. Nutrients in our food waste can be conserved and returned to the soil through composting organisms such as wormies! After they process their food, the nutrients they leave behind are absorbed by plants. Plants can grow to be more nutrient rich this way compared to with inorganic fertilizers, which are designed to make things grow fast, not strong.
why compost diagram
If we eat more nutritious, local food, we are not only fueling ourselves, but also the soil and the local economy! If each of us composted and used our compost to grow our own food (or help out a neighbourhood community garden), we could reduce food waste, reduce the use of harmful fertilizers, and create a circular food system!
worm character talking about small actions lead to a big impact
In case you needed another reason to start composting, here is a very catchy song that can get stuck in your head for weeks! Enjoy!

Commonly Asked Questions

Does it smell?

A worm farm surprisingly does not smell!

Be sure to follow our instructions included with your parenting guide and join our support channels for troubleshooting!

Where should I put my Box Of Life?

We recommend keeping it indoors in a temperature controlled environment, somewhere easy to access and visible like your kitchen or living.

If you must keep it outdoors, keep in mind that red wiggler worms prefer temperatures between 15-25 C (60-80 F). During freezing cold winters, the worms may die, so it is a good idea to bring them inside. If it is too hot in summer, keep them away from direct sun in a cool, shady space.

How much effort is involved?

Honestly, not much. About 5 minutes a week at most to feed the worms and prepare the bedding.

By diverting food from your trash, you'll notice your garbage doesn't stink anymore which means you can empty it way less often than before.

How can I convince my partner?

The best way to convince your partner to let you keep worms in the house is by promising them that you will take care of them properly, and by following our instructions of course!

Your partner only needs to be mindful of separating food scraps and bedding for the wormies while they are in the kitchen, while you take care of the weekly feeding and maintenance. Treat your wormies like a houseplant!

What can I feed the worm farm?

Ok here's our rule of thumb - if it came from the ground, it can go back into it. This means that you can feed your worms fruits, veggies, paper napkins, cardboard, eggshells, whatever.

A healthy worm farm will recycle your food as well as paper. You are typically going to be feeding an equal amount of food and bedding to your worms.

Just keep in mind that meat and dairy can make your worm bin stinky and attract maggots, so don't add that if you are a new worm parent.

What to do when away on vacation?

If you're going away for two weeks or less, you don't need to do anything. The worms will be fine left alone.

If away for longer, you just need to ensure your worms don't dry out when you're gone. You could ask a friend to water your worm farm and feed them some food every 2 weeks while you are away.

Will my pet damage the worm farm?

So far we have not heard of any complaints from people who have pets and a worm farm. In fact many cat owners report that their furry felines like to sit on top of their boxes.