permaculture

[Jim <ashevillecurrencyproject@gmail.com>]

Hi-
Worms are great things, no doubt about it. No worms, no soil.

But does organic waste in a compost pile create just as much greenhouse 
gases as when it decomposes in a landfill?
(I'm assuming this is not a landfill with a methane  burning  turbine)

I can see the landfill diversion value of this program, and the soil 
regeneration/nutrition part, but greenhouse gases?
-- Jim
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"If we think really big ... if everybody took their organic waste and processed it through vermiculture or worm farms 
and we stopped organic waste going to landfill sites, it would have a dramatic impact on climate change."

"It's incredible. They reduce waste by 70 percent (and) there is no smell here," she says, wearing an "I dig worms" 
T-shirt and surrounded by thousands of the munching critters.

The worms neutralize harmful bacteria, such as Ecoli, and produce beneficial bacteria while increasing the levels of 
nitrogen and potassium in the soil -- elements that help vegetables grow.

"It is exactly what we need to feed the soil and therefore feed vegetables and 
feed people," Murphy said.

Organic waste on rubbish dumps releases carbon dioxide and methane, greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, 
adding to global warming.

"Methane is particularly bad because it has about 20 times greater affinity for heat than carbon dioxide," said 
environmental scientist Roger Jacques.

The worms prevent this by devouring the waste and turning it into stabilized 
organic matter.
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