SSC Semesterly Report: vermiCUlture
Associated Project(s):
SSC received a semesterly report for Fall 2021 for the vermiCUlture project on 12/12/2021. Please see attached.
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Projects Updates for Vermicompost
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12/4 Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting
Associated Project(s):Attached are the meeting minutes and chat log of the Zero Waste SWATeam on 12/4/2020.
The following were discussed:
- SSC Letter of Support for Illini Union Shadowbox Recycling project
- Vermicomposting
- Composting
- NASEM Circular Economy Conference
- Food Literacy Project
11/13 Zero Waste SWATeam Meeting
Associated Project(s):Attached are the meeting minutes and chat from the Zero Waste SWATeam meeting on 11/13.
Discussed were the following topics:
- Update: Adopt-a-highway/Clean-up Program
- Composting Partnership: Alex Poltorak of Urban Canopy
- Student Project: Vermiculture Composting
- Grind2Energy Additional Scope
- Food Literacy Project
- Update: Clean Plate Program
- Purchasing Sustainability Update
Food Handling info from SSF
Associated Project(s):Matt Turino at the Sustainable Student Farm provided this overview of the food waste handling / transportation related to the Vermicompost project.
Award Letter - Biomass for Vermicomposting
Associated Project(s):The SSC awarded the Sustainable Student Farm a grant in 2013 to build a transplant greenhouse that also housed a vermicomposting pilot porject with Dining Services. This was meant to test the feasability of collecting pre-consumer food waste from the Dining hall facilities and converting it into worm compost for use on the student farm.
Vermicompost update from Matt Turino
Associated Project(s):Yes it is implemented and we are currently getting 3-6 40 gallon bins of food waste a week from Busy Evans and harvesting vermicompost out of the bottom. We are still perfecting our technique for sure, for a while we were letting it get a little too hot for the worms which made them eat less than they would otherwise because they couldn't be in the zone where the food waste was due to the micro-organismal composting causing high temperatures. Then we were making it too dry and now it's too wet, so we are still perfecting our vermicomposting skills but it is getting better for sure!
Sustainable Student Farm Vermicomposting Project (I-Compost) Evaluation
Associated Project(s):The Vermicomposting project (also known as I-Compost) in Sustainable Student Farm (SSF) began as part of the Transplant and Vermi-Composting Multiuse Greenhouse project. It is a pilot project to close the loop between the student farm and the university dining hall. The Transplant and Vermi-Composting Multiuse Greenhouse project received $65,222 grant from Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) on April 24, 2013. It also received $8,565 grant from the Office of Public Engagement on November 28, 2012 and $1,000 grant from Ernst & Young on March 21, 2012.
Update from Zack Grant
Associated Project(s):The greenhouse is built, the bin is constructed, bedding logistics are in place, and food waste collection should begin the week after spring break. Ramp up to about 150-200 lbs of food waste processing per week should be complete in about 4-5 months. For this bin and the way it fits into the SSF management plan, we’d never process more than 250-300# of actual food waste a week. This would make for a max range of 7,000-14,000 lbs of food waste processed per year (47 weeks, we wouldn’t collect waste during Christmas and Spring Break).