A group of 45 ‘Worminator’ students have been recruited to take part in this pilot scheme, which will see students diverting their daily food waste from landfill by vermicomposting at home from their own kitchens.
The Worminator Project
The Worminator Project is the brainchild of Ben & Jerry’s Climate Change College Ambassador Erika Nagae (pictured), who will use the data collected from the Worminators to highlight the issue of food wastage and the impact it has on climate change.
If successful, The Worminator Project could be introduced to other universities across the country.
Composting food waste
Worm enthusiast Erika says, “It might sound strange to have worms in your kitchen but they are great at composting your food waste. The average British person throws away 1/3 of the food they buy and the average bin consists of 20 per cent organic waste.
Vermicomposting not only keeps organic waste out of landfill, it results in a natural nutrient-packed soil conditioning compost. We’re essentially ‘starving’ landfills while feeding the earth!”
Worm adoption day
Worm adoption day in April marked the start of The Worminator Project with the Worminators collecting their new worm composting bin, their worms, complete with adoption certificate, and all the information they need to collect data for the pilot scheme.
Inspiring young people to be creative about climate change
Ben & Jerry’s Climate Change College was launched in 2005 to inspire young people to come up with creative solutions to climate change.
As well as educating them on the issue of climate change, the college also provides them with a once in a life time trip to the Arctic Circle via Alaska.
During the nine-day long trip the ambassadors will witness first hand the effects of climate change, studying the unprecedented thawing of glaciers and permafrost and coastal erosion.