Yesterday I took 40 gallons of zero waste golf worms in 5 plastic bins to a fundraiser for "the friends of the elephant seals". This group administers the elephant seal rookery along the coast highway north of Hearst Castle. The event was "Zero Waste" as nothing went to the landfill. The worms were there to consume all the food scraps, which they did with smiles on their faces.
This kind of outreach is how we can spread the word about how Dairy Creek Golf Course is working to improve the local and global environment through education, outreach and through zero waste practices. We're very pleased to announce that many of the attendees of the fundraiser were already aware of Dairy Creek's emerging zero waste park.
Even small acts are crucial complements to the big picture in our wholistic universe.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Friday, September 9, 2011
Now that's more like it
We had a meeting with all the department heads at Dairy Creek this week...topic? getting everybody to participate more fully on our zero waste initiative. Mostly, we just wanted to get the kitchen staff to ramp up seperating food wastes for composting. Mission accomplished...so far everyday since, about 25 lbs of excellent scraps.
I need to let them know that the worms would enjoy the coffee grounds and egg shells as well.
I'm just glad to see things coming together.
I need to let them know that the worms would enjoy the coffee grounds and egg shells as well.
I'm just glad to see things coming together.
Monday, September 5, 2011
ZerO Waste Golf is a team sport
Our zero waste demonstration park at Dairy Creek GC is really coming along. The vessel composters are both cooking, the worms are reproducing robustly, and the viewing platform around the compost tea brewer is almost completed. I was thinking about cutting some viewing windows in the composters so visitors can see what a compost pile looks like inside.
Right now, the biggest problem we have is getting the kitchen staff to be more consistant diverting kitchen scraps from the garbage so that we can compost them. Some days they do, and others they don't. We actually NEED the food waste because it really helps to accelerate the composting.
The composters generally hover around 140 degrees when we're composting grass clippings and wood chips. When we add food wastes to the mix, the temp jumps to 160 overnight and then stays there for a day or so. Just like any other living organisms, the microbes in the compost like something to eat and really reproduce quickly when the food wastes are added.
The worms need the food wastes to optimize their growth and health as well. I have several worm bin operations stashed around the county, and they each have their own food source. Although worms can be "trained" to eat almost anything, there is a big difference between those that eat mostly lettuce and those who eat a more diverse diet of vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, shredded paper or compost. The worms that eat lettuce reproduce more slowly and are generally smaller than those that eat "real food".
Zero Waste Golf is a new concept around here. Although most folks get the idea immediately, not that many are accustomed to taking action to do anything about it. Golfers are particularly difficult to train. They're only thinking "pure swing thoughts" and trying to leave the real world behind when they're on the course. That's where consistant actions, interesting demonstrations and educational outreach come into play. It's going to take time to change the world, and we're good with that.
But ZerO Waste is a team sport. The more of us that work together, the closer to zero waste we will get. Hopefully, the kitchen staff will get the message.
Right now, the biggest problem we have is getting the kitchen staff to be more consistant diverting kitchen scraps from the garbage so that we can compost them. Some days they do, and others they don't. We actually NEED the food waste because it really helps to accelerate the composting.
The composters generally hover around 140 degrees when we're composting grass clippings and wood chips. When we add food wastes to the mix, the temp jumps to 160 overnight and then stays there for a day or so. Just like any other living organisms, the microbes in the compost like something to eat and really reproduce quickly when the food wastes are added.
The worms need the food wastes to optimize their growth and health as well. I have several worm bin operations stashed around the county, and they each have their own food source. Although worms can be "trained" to eat almost anything, there is a big difference between those that eat mostly lettuce and those who eat a more diverse diet of vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, shredded paper or compost. The worms that eat lettuce reproduce more slowly and are generally smaller than those that eat "real food".
Zero Waste Golf is a new concept around here. Although most folks get the idea immediately, not that many are accustomed to taking action to do anything about it. Golfers are particularly difficult to train. They're only thinking "pure swing thoughts" and trying to leave the real world behind when they're on the course. That's where consistant actions, interesting demonstrations and educational outreach come into play. It's going to take time to change the world, and we're good with that.
But ZerO Waste is a team sport. The more of us that work together, the closer to zero waste we will get. Hopefully, the kitchen staff will get the message.
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