During the course of my lifetime, the shipping/packaging industry has changed a lot. As consumers request sturdier packaging and greener shipping options, things change. I feel like we have made great strides on the materials we use to ship our packages out. However, we still receive packages with materials such as Styrofoam, which our local recycling facilities are not equipped to take.
This leaves us with very few options. We can ship it to a facility that can process Styrofoam (which is an additional cost), we can send it to the landfill (which does not satisfy us in the slightest), or we can compost it. Now before you claim I have not yet had my morning cup of coffee and I must be crazy thinking that Styrofoam can compost, allow me to reassure you. I have my morning cup of joe and yes, Styrofoam can be composted. Now it is not something you can simply toss into the compost heap in the garden. Instead you will need to recruit a powerful ally of Mother Nature. I would like to introduce to you the mighty mealworm.
Mealworms have been considered a lowly pest for many years. Today they are used as feed and/or treats for lizards, chickens, frogs, toads and wild birds. And here at MMS, these little creatures turn a stagnant waste product into compost that we can use in the company garden. I marvel at the fact that we can take a product that has outlived its productive life and change it from a nuisance to available bio-mass for the garden. It is simply astonishing! I love all of the things that we do here at the MMS facility.
So cool! Thanks for spearheading this project, Taylor.
I recently toured Vermillionville in Lafayette, Louisiana, where they had “aquariums” set up with Styrofoam homes for mealworms. A few of the worms were the evening meal for a resident catfish.
Debbie,
Isn’t that cool! I have heard of a new aquarium about 50 miles from us. I would love to go. Mealworms would be good fish food. We have found a good mealworm won’t stop at plastics of any kind, they just keep munching. Is this why we don’t feel guilty feeding them to catfish? Maybe it is also why we go crazy when finding them in the house.
Tina
Hi Taylor. I agree with you, it is fascinating what nature can do, and the speed at which it happens can be amazing too. Will you please give more information about what the styrofoam becomes when the mealworms are through with it. Is it no longer toxic? Thank you.
Sarah,
It becomes mealworm poop and the plants in the garden can use it just as they would other worm poop. Easy and wonderful!
Tina