Taylor Kamhong and George Ardura, the founders of Worm Works LLC, know their love of worms is uncommon. The two were introduced through a mutual friend who thought they needed to meet each other because of this niche, shared passion.
In addition to worms, the founders are environmental enthusiasts who want to inspire others to feel like they can make a real impact. They are spreading awareness to spark interest in taking action to resolve ongoing environmental issues.
“There has to be a better way to manage waste. The way we throw away things is unsustainable.” – Taylor Kamhong
Waste management continues to be a growing problem in the United States. The country’s largest export is trash and recycling because there is little capacity left to hold the waste ourselves.
Estimates suggest food waste makes up about 55% of the municipal solid waste stream which doesn’t even take into account the other sources of biodegradable waste hauled out to landfills. What's worse, biodegradable material sent to landfills decomposes anaerobically, releasing metric tons of methane gas as it breaks down. This leaves a gap where biodegradable materials sitting in landfills could be reused in a more sustainable way if composted.
The Worm Works LLC solution is a vermicomposting operation that converts biodegradable waste into high-quality fertilizer. Vermicomposting is a decomposition method that utilizes worms.
Worm Works LLC’s process involves pre-composting which kills pathogens and homogenizes the materials in order to cater to taste preferences the worms may have. The worms then feed on the bacteria that have grown on the waste and produce valuable fertilizer. The pre-composting step decreases the time it takes to actually compost the materials.
The efficiency and viability of the Worm Works LLC solution does not stop there. Worms reproduce at an exponential rate making it realistic to execute vermicomposting on a large-scale.
Worm Works LLC is not only hoping to create a sustainable solution for waste management but is also providing a safer fertilizer for agriculturists and gardeners to use. Chemical fertilizers are commonly used in agriculture and require an enormous amount of energy resources to produce and do little to nothing to increase a soil's structure and long-term fertility.
Studies suggest that vermicompost can help decrease agricultural runoff, increase soil moisture retention, and boost crop yield. In some instances, vermicompost may even reduce farmers' reliance on pesticides and help plants withstand drastic changes in climate.
Supplying a value for both business owners and farmers, Worm Works LLC is committed to providing an affordable solution to practice sustainability. The down-to-earth founders are focused on building transparent relationships within their community. Worm Works LLC is currently operating in Loudoun County, Virginia.
Worm Works LLC is a socially driven venture, delivering solutions to urgent environmental problems. Taylor and George are instigating a feasible way to exercise sustainability and sharing their love of worms in the process.
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| The worms of Worm Works |