How to make a WORM FARM!

To start a worm farm, you'll need these supplies:

• A big plastic tub (with a lid). You can find them cheap at Target or Wal Mart.
• A drill, or if you don't have one, a nail
• Shredded newspaper, some soil, a few old veggies and/or fruits
• A nice spot outdoors
• A hose
• EARTH WORMS! You can either find them, or the easy way is to order them online.

Here are the directions. Make sure you're doing this in your outdoors location:

1. Drill (or poke with the nail) some holes in the lid of the tub.
2. Do the same on the sides of the tub, and a few on the bottom too.. The holes should not be bigger than the eraser of a pencil. You don't need too many holes, just enough for the worms to breathe, and make them spread out.
3. Rinse out the tub.
4. Put in some soil on the bottom. Make sure it's dampened, but not to the point that it counts as mud.
5. Mix in the newspaper shreddings. Dampen the environment a little, but not so much that the paper is pulpy.
6. Throw the old veggies and fruits on the top.
7. Add worms! If they can't wriggle their way down, you've made their environment too dry. try slipping garden gloves on and loosening up the soil. Pop on the lid!

Check the environment regularly to make sure it's moist, but not too wet. If it ends up flooding, this is where the holes in the bottom come in! Lift the tub up and you could tip it a little. If it is still too wet, slip off the lid for an hour or two - but don't forget to put it back on! If it's rainy, definitely keep the lid on!

A worm farm is a great food waste disposal. Just don't put meat or animal products in the tub!

If you can't care for your worms regularly, or have a problem with flooding, you can let them go in your garden. They produce rich soil, making for a healthier garden!

A small act of kindness

The other day, my mom was driving me home from Sac Ballet. We saw a man on the side of the road, outside of the Safeway parking lot. He was collecting bottles and cans for food! I thought this was very clever, considering you can make a buck or two for turning recycleables in.

We pulled into the lot and gave him the glass Izze bottle I had just finished. My mom said, "Good idea!" before we drove away. And Mom speaks the truth!

Small acts of kindness usually get big smiles in return. Think about it! How about the time when you went to stand with the girl alone at the ballet barre? Or did you ever give a quarter to the homeless? What about picking up an elderly's wallet?

Well, it's the same with the Earth. Turning off all the lights for half an hour: a little more energy for tomorrow. Taking just five minutes less in the shower: a few more pints for the ones in need. Planting a tree: more oxygen to spare! Shutting down the computer when it's time for bed: a little more shaved off the energy bill.

So, if you see someone on the side of the street with a big black bag, toss him your old soda bottle, instead of putting it in the trash so he has to reach in there and dig it out. Make sure you're not throwing old cans of Iced Tea in the trash, but the recycling bin. Old milk cartons can be rinsed out and tossed in the bin.

Or, maybe you can put old paper shreddings in a wooden compost crate, out in the garden. You could also add eggshells, fruits and veggies past their due date, or even grass shreddings after you've mowed the lawn.