A year ago Amazon Neighbors went to work writing a Neighborhood Matching Grant looking for funding for a large worm bin to be shared by four households and used as a demonstration. In the spring of 2011 the project was funded by the City of Eugene, with additional donations of time and money from neighbors, and the cooperation of the Masonic Cemetery (where the bin is located).

The bin is a HDPE food grade shipping pallet modified to accept food scraps that microorganisms and red wigglers will process into a fine soil amendment. August 1st saw the first kitchen waste being loaded into the new bin. The first usable worm casting (some people refer to it as vermicompost) should be ready about the end of October.

This Sunday, October 2nd, at 2 pm organizers Sherry Wellborn, Erik Muller, and Tasker Houstan have planned an inaugural celebration. Attending will be Nancy Moody, the Bin Poet Laureate, who has composed original poetry, Queen Holly GoSlugly, Primary Decomposer Enthusiast, and representatives of the City, the Masonic Cemetery, and the Amazon Neighborhood Association. Join the celebration and watch the Giving of the Bin Keys will sipping freshly pressed apple cider.

Perhaps you are wondering why this small, somewhat silly event is such a big deal. As Erik Muller recounted to the KVAL reporter, "Everything that is green and everything that sustains our food and sustains our livestock has been made small bite by small bite." This bin, compost itself, is the half of life's equation that is largely ignored. Yet, nothing that sustains us can exist without the bite by bite decay and renewal of our waste.

Come out on Sunday to our neighborhood project. One we hope will multiple in our alleys and foster our neighborly cooperation. Come laugh, come celebrate a local sustainable victory. Let us praise the lowly red wiggler.

Read more about this in today's issue of the Register-Guard (click on the weblink at the bottom) or see it on the KVAL news video (http://www.kval.com/news/tech/130889133.html?skipthumb=Y)