Picture thousands of worms munching away to their hearts' content on garbage scraps from the tables of the rich and famous. Now picture the result of that munching being used as a nutrient rich fertilizer.
That's exactly what's going on every day at the swanky Mount Nelson hotel in South Africa.
"It's incredible. They reduce waste by 70 percent (and) there is no smell here," [environmental activist Mary Murphy] says, wearing an "I dig worms" T-shirt and surrounded by thousands of the munching critters.
The worms neutralise harmful bacteria, such as Ecoli, and produce beneficial bacteria while increasing the levels of nitrogen and potassium in the soil -- elements that help vegetables grow.
"It is exactly what we need to feed the soil and therefore feed vegetables and feed people," Murphy said.
And it's not just about helping veggies grow. It helps reduce greenhouse gases too.
Organic waste on rubbish dumps releases carbon dioxide and methane, greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, adding to global warming.
"Methane is particularly bad because it has about 20 times greater affinity for heat than carbon dioxide," said environmental scientist Roger Jacques.
The worms prevent this by devouring the waste and turning it into stabilised organic matter.
Worms, baby! It's all about worms!
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