National Wildlife Federation Campus Ecology Recognition Award
Clemson University was one of seven campuses to receive a National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Campus Ecology Recognition Award for the 2003-2004 academic year. These awards are given to reward campuses for setting practical conservation goals towards which significant achievement is made during the academic year.
During the 2003-2004 academic year, Clemson students established a "Worm Wigwam" vermicomposter at the Calhoun Field Laboratory in an effort to demonstrate an alternative method for disposing of cafeteria waste and to increase public awareness of the value of vermicomposting. The worms were fed food scraps (plant material only) from ARA Dining Services at Schilletter Dining Hall. Initially, the worms were fed five pounds of food waste per week. As the worms began to feed more steadily, the amount of food scraps was increased to 25 to 30 pounds per week. In the spring of 2004, worm castings were harvested, air-dried, sieved, bagged and sold at the Campus Farmer's Market for $5 per four-pound bag. For more details of the project, a report has been posted in the Campus Environmental Yearbook of the NWF web site.
