Comments on: What a Twist! Earthworms Could Clean Up Toxic Waste

By: How To Recycle Your Phone Correctly | PlanetSave

How To Recycle Your Phone Correctly | PlanetSave — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 01:01:27 +0000

[…] of the toxic waste in our landfills is directly related to the improper disposal of cell phones. The negative effects […]

By: Copper Sucking Corn Cleans Polluted Soil | CleanTechnica

Copper Sucking Corn Cleans Polluted Soil | CleanTechnica — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:55:54 +0000

[…] could help clean up highly contaminated abandoned mining sites that have resisted other forms of “green” remediation. In addition to copper, a similar approach could be used to clean up sites polluted by other metals […]

By: Chuck Brandt

Chuck Brandt — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 08:39:56 +0000

Doug, search “vermiculture”, another search phrase would be: earthworm compost, you’ll find some local suppliers.

By: Tina Casey

Tina Casey — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 03:09:58 +0000

If anybody out there has some suggestions for Doug on where to buy earthworms, give us a holler.

By: Dukejohns

Dukejohns — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 01:58:29 +0000

So can anyone tell me where to buy earthworms in bulk??
I do not have any toxic waste, but figure if they can do that, if I could get a bunch of them it would not hurt my lawn and plants.
Pls advise.
Respectively,
Doug Johnston

By: Cool Green Morning: Wednesday, December 8 | Cool Green Science: The Conservation Blog of The Nature Conservancy

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 15:09:42 +0000

[…] think earthworms could be the next big thing in toxic soil clean-up. […]

By: Tina Casey

Tina Casey — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 01:48:38 +0000

Peter, thanks for the additional information!

By: Peter Weis

Peter Weis — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 01:01:29 +0000

Hi Tina,

you are right. We can’t live without iron, but too much iron can kill us. It’s the same story with all the 72 natural trace elements. Without them we sicken and die, and too much will kill us. Vanadium, for instance, is a major and primary factor in the prevention of diabetes. It appears that there is not enough vanadium in our daily food (it’s not being replaced by our modern agriculture). But then there is a valley in India where too much vanadium in the soil is a persistent health problem.
cheers, Peter;

By: Tina Casey

Tina Casey — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 21:51:08 +0000

Peter: Thanks for putting in a different angle on the subject of contaminants. To clarify, it is true that some substances are harmless, beneficial, or necessary for a healthy existence, but in terms of contamination you really can have too much of a good thing.

By: Heart Thoughts

Heart Thoughts — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 21:18:47 +0000

The basic body plan of an earthworm is a tube, the digestive system, within a tube, the muscular slimy, moist outer body. The body is annular, formed of segments that are most specialized in the anterior. I think their body structure makes the environment green.

By: Peter Weis

Peter Weis — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 20:21:44 +0000

Hi,
the listed “contaminants” – nickel, chromium and vanadium are essential micro-nutrients for all living things, without which they would sicken and die. And you can buy them in the nutritional supplements section of all drug stores, either individually, or as part of many multi-mineral and vitamin supplements.
Arsenic, in micro-miniscule amounts, is also essential. It just isn’t mentioned because of the bad press for arsenic. No one would buy a supplement containing arsenic. Still, it’s essential.

The only iffy element listed in this article is lead.
Best regards,
Peter H. Weis

By: Drew

Drew — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 19:31:21 +0000

Should add Paul Stamet’s work to the list here:
– http://www.fungi.com/mycotech/petroleum_problem.html

He has some great talks at TED, as well, on the potential use of mushrooms (fungi) for toxic clean up.