This packrat vermicomposts
In May 2007, I received a flyer from the county (where I was living then) about how apartment and condominium dwellers can still compost kitchen and organic waste by starting a worm bin and they will subsidize the cost of starting one.
I have always thought that I could be more responsible with my household waste and I hate seeing mixed waste (like dry recyclable bottles mixed with last night's leftover chowmein). So I ordered a "wriggly wranch" bin, 2 lbs of redworms, and Mary Appelhof's book "Worm's eat my garbage," and started a worm bin.
Since then, I have had a great experience. Aside from the occasional overfeeding or the times when some worms escape through the floor cracks to the downstairs neighbors patio, there are no big issues with my worms. They eat all of my kitchen waste from coffee grounds (including the filter paper) to pulp from my juicer. I also found that shredded junk mail from my paper shredder serve as excellent worm bedding, further reducing my household waste. In addition to waste management, the worms have also given me worm castings and worm tea that I use on my household plants as natural fertilizer.
Worm Castings
This is a photo of my first full harvest of worm compost. I thought they turned out to be perfect. I felt so good that I have made good fertilizer out of kitchen waste and helped in minimizing stinky garbage.
Worm Tea
I also use the liquid "compost tea" that drains out of the bin to water my house plants. When I get too much of the tea, I usually give them away or start watering the random plants in my apartment community.
Natural Fertilizer
My golden pothos named "Tony" has been so happy with the worm castings and tea I have been using to fertilize him.
Worms can be pets, too.
I think vermicomposting is an under appreciated tool to re-use and reduce waste. If most people just get over the "eww" factor it's really something every household and restaurant should have.
My worms have given me constant companionship (well, figuratively) and much satisfaction for a "green" hobby. Believe me, they also serve as an excellent conversation piece! They have survived some of my neglect, overfeeding, and even an interstate move. But it's been a year and they are happy and reproducing. They never cease to amaze me. Go worms!