Day 50 Biodegradable Experiment

Sorry for many days of delay in the experiment - we have had a busy couple months with closing one store, opening a new Cafe and having a baby girl. Due to the many excitements taking place, the experiment did not go as planned with taking photos everyday and having the proper composting elements, but when I did take these last photos at the 50 Day mark it did prove the process of biodegrading and non-biodegrading. Please view the pictures below:

Final pictures of the aquarium with the composting matter and cups.

After 50 Days in Composting Aquarium - NO Changes in the Styrofoam cup - No signs of Biodegrading.

After 50 Days in Composting Aquarium - the two pictures above of the common paper coffee shop cup had the outside paper decompose, but the petro-based wax coating was in full contact showing no signs of biodegrading.

After 50 Days in Composting Aquarium - the biodegradable hot cup was decomposed about 90% to a very little scrap of vegetable based wax coating. This proves that the vegetable based wax coating and paper cup will biodegrade and if given the proper conditions would 100% within the 50 days.

Day 15 Biodegradable Experiment

Today, I noticed some changes in the cups, so I took them out and took individual photos of each. See below.

Styrofoam cup - no changes

Coffee shop cup - dis-colouration, but no decomposing

Biodegradable hot cup - hole at bottom - biodegrading begins

Plastic Cup - no change at all

Plastic Cup - no changes

Biodegradable Plastic Cup - dirt and worms attached in thick clumps cannot see any holes or decomposing of the cup yet.

Day 13 and 14 Biodegradable Experiment

The Green Shift logo on the paper cup has started to fade away (vegetable based ink), you can also see the paper on the coffee shop cup turning more brown. The clear cup is difficult to observe due to the soil in the cup making it transparent.

Day 12 Biodegradable Experiment

This is Day 12 picture taken 14 hours after Day 11 - Friday night 9:30pm to make up for the missed picture on Thursday. Added moisture. No changes observed.

Day 11 Biodegradable Experiment

As we were at the hospital at 7:30am Thursday morning having a baby, this picture was taken Friday morning at 7:30 (taking place for Thursday Day 11). We had a beautiful baby girl!! No changes in the cups.

Day 10 Biodegradable Experiment

Worms are quite active near the front of aquarium near the cups. Click on picture to see up close. No decomposing yet.

Day 9 Biodegradable Experiment

Noticing food scraps and bedding being turned into good compost soil - a nice earthy smell is emitted. Not much change in the cups decomposing.

Day 8 Biodegradable Experiment

Coffee grounds along with paper filter and apple peels added. Noticed the coffee shop paper cup was discoloured at bottom from soil and moister. Do not see any decomposing yet.

Day 7 Biodegradable Experiment

Continuing to add the 1/4 lb of food scraps and bedding for the worms to eat along with moister.

No changes in the decomposing of the cups.

Day 6 Biodegradable Experiment

Continuing to add more soil and bedding to fully cover the cups. Decomposing of the cups has not begun.

Day 5 Biodegradable Experiment

More soil, food scraps and moister was added. I will add more soil every day until the cups are completely under, as the worms will not go to the surface. Once completely buried this will help in the decomposing. No decomposing of any of the cups yet.

Day 4 Biodegradable Experiment

Today moister was added with a spray bottle along with a 1/4 pound of vegetable food scraps. No decomposing observed in any of the cups.

Day 3 Biodegradable Experiment

Food scraps - apples, asparagus, onion, tea bags were added along with some soil. As well, to keep conditions optimum, water by way of spray bottle is added to moisten the soil. No changes in the cups.

Day 2 Biodegradable Experiment

Each day 1/4 pound mixed of food scraps and bedding is added as red wrigglers worms will eat half their body weight every 24 hours. No changes observed in the cups.

DAY 1 Biodegradable Experiment

Cups before they are buried in the compost bedding. From left to right: styrofoam,
traditional paper cup (coffee shop), biodegradable Green Shift paper cup, traditional plastic cup green,
traditional plastic cup clear,
biodegradable Green Shift plastic cup.











Cups are now buried in the compost
bedding material.
















Red Wriggler worms and soil are added to the bedding material and the paper hot cups.













Red Wriggler worms and soil are added to the bedding material and the plastic cold cups.

Amazing Online 50 Day Science Experiment

You are going to want to tell your family and friends to tune into this online virtual 50 Day Science Experiment that will commence on Monday June 2nd at 7:30am! As you have heard we are the Distributors for Southern Ontario for Green Shift™ selling the Top Eco-Friendly Disposable Products available in the Canadian Market - if you have not heard - to find out more information about this fantastic connection click GREEN. The vegetable based cups made from 100% renewable resources and other products we are selling are said to decompose and biodegrade in 50 days - we'll that is exactly what we are going to prove to you by having a picture posted on this blog every day taken at 7:30am for 50 days showcasing the biodegrading of the cups. You will be able to see the cups as we are using an aquarium and not a regular compost bin. Not only will you see the biodegrading of the biodegradable paper hot cup and the biodegradable plastic cold cup, you will be able to see and compare against the toxic styrofoam cup and the traditional petro-based paper cup that is bought from store shelves and served in coffee shops. These other cups that we are so used to purchasing are having a very negative impact on the environment and we would like for you to witness the fact that these cups will not biodegrade causing many problems. So please bookmark this site and check daily starting Monday June 2nd, 2008! We look forward to your participation in this online virtual experiment.

PROBLEM:

• Do any disposable cups in the Canadian market biodegrade/compost?

HYPOTHESIS:

• styroform and traditional paper cups will not biodegrade because of the petro-chemicals used in the making of the cup, whereas the vegetable based cups will biodegrade because of their natural materials.

MATERIALS:

• collect disposable cups - styrofoam, traditional paper cup, take-out coffee shop cup, vegetable based hot cup, traditional plastic cup, vegetable based cold cup

• compost bin (for this experiment - we are using an aquarium, otherwise use a regular plastic bin from the Region of Waterloo Waste Management), soil, worms (red wrigglers) and bedding material which can be made from (shredded paper and cardboard, shredded leaves, wood shavings or chips, chopped straw or hay, sawdust (avoid cedar and woods that have been stained or painted). The bedding provides the carbon worms require.

• digital camera

• other compostable material: i.e. food scraps
  

PROCEDURE:

• prepare compost bin with bedding materials, worms and cups
  

• set-up camera

• take digital photo each day at 7:30am for 50 days starting Monday June 2nd and post on blog
  

OBSERVATIONS:

• record observations daily
  

CONCLUSION:

• to be announced