The worm’s remarkable recycling powers are being harnessed by the waste-disposal industries. One company in Australia makes use of a total of 500 million worms in several waste-processing plants. The worms are housed in specially designed beds and are served a menu of either pig manure or human waste mixed with shredded wastepaper and other organic matter. These worms consume between 50 and 100 percent of their own body weight each day and produce a nutrient-rich plant food that is marketed widely.
Studies have revealed another possible use for worms—as a source of food. Worms contain the same beneficial amino acids as beef. On a dry weight basis, they are packed with 60 percent protein and 10 percent fat and contain calcium and phosphorus. Already, in some lands, people eat earthworm pies. In other parts of the world, they fry earthworms and even eat them raw.
While worms may never become the most popular animals in the world, the world would certainly be a different place without them. So the next time you admire a tranquil country scene, spare a thought for the army of earthworms that are beneath your feet, busily plowing, fertilizing, and maintaining that beautiful view.
No comments:
Post a Comment