On an otherwise reasonable evening, more than 1,000 people packed an auditorium in Boulder, Colorado, for the culmination of the 2011 Unreasonable Institute. They came to see 27 ventures  present their solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges.


Maria Rodriguez, Co-Founder of Worms For Change, shares how her venture is using an unexpected, natural solution to combat the big problem that 2 billion people live in food insecurity around the world.

Worms For Change is an innovative Alliance between Byoearth (Guatemala) and SiKanda (Oaxaca, Mexico). We provide fringe communities in Guatemala and Oaxaca a replicable vermicomposting system and training model to promote health and development.

The Worms For Change Alliance addresses issues and mayor needs of our world that are strongly emphasized in Latin America. Food insecurity increases every day because of chemical fertilizers and bad use of soil. At the same time, global warming caused by methane (among others) that domestic and industrial waste produce when it is sent to a landfill is also increasing. Thirdly, there is an unmet need for a sustainable livelihood to alleviate poverty in rural and urban areas where mostly women need to generate an economic income to sustain their family and impact their community.With strength and passion, we address the lack of waste collection systems in marginalized, fringe and slum areas with a simple solution: WORMS

Unreasonable Institute

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The Unreasonable Institute arms entrepreneurs creating solutions to the world’s biggest social and environmental problems with the mentorship, capital, and networks they need to do so.

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