Mission

Earthworm’s mission is to promote recycling in the workplace. We accomplish this by providing a collection service that is easy for first time recyclers to implement. Also, by reducing barriers to recycling through friendly assistance, flexible programs and affordability, Earthworm enables small businesses and others who are underserved by the private sector to establish office recycling programs.

Earthworm also recognizes that there are many other local groups who are working toward similar goals of conserving natural resources. Earthworm further promotes recycling through collaboration, mentoring and direct support to these groups.

History

Earthworm was founded on Earth Day in 1970 by three MIT computer science students. Originally named the Recycling Revolutionary Coop, the goals of this early venture were to demonstrate the viability of recycling by operating a self sufficient enterprise, to save natural resources, and to create a non-hierarchical workplace. The organization began by using an old beer truck to collect key punch cards, computer paper and other waste paper from commercial, government and nonprofit offices in the greater Boston area.

In 1974, the coop changed its name and Earthworm, Inc. won out over other choices such as the Green Gurus and Transcendental Recycling. At the same time, the organization formally recognized the overwhelming need for public education on the value of recycling and earned nonprofit status as a 501(c)3 educational organization.

In the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, Earthworm evolved into a women-only collective that, in addition to working on recycling issues, put emphasis on placing women in non-traditional roles (truck drivers). The organization reverted to co-ed status in 1982.

In 1987, Earthworm responded to the growing need for technical assistance to public recycling projects by providing consulting services to groups such as Massport, the City of Boston, the City of New York, the Boston Chamber of Commerce, The University of Massachusetts and the State of Rhode Island.

In 1990, Earthworm introduced its “Close the Loop” program for selling recycled office products as a means of providing free pick ups to cost conscious clients. This program was also aimed at helping to stimulate the demand for markets for recyclables.

In 1996, Earthworm joined forces with other recycling organizations in the state under the banner of MassRecycle to offer educational programs to public schools. With a goal of boosting residential recycling rates, the REAPS Project (Recycling, Education and Assistance in Public Schools) provided classroom activities on recycling, composting and hazardous waste plus, helped to establish collection programs in school buildings.

Earthworm began collecting glass, plastic and metal containers (mostly bottles and cans) from businesses in 2007. This program came about as a response to the explosion of "take away" food and beverage containers now found in lunchrooms and office kitchens. This program is a companion to our longstanding office paper recycling program.

Following growing concern about the inappropriate disposal of computer monitors, Earthworm began collecting and recycling monitors and other scrap electronic equipment in 2000. Earthworm now accepts most forms of e-scrap and either finds reuse applications for the hardware or gets the materials recycled.

In 2009, the organization formally began to collaborate with other local, nonprofit organizations that seek to save natural resources through reuse. For more information on this network of nonprofits, visit our Reuse section.

There have been common threads that wind from 1970 to the present. They are: self sufficiency in the form of reliance upon the revenue from our trucking operation, the collection and recycling of office paper, and maintaining a cooperative management style.