Composting and Other Ways to Recycle Your Coffee Grounds
If you’re like us and you drink a cuppa Organo coffee on-the-daily, you might be used to throwing away a lot of used coffee grounds. This kind of waste doesn’t harm the environment as extensively as trash like plastic, however, there are solutions to this waste that can actually benefit you and the planet.
Ever heard of composting? It’s an effective way to create nutrient-dense ‘food’ for the soil in your garden and can help reduce your carbon footprint in multiple ways. Coffee grounds are just one of the many items that can be added to a compost pile.
Even if you aren’t ready to start composting, there are many ways to reuse your coffee grounds. This Earth Day, commit to making permanent sustainable changes in your life by recycling your used beans with these tips from Mr. Coffee Concierge!
Why Should You Compost?
The solution to so many issues our planet is currently facing may be just below our feet- by saving the soil. Compost creates the ideal environment for beneficial micro-organisms to thrive so that the process of decay actually creates the perfect conditions for growth. A beautiful circle of life, indeed! These are just a few of the environmental, economic, and social benefits of composting:
Great for the soil
Helps to revitalize and filter local water supplies...
...Which means the oceans will be cleaner!
Controls erosion
Reduces greenhouse gases
Saves on disposal costs
Creates more jobs at composting plants
Gives you an idea of what you’re wasting so you can better shape your grocery list and save money
Reduces landfills
Creates healthier, more nutrient-dense foods
Promotes stronger & more sustainable food systems
Create Compost & Fertilize Your Garden
The majority of soil doesn’t contain the necessary nutrients plants need to grow. Even if your garden’s soil once had the proper nutrients, it’s likely been depleted as plants absorb these nutrients as food. Gardens need to be fertilized with key minerals such as nitrogen, calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium, and more. Fortunately, these all happen to be found in coffee!
Studies have shown that compost made using coffee grounds and kitchen waste contained more nutrients than compost made with only kitchen waste.
To add coffee grounds to your compost, simply mix them in with a carbon-rich substance such as woodchips or pine straw. There are many ways to improve the quality of your compost:
Mix an equal amount of nitrogen-rich (veggie peelings, grass clippings, coffee grounds, etc.) and carbon-rich waste (woodchips, newspaper, paper towels etc.)
Set your compost bin directly on soil so worms and micro-organisms can speed up the breaking-down process
Occasionally turn your heap with a garden fork to mix oxygen in
Keep your bin covered to keep rain out
When your mixture is brown, crumbly, and slightly sweet smelly, the process is finished! Keep in mind it normally takes a minimum of 6 months to reach this point
Even if you don’t have the time or space for a compost bin, you can sprinkle coffee grounds directly onto the soil surrounding your plants! The grounds will help attract worms, repel unwanted pests, and decrease heavy metals in the soil.
Other Ways to Recycle Your Grounds
We understand that composting might not fit everyone’s lifestyle, and that’s ok! What matters is that you do what you can, when you can. Fortunately, there are several other ways to use your coffee grounds around your home:
Help Flea-Infested Pets
Fleas are a frustrating but common problem among household pets. While there are many flea-removal products available for purchase, they often contain harsh chemicals that can lead to unwanted side effects.
As previously mentioned, many pests prefer to avoid coffee, so grounds can be a great natural treatment method, especially in mild cases. Although there isn’t a 100% guarantee that it will solve the problem, simply rubbing coffee grounds through your pet’s fur after shampooing can relieve your pet of fleas. Remember to wash the grounds off after, ideally outside and not down the drain. And don’t let your pet consume any grounds, as they can be toxic.
Neutralize Bad Smells
Who doesn’t love the smell of coffee? Not only does it have an amazing aroma, but it can also absorb and eliminate foul odors thanks to its nitrogen content. Place a bowl of coffee grounds in your fridge to get rid of the smell of rotten food. You can even fill old socks with coffee grounds to make portable air fresheners for gym bags, bedroom drawers, or the car.
Use as an Eco-Friendly Cleaning Scrub
Since coffee grounds are course and abrasive, they can be helpful for removing buildup from challenging surfaces. Coffee grounds even have antibacterial and antiviral properties, so they can help sanitize your space. Use them on your:
Sink
Cookware
Grill
They can even make your fireplace easier to clean by weighing down the soot to prevent ash clouds from forming!
Exfoliate Your Body and Scalp
The coarseness of coffee grounds can be mixed with a bit of water or coconut oil to act as a magical exfoliator to increase blood flow and remove dirt, dead skin cells, and buildup from cosmetics. The caffeine in the grounds even contains powerful antioxidants that can protect your skin from sun damage.
When used on your scalp, the caffeine in coffee grounds can even stimulate hair growth. Before shampooing, massage a handful of grounds into your scalp and rinse. Avoid washing grounds down the drain, as they can clog your pipes.
When you purchase Organo coffee, you basically get a two-for-one deal: a delicious, energizing beverage and an invigorating spa treatment!
An Eco-Friendly Morning Cup with Mr. Coffee Concierge
Like every single cup of coffee has a positive impact on your morning routine, every step you take towards sustainability has a positive impact on the Earth. Great power resides in the strength of community, which is why we encourage all our coffee drinkers to make lasting changes to your routine for the health of the planet, no matter how small.
Remember: by taking care of the planet, you take care of yourself. Join the movement to better yourself and better the planet with Mr. Coffee Concierge! Shop Organo to drink the energy of the Earth!