After you brew your coffee at home what do you do with the leftover coffee grinds? If you’re like me (or like I used to be) you probably throw them in the garbage. But did you know that coffee is actually eco-friendly? I didn’t…until recently.
I was lucky enough to receive a Keurig 2.0 K200 from Influenster as part of the Keurig and Van Houtte campaign. I had the chance to try my very first at home brewing machine and be one of the first to taste the new Van Houtte specialty coffee flavors such as Vanilla Latte and Cappuccino. On top of all that I actually got to learn about all the benefits coffee has after you stop drinking it.
It turns out that coffee is so much more than just a warm beverage. You can actually used coffee grinds in some very unusual ways such as in your garden, on your body and on your face. According to Keurig “Gardening with coffee is a very popular practice and an environmentally friendly way to divert used coffee grounds from being thrown in the trash.”
Try these unusual ways to use your leftover coffee grinds:
Start a compost with your coffee
Coffee grinds are rich in nitrogen and bacteria which are two ingredients that help turn organics into compost. Add used coffee grinds to your compost along with all your biodegradables such as eggshells and unwanted fruits and veggies.
Mix an exfoliating body scrub
Coffee grinds seem, well grimy. But apparently that’s good for your body. After learning all about the ways coffee can be eco-friendly I took to Pinterest to find other ways we can use coffee. It turns out that coffee is a natural exfoliate. All you need is coffee + coconut oil + cinnamon and you have a lovely body and face scrub.
Create a liquid feeder
No only can coffee grinds be used as a fertilizer and an exfoliate they can also be used as a liquid plant enhancer. Yes that’s right. The next time you want to water your plants, vegetables, flowers or garden throw some leftover coffee into the watering can. All you need is a handful of coffee and a bucket of water, let it sit for two days and then water your plants.
Coffee can be used as soil
Mixing leftover coffee into your soil helps plants and veggies grow because it acts as a natural fertilizer. Who knew that unwanted coffee was the new Miracle Grow. Mix coffee into your pots or sprinkle it on top of your gardens. Then sit back and watch your greenery grow.