Coffee Waste, Reforestation, Promising Studies, And Your Personal Impact
More than 1 billion individuals sip coffee daily, thoroughly enjoying this decadently delicious drink.
And, while this is great for the coffee industry, one must wonder, what does it mean for our planet?
Coffee beans are technically seeds, the innermost part of the coffee cherry, which is the fruit of the coffee plant or shrub.
And while we easily recognize this roasted bean, how often do we think about the discarded coffee cherry? I mean, what really happens to this part of our beloved brew before it ever makes it to our door, our kitchen, and our cup?
Then, there’s the process of growing the coffee cherries? How does this affect our planet?
In short, not every company is as committed to supporting whole body health and environmental health as Lifeboost, and this means there are negative impacts the industry as a whole has on our planet.
Thankfully, scientists (and others) are always working to improve environmental health, either reversing or negating these adverse impacts altogether.
Today, we’d like to share some recent findings which prove incredibly promising in regard to the impact coffee has had on our planet as well as some ways you can join these efforts (minus any scientific studies), reducing personal coffee waste and benefiting your home, health, and garden (etc) in the process.
Reforestation And Coffee Waste
Coffee is a big business.
Why?
In a word (or a few) ...it’s delicious, healthy, and it brings us joy!
But the coffee industry is a tricky one as it can have many negative impacts on the environment.
If you’ve been a Lifeboost customer for very long, you know how much we care about human health and environmental health, and that’s why we grow our coffee with both in mind!
First, we only use sustainable growing practices.
And we only grow our coffee on small, family-owned farms.
We also never use chemicals in the growing process, and we grow our coffee plants amongst native plant life, in turn increasing the biodiversity of the area instead of threatening native species.
These are just a few of the practices we implement to ensure you’re drinking the healthiest cup of coffee possible without sacrificing our planet in the process.
And, these methods, unfortunately, differ greatly from many masses marketed coffee brands.
Most folks now know that many large coffee companies use pesticides, chemical fertilizers, herbicides, etc. when growing coffee, and this can negatively impact the coffee plant, the soil, surrounding waterways, wildlife, and more.
But this isn’t the only threat to our planet.
Unfortunately, mass marketed coffee is commonly grown in the sun, on large plantations made by removing the native plant life to make room for hybrid coffee shrubs.
This process involves removing trees, shrubs, and anything else in a given area to make room for the plants. Then, after a number of growing cycles, when the soil is no longer fit for growing the plants, the area is abandoned, and the process begins again in a new region.
Yes, unfortunately this is just as devastating as it sounds, destroying acre after acre of land, of precious habitat and home for plant and animal life.
And this is where reforestation comes in…
It isn’t just the coffee industry wreaking havoc on our planet in this manner, and thus many regions desperately require replenishment.
Reforestation begins the process of replenishing these ravished regions by planting trees to restore forests, increase biodiversity, reduce soil erosion, and more.
So yes, efforts are being made to combat the damage done by deforestation, but the coffee industry can actually have other negative impacts on the environment.
For instance, coffee beans aren’t actually beans, but seeds, or the inside of the fruit of the plant, known as the coffee cherry.
To enjoy the coffee bean however, the flesh of the cherry and the remaining fruit must be removed before the beans can be dried, then roasted.
This flesh and fruit waste is known as coffee pulp, and “for every pound of roasted coffee we enjoy, an equivalent amount of coffee pulp is discarded into massive landfills across the globe.”
Obviously, this creates a problem even when you’re a company (like Lifeboost) that doesn’t harm the environment through the use of harsh chemicals or by incorporating devastating practices like deforestation.
Now for the good news…
This subject matter has had an air of gloom and doom thus far, but a recent study has provided hope…on a grand scale…for both environmentalists and coffee lovers!
A recent study conducted by the British Ecological Society, published in the British Ecological Society Journal: Ecological Solutions and Evidence, found that coffee pulp may actually solve reforestation problems while reducing (or cutting back entirely) coffee pulp waste.
In this study, researchers built upon the knowledge of using coffee byproducts for accelerated plant growth and therefore spread 30 dump truck loads of coffee pulp on a 35x40m area of degraded land in Costa Rica.
For control purposes in their experiment, they also marked off a similar sized area where no coffee pulp was used.
In two years’, time, the lead author described the results as dramatic.
“The area treated with a thick layer of coffee pulp turned into a small forest in only two years while the control plot remained dominated by non-native pasture grasses.
After only two years the coffee pulp treated area had 80% canopy cover compared to 20% in the control area. The canopy in the coffee pulp area was also four times taller than that of the control area.”
These results are incredible, right! But, it gets even better…take a look at a few other findings from this study:
- The thick layer of coffee pulp also eliminated invasive non-native pasture grasses that had been invading the land.
- With the removal of the invasive grass, pioneer tree species quickly grew in the area from natural processes (not through human planting, but through wind and animal dispersal of seeds).
- Nutrients like nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus were greatly elevated in the soil throughout the coffee pulp area compared to the control lot.
All in all, the results of the study are truly impressive, but the implications are even greater!
The leader author of the study, Dr. Rebecca Cole, states - “this case study suggests that agricultural byproducts can be used to speed up forest recovery on degraded tropical lands. In situations where processing these byproducts incurs a cost to agricultural industries, using them for restoration to meet global reforestation objectives can represent a win-win scenario.”
The author also noted, obviously, further testing is needed to confirm its successful use “across a broader range of conditions.”
Also, researchers would like to see how the coffee pulp affects soil and vegetation over longer periods of time.
But, it’s clear that these findings prove to be promising for both the coffee industry and our planet!
So, until they’re able to further test this method, did you know there are ways you can both reduce and benefit from your own, personal, coffee waste?
Fertilization And Coffee Grounds
While we don’t have to deal with coffee pulp waste in our own homes, we do produce some waste, in the form of coffee grounds, each and every time we enjoy a delicious cup of joe.
Thankfully, like coffee pulp, this coffee waste is also reusable!
As we learned in our examination of the study highlighted above, coffee boasts powerful benefits to our planet, providing optimal nutrients and needed enrichment to the soil.
And, coffee grounds are no different. Even after you’ve brewed and enjoyed a tasty cup of coffee, the leftover grounds still contain nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus.
These nutrients are a must for plant growth and soil health, making coffee grounds a great, all-natural, fertilizer.
Take a look at the following ways coffee grounds prove to be an excellent fertilizer for your plants:
- Coffee grounds release nutrients gradually, or slowly. So, instead of your plants getting an immediate burst of nutrients, which may cause harm, the coffee grounds provide a slow, steady, balanced source of nutrition.
- Coffee grounds also work to improve the structure of soil. This happens as the grounds actually feed microbes present in soil which causes the release of “microbial glue,” thereby improving drainage and promoting good soil structure.
- Then, coffee grounds also serve to bring balance to soil, lowering or equalizing pH levels. This is said to be especially helpful when growing blueberries, azaleas, holly bushes, and magnolia trees.
- Coffee grounds can even serve as a natural pesticide in some cases. Here, some have found coffee grounds to be effective at repelling slugs and snails, wasps, fleas, and mosquitoes.
So then, how can you use coffee grounds to satisfy, or even enhance, your fertilization needs?
1- Compost
Most experts recommend adding coffee grounds to compost piles prior to using this waste on plants and soil as a natural fertilizer (there is an exception to this, and we’ll get to that in a moment).
When adding coffee grounds to compost, you’re combining this nitrogen-rich material to other items such as shredded newspaper or cardboard, eggshells, fruit and vegetable scraps, used tea or tea bags, plant clippings, wood chips, yard trimmings, and more.
But, while coffee is a darkly hued substance, it’s actually classified as green matter due to its nitrogen content.
And for best use in soil, you want a balance of green and brown matter - the green items (like coffee grounds) providing nitrogen, and the brown matter items, such as paper, dried leaves, etc. providing carbon.
A balance between green and brown items is not only needed for proper decomposition in your bin, but it also yields a balanced fertilizer for use in your garden, yard, and for other plant-feeding needs.
In other words, adding coffee grounds to your compost bin or pile brings a balance to the mixture that will aid in decomposition and reward you with a nourishing, balanced fertilizer for later use.
Additionally, if you have a worm bin, worms are said to absolutely love coffee grounds! So, consider adding small amounts when vermicomposting.
2- Add Directly To Soil
If you do not have a compost bin or pile, another way to use coffee ground waste is by sprinkling it directly onto the top of your soil or around your plants.
When using coffee grounds in this way, however, there are a few things to consider:
- You’ll want to only sprinkle a thin layer of grounds on top of the soil. If you spread the grounds too thick, this can create an impermeable layer, making it harder (even nearly impossible) for water to reach the plant roots below.
- When using coffee grounds in your garden, experts recommend spreading a layer roughly 1 inch thick throughout the space, then raking to work it into the soil.
- Similar to the concept of a compost bin, combining green and brown materials for balance, some insist the use of coffee grounds directly in/on soil requires the addition of some brown matter such as wood clippings or dead plant materials.
- This type of addition would satisfy the need for balance in soil as well as providing larger particulates to ensure proper drainage and air circulation.
- For dog owners, coffee grounds could be harmful to your canine friend if consumed in large doses. So, exercise caution if you’re using a large amount (in/over a large area).
3- Liquid Fertilizer
You can even create a liquid fertilizer with used coffee grounds!
To do this, you only need roughly 1 teaspoon of used coffee grounds per 1 gallon of water, allowing the grounds to steep in the water for a few nights prior to straining.
Afterwards, you can then use the enriched liquid to water your houseplants, garden growers, and more.
*No matter where you’re using coffee grounds for fertilization purposes, it is always advisable to start small and see how your particular soil/garden/ground reacts before using it on a larger scale.
Reducing Personal Coffee Waste - Reuse, Recycle, Compost
The coffee industry is…well…massive.
And each individual company must make conscious choices regarding human health and the health of our planet in how they grow, process, roast, and deliver their product.
Likewise, each individual consumer must make conscious choices regarding their personal health and the health of our planet when it comes to coffee consumption.
If you’re drinking Lifeboost Coffee, you can already rest easy, knowing our coffee is sustainably grown, knowing we use things like EcoCart to offset our carbon footprint in shipping, knowing we support organizations such as the Rainforest Trust which go above and beyond to protect our planet, and knowing our coffee is truly clean, pure, and healthy.
But, even when you’re drinking environmentally conscious, clean, healthy coffee, there is still personal waste involved.
We detailed a few ways you can reduce personal waste in the above section, specifically looking at using coffee grounds for fertilization purposes, but what if you have no fertilization needs?
What if you just want to do your part, reducing coffee waste where you can?
To close things out today, let’s cover a few ways you can do just that…
If you’re a cafe patron, be sure to bring your own, reusable, cup. This sounds simple, but paper cup waste is a “big one” in the coffee industry. So, plan to use compostable, recyclable, or reusable cups…at home or when visiting a cafe.
If you don’t have a personal need for used coffee grounds, perhaps talk to your local chamber of commerce and see if there is a way your (and your community’s) personal used coffee grounds can be used for neighborhood or community gardens (floral or produce).
Do you prefer using coffee pods? If so, you can make a positive environmental impact by either switching to compostable pod options (like Lifeboost compostable coffee pods), or seek to purchase a reusable filter basket for your pod-friendly brewer. Using such a tool allows you to add ground coffee to the pod-shaped basket, completely omitting the use of disposable pods.
To do this, be sure to dry out used grounds to avoid mold growth, but you can use grounds for odor elimination, similar to baking soda used in a refrigerator or freezer to absorb odors. Fresh grounds work well in this way, of course, but you can still enjoy this benefit with used grounds. Just be sure to replace them semi-frequently.
Use coffee grounds to repel insects like wasps, mosquitoes, and fleas. Some like to keep open containers of used coffee grounds on their porch in the summer to keep these pests at bay, while others prefer storing the grounds in a sealed container with air holes.
You can also turn your used coffee grounds into a healthy, natural skin scrub. When combined with nourishing oils, you can make a wonderful exfoliating (from the texture of the grounds), hydrating (from the added oils), firming (from the caffeine in the used grounds), and nourishing (from the antioxidant content of the coffee and healthy ingredients in the natural oils used) face and body skin care product.
As we mentioned in the section above, you can also compost your used coffee grounds. Adding this “green” matter with other “brown” matter items yields a nutrient dense fertilizer you can use just like Mary…you know, to “help your garden grow.”
Check out Lifeboost Coffee Grata Medium Roast.
References:
- https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/
- https://balancecoffee.co.uk/blogs/blog/global-coffee-consumption-statistics#
- https://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-and/climate-coffee#
- https://www.upworthy.com/researchers-dumped-tons-of-coffee-waste-in-a-forest-ex1
- https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org/forests-on-caffeine-coffee-waste-can-boost-forest-recovery/
- https://www.drax.com/sustainable-bioenergy/what-is-reforestation-and-afforestation/
- https://www.thesill.com/blogs/plants-101/how-to-reuse-coffee-grounds-for-your-plants#
- https://salisburygreenhouse.com/the-science-behind-slow-release-fertilizers/#
- https://www.growveg.com/guides/a-common-sense-guide-to-using-coffee-grounds-in-the-garden/#
- https://news.oregonstate.edu/news/used-appropriately-coffee-grounds-improve-soil-and-kill-slugs#
- https://sagebrushcoffee.com/blogs/education/sustainable-coffee-using-grounds-as-fertilizer
- https://www.thespruce.com/using-coffee-grounds-in-your-garden-2539864
- https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/goodliving/posts/2019/05/guide-to-composting#
- https://stutzmans.com/9-genius-ways-use-old-coffee-grounds-garden/#
- https://www.recycling-magazine.com/2019/10/01/reducing-coffee-waste/#
- https://www.northstarroast.com/blogs/brewing/5-quick-easy-and-useful-ideas-to-minimise-coffee-waste?srsltid=