Starbucks to distribute used coffee grounds for gardens

I hate Starbucks. Won't go near them. But they do get a kudos for this.

OS

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&subsection=Qatar+News&month=November2007&file=Local_News2007112622558.xml

Starbucks announced yesterday it will distribute complimentary, used coffee grounds round-the-year for gardens and compost bins in an initiative devoted to improving environment.

“What begins as a great cup of coffee can be a nutritious treat for the garden. Coffee grounds can be a valuable source of nutrition for the garden,” said Antoun Abou Jaoude, Marketing Manager for Starbucks - Middle East.

“At Starbucks, we strive to find innovative and creative ways to positively contribute to a healthier environment. Reusing coffee grounds in the garden is a great way to nourish your plants and recycle this rich resource from Starbucks stores."

“Customers who enjoy the Starbucks Experience can now take it home for their plants to enjoy with our 'Flowers Love Coffee….too' programme,” added Abou Jaoude.

The grounds-for-your-garden initiative was begun at a grassroots level by Starbucks store partners in North America in 1997.

The partners saw a need in their communities and identified an innovative solution that leverages Starbucks core business, which is coffee. The programme is still in use today and involves packaging coffee grounds-brewed beans in re-used whole bean coffee bags, sealing them with a Starbucks coffee grounds sticker and distributing them to customers and communities for use in gardens and compost piles.

FULL story at link.

for this move regardless of the motivation. Every little bit helps!

The local stores have a special bin where the grounds are bagged up and placed for those who want to take them to their garden. I compost all my coffee grounds and tea bags.

I think it's great.

but i still compost em.

I just dump the old grounds from Starbucks directly between the rows, and the number of earthworms I've noticed in the garden while digging potatoes this fall was much higher than normal.

... cos those worms are really *wired*!
:woohoo:

I'll be shifting a full 10% of my income to assorted lattes :sarcasm:

And the odor might cause you to curtail your seven or eight cup a day coffee habit.

Most garden vegetables like soil in a 6.5 - 7.0 pH range to grow best. Unless you're using the coffee grounds on acid-loving plants (blueberries, azaleas, etc.), be sure to check your soil's pH before adding the grounds. Of course, you can also balance things out with lime, bonemeal, etc.

Glad that Starbucks is doing this.

Probably a dumb question but I'm asking anyway. I have a problem with the acid in coffee but darn it, I love my cup o' Joe!

Supposedly, darker roasts are less acidic.

Thanks for the advice.

:donut:

And we thought they were only corporate bloodsuckers out to gain every precious piece of PR they could.

Hey, wait a minute...

But I walked to the Starbucks a mile away THREE times and was told every time that they hadn't saved them or didn't have any ready to give away. It's a sweet idea though, my aunt's a gardener and she got them from a Starbucks near her.
Maybe I'll write some letters this Spring, maybe the local Starbucks will start keeping some grounds for me :evilgrin:

They were kind enough to give me a whole garbage bag full of coffee grounds.

including the filter always go into my compost pile.
Within 2 years it will be in my garden.

Cheers
Drifter

They don't offer bags of used grounds in the winter, but if you go in and ask, they'll usually just hand you a big garbage bag full of grounds. My garden did wonderfully this year after applying about 50 lbs of uncomposted grounds directly between the rows.

My local Starbucks has been doing this a long time -- the coffee grounds are much beloved by many of my acid-loving plants, including camellias, ferns, and foxglove.

Good for Starbucks. I wish all corporations were like Starbucks and Costco. There is room for good corporate citizens. My hub won't go in one because they push out the ma & pas, but seriously I'd rather work at a Starbucks, they give health ins. benefits even to part time employees. Very coveted job in my daughter's high school!