Help Your Compost with Used Coffee Grounds from Starbucks

April 8, 2014 - Make sure you like EcoJoes on Facebook to stay updated on green ways to save money and help the environment. Just click the "like" button below. Muchas gracias!


Starbucks, that lovable, local mom-n’-pop coffee shop, goes through literally ‘uge amounts of coffee every day. Instead of chucking the used coffee grounds away to waste space in a landfill, they fill up 5-pound bags and let you take the grounds home to help out your compost and/or garden! How boss is that?

As an added moneysaver, you can rebrew some coffee with the old grounds! Enjoy your free weak brew as you chuckle at the thought of ever paying for coffee again!

Bag of used coffee grounds

The nitrogen from the used coffee grounds is a real kickstarter for your compost and garden. Nitrogen is a major fertilizer for crops, and your plants will react to it much as Popeye reacts to spinach.

It’s worth noting that TOO much nitrogen can cause nitrogen burn in your plants, so I don’t recommend planting your garden in pure coffee grounds. If you do though, and it works, let me know, por favor!

The one bad thing about this program is Starbucks doesn’t reuse their bags. I have no idea why; they’re pretty durable, and they’re basically just putting trash in them. C’mon Starbucks, take that next step and reuse the bags if people bring them in!

So next time you’re trudging past a Starbucks, stop in and see if they have any of their big bags of used coffee grounds. Tell them EcoJoe sent you, they’ll know what you’re there for.

Posted in free, gardening, green business, plants, save money on Tuesday, April 8th, 2014 at 7:40 PM.

4 Responses to “Help Your Compost with Used Coffee Grounds from Starbucks”

  1. wigbate says:

    Dang, I would grow stuff here in China if the ground didn't have AIDS.

  2. When I first met my wife she did this a couple of times for her compost. I thought it was a good idea and why not. I haven't checked but does anyone know if Starbucks is still doing this or even went to the next level and started reusing their bags?

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