DIVERTING COFFEE PODS FROM LANDFILL 1 POD AT A TIME
... Help the Environment: Compost
100% Biodegradable Ese coffee pods
For 4 or 5 years now we have collected every Lucaffe ESE coffee pod that has been used in our business and at home. We have combined these completely biodegradable pods with our kitchen waste to create rich, nutritious compost which we dig directly into the garden. We have been rewarded with a lush urban oasis (In our backyard) … and in the process saved kilos of waste from going to landfill where it would have created destructive methane gas.
Composting is a beautiful natural organic process. There are many ways to compost. This is the way we choose to do it at Lucaffe Australia …..
We keep a closed bucket beside the coffee machines. Every time a coffee is made, the used pod is put into this bucket along with any organic kitchen waste that is created during the day. If possible we cut the kitchen waste into smaller pieces (not necessary, but this helps the worms get through them more easily … they only have small mouths!!)
At the end of each day, the bucket is emptied into our *Bokashi bin which we keep outside. A small amount of dried bokashi mix is then sprinkled over and the lid resealed firmly. We collect a full Bokashi bin over a week and have a rotation of 4 Bokashi bins.
Every 3 weeks, we will choose a spot in the garden, dig a hole, and bury the contents of the Bokashi. It’s that simple. The nitrogen from the coffee grounds creates heat which speeds up the composting process. Within 4 -6 weeks, the hole with spent ESE coffee pods and kitchen waste is magically converted to rich organic matter that can be left as is, or spread throughout the garden.
Why is it important to compost?
It has been well documented that to reduce our impact on the planet, we should try to keep as much of our waste from Landfill as possible. If biodegradable waste ends in Landfill, it is as destructive to the environment as all other waste contributing to toxic greenhouse gases. If disposed of naturally, biodegradable waste creates a positive impact on the environment.
When food scraps and other organic materials are sent to landfill, they begin to rot anaerobically (without oxygen) and release greenhouse gases, primarily methane (CH4), which contributes to climate change. Many people don’t realise that the impact of methane on climate change is around 25 times greater than carbon dioxide (CO2). - Compost Revolution, 2019
Re-earthing your ESE coffee pods does several things;
- The community farm saves money by not having to buy in manure and other supplements to augment their composting process. For them, coffee waste is compost gold as it is nitrogen rich and speeds up the composting process.
- Most importantly! It keeps the coffee pods out of landfill. According to Compost Revolution, “households can significantly reduce their climate change footprint. In fact, about 3% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions come from organic matter rotting anaerobically (without air) in landfills. To put that in context, that is about as much as the entire country’s aviation industry”.
What can you do?
Start a compost bin. It’s easy and fun and your garden will love you for it. You can start small. We use a Bokashi composting system and it is simple and produces great compost.
If you already have a compost bin, put all your used Lucaffe ESE coffee pods in it. You will be amazed as they are literally compost gold.
Take your used ESE coffee pods to your nearest community garden for their compost bin. Find one on: Communitygarden.org.au
Be kind to the environment please think about how you dispose of your pods and keep yours out of landfill
Share Waste connects people who wish to recycle their kitchen scraps with their neighbours who are already composting, worm-farming or keep chickens. Now you can divert waste from landfill while getting to know the people around you!
A community-based organisation linking people interested in city farming, community gardening and community food systems around Australia.
Reground exists to help all cafes help the environment and not let any coffee waste end in landfill. Reground creates a community around organic waste to educate us all on how to make our future more sustainable.