Simple Ideas for "Greening" Your Coffee and/or Tea Habit

Go Green in 2014: Week 30

Ahh! The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafts through the house....

We enjoy drinking coffee and hot tea in our house, as many of you probably do. And like with many other aspects of life, there are various ways to "green" our coffee and/or tea habits.

First, you might want to consider where your hot beverages came from. Maybe you've never thought about it, but coffee and tea can be acquired from organically- and sustainably-grown sources. And hopefully it is fair trade. It's not always easy to find products that fit all these requirements; I won't claim that everything I buy has these certifications. Not even close...but every little bit helps.

Let's go over some of the reasons why it's a good idea to look for these certifying logos.

Why choose "organic" and "fair trade"

• Organic farming relies on techniques like crop rotation, green manure, compost, and biological pest control, rather than harmful fertilizers and pesticides. Look for the USDA Organic seal on the packaging to be sure a product is actually organic.
• Fair trade is a system of exchange that ensures farmers and workers are justly compensated for their products and services (source). Look for the fair trade logo on packaging to be sure a product is fair trade-certified.
• Additionally, a product might be advertised as being "sustainably grown", which basically means it was produced without harming the eco-system. Sustainable agriculture reduces the risk of topsoil depletion and groundwater contamination, the decline of family farms, the continued neglect of the living and working conditions for farm laborers, the increasing costs of production, and the disintegration of economic and social conditions in rural communities (source).

Ideas for reducing coffee and tea waste

Another aspect of going green is trying to reduce waste every way we can. When it comes to our hot beverages, reducing the amount of wasted packaging is a huge step in the process of "going green". And believe it or not, we can actually reuse those old coffee grounds and tea leaves in various ways, as well.

Ways to eliminate packaging waste

• Rather than using disposable cups at home, use washable mugs - and if you like to pick up coffee at the gas station, make sure to have a travel mug along so you can reduce waste (and maybe even get a discount on your coffee??).
• Buy larger containers of coffee grounds and bigger boxes of tea to reduce packaging waste.
• Instead of buying individual K-Cups (for Keurig brewers), get a reusable mesh filter (affiliate link) that you can fill with your own grounds and wash between uses.
• Invest in a tea ball or loose leaf infuser (affiliate link) that can be used for straining tea leaves; this is a great way for tea enthusiasts to reduce packaging waste.
• Look for products with biodegradable packaging, and add them to your compost pile.
• Compost your coffee filters.
• Recycle packaging where you can: plastic containers and coffee tins, plastic wrapping, and cardboard boxes.

Ways to reuse coffee grounds

• Compost your used coffee grounds.
• Reuse coffee grounds in homemade body products, such as body and facial scrubs.
• Remove odors from your hands by rubbing used coffee grounds between them before washing with warm water and soap.
• Keep pests out of your garden by sprinkling coffee grounds around problem areas. This also helps keep cats away from your plants.
• Fertilize plants, inside and outside the house, by sprinkling used coffee grounds in the soil where they grow. It may seem strange, but plants love coffee!

Ways to reuse tea leaves

• Compost your used tea leaves.
• Soothe tired eyes with cooled tea bags; simply place them under the eyes for as long as it is enjoyable.
• Use cooled tea bags as a cold compress for the relief of bug bites, burns, and bruises.
• Or, use them as a hot compress to heal pinkeye, canker sores, and fever blisters. They can even help treat plantar warts by drawing out the infection.
• Feed your plants with used tea leaves. Sprinkle them in the soil around houseplants or in your garden to help it grow.
• Absorb odors in the fridge with used tea bags.
• Soak in a bath of warm tea; run the bath water over several used tea bags and soak for at least twenty minutes to soften your skin.

Now that we've gone over a few simple ideas for "greening" your coffee and/or tea habit, which to you prefer: coffee or tea? What are some of your favorite ways to reduce waste or reuse old coffee grounds/tea leaves?

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*Disclaimer: Although this post may contain affiliate links, all opinions are my own.

Your challenge: This week, think about the ways you can go green with your coffee and tea and consider giving them a try.

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**This post is part of a weekly challenge {Go Green in 2014}, during which the author has challenged herself - and you - to find 52 ways to lead a greener life in 2014. You can follow the weekly posts on this page.**