By: Ed Marroni

What do you do with your spent coffee grounds? Tossing them into the trash is not a good idea because they break down like all organic foods and release methane which is a  gas 20 times more powerful than CO2. Instead plan to hold on to the grounds for reuse. First, though, the grounds must be dried out or they become moldy. You dry them by spreading a thin layer on a cookie sheet and placing them in  a sunny spot. Once dried they are ready for reuse in any of the following ways:

• use as FERTILIZER on acid loving plants( tomatoes, azaleas);
• DETER CATS from the garden by sprinkling grounds around the beds or pots;
• SCRUB HANDS with the dried grounds after chopping onions or garlic to remove the odor; COMPOST them but do not overdo it!;
• like baking soda they can ELIMINATE ODORS in the frige;
• REPEL ANTS AND SLUGS by sprinkling grounds near point of entry;
• SCOUR away grease on pots and pans;
• use them to EXFOLIATE your skin;
• coffee grounds give paper an AGED LOOK–soak the grounds over night and then quickly dip your pages and let them dry.

Should you not be a coffee drinker, many coffee shops and stores will most likely give you their spent grounds without a cost (I am told). Its amazing the many different things one can do with used products.

Ed Marroni is a South Hampton Roads chapter leader of Virginia Organizing.