Do you know that a lot of garbage is produced just to make one cup of coffee?

If nothing is done, it is going to be nothing but waste. However, there are still some ways left for those waste for Eco activities.

A couple living in Kyoto has started “mame-eco project” since May 2020 to reuse them as fertilizers for acting green. In this project, the husband rides around the city and visits some coffee shops and cafes to collect coffee grounds in early morning. Even though many of the coffee shops are not even ready to open, but the doors open for him. He receives a bucket full of coffee grounds, then he goes back home, and bring what he collected to some farmers so that they can use the coffee ground as fertilizers.

They started this project when they saw a flyer about garbage of Kyoto City. According to a family budget survey conducted by Statistic Bureau, the consumption of a household in Kyoto city is 3562 grams on average from 2018~2020, which is among the most of all the cities designated by ordinance.

When it comes to environmental issues, it seems almost impossible because convenience and solving environmental problems are irreconcilable. The couple says, however, just little things can even change the world. The fermentation goes on if it’s left as it is, but by mixing coffee ground and humus or sawdust, it can change to great fertilizers, taking 3 or 4 months. According to them, collecting the waste and using them are such an easy way for the first step to act green.

When they first started this project, it was not that easy since there was nowhere to bring the waste even though they have collected the waste. But they kept on doing this just with the hope of improving the environment, and more owners of coffee shops and farmers are quite inspired by their project and their passion for the environment, so now more than 50 shops support their project. Now the couple collects a ton of coffee ground in a month. Collecting a ton of waste in a month is so tough, but they do this riding a bicycle because using a car or motorcycle defeats the purpose as it is harmful to the environments. They say that they want people to know that coffee ground is pretty much useful and also good for the environment and reuse just like bringing milk cartons and plastic trays to supermarkets.

Their desiccation, spirit of volunteerism, and attitudes toward environmental improvements deserve to be praised. It would be nice if more people get to know about this project and start acting green with something easy.

2021.12