Columbia County officials are partnering with several local coffee shops with a conservation project aimed at coffee lovers.
The “Go Green for Caffeine” campaign gives incentives to customers of three area coffee shops that are designed to encourage eco-conscious coffee consumption.
According to Rachael Osbourne of the Columbia County Stormwater Compliance Department, the campaign is part of an expansion of the county’s “Green Guide,” a publication offering conservation tips that can be found at the county’s website.
“We like to show residents how doing small things can have a big impact,” Osbourne said.
Osbourne says that the campaign has three goals: Utilizing reusable cups for product consumption, offering straw-free options and using coffee grounds for composting purposes.
Each participating coffee shop will be offering a different incentive, from discounts to free coffee grounds to be used for composting.
Coffee grounds, along with egg shells, are two organic materials that do not have to go through the composting process to be a benefit to plants; coffee grounds can be added directly to the soil where they release nutrients left behind in the brewing process.
Ubora Coffee is giving free grounds for the asking, Harlem Java House is offering a 10% discount for customers who bring their own cups and Goat Kick Coffee Co. is not only giving away free grounds, but also participating in a study to track how different blends of coffee grounds benefit plants.
During the campaign, customer participants are asked to submit a completed survey while at each of the three locations for a chance to win a free tumbler (while supplies last).
The program runs for two months, the month of February through March 31.
