Grounds For Improvement

We are constantly being urged to Stay Hydrated. I do try, but honestly, there is no way I could manage to cart a 1.2 litre flask around with me. A 250ml mug of liquid is my limit, and even then I will drink it slowly. Bob says that if I were to have a tomb-stone he would have it engraved "I haven't finished my tea yet"

I'm glad that NHS guidelines include tea and coffee in their list of healthy drinks that can contribute to your 6-8 glasses a day. Because this Grandma runs on tea - and Grandad Bob likes his good fresh coffee. 

We are very careful to put both our coffee grounds, and used tea leaves into the compost bin to improve the soil in the garden. If it is filter coffee from the Melitta, the grounds are carefully carried outside in the paper*, and dropped in the compost bin. Before we make our breakfast coffee,

[a mug each from the cafetiere]  the previous grounds are rinsed out over the raised bed, just outside the door [more dashing outside in my pjs...] It is important to only put used/brewed coffee on the garden, apparently if you put fresh, unused grounds on the soil it can have a detrimental effect.

Loose tea leaves from Bob's fancy brews go into the compost no problem. Tea bags are a whole other issue. Even 'biodegradable' bags don't always break down in a domestic bin. So I collect them in a little bowl by the sink. When I have half a dozen or so, I rip them in half. I empty the grounds into the compost, bags into general waste [if we only had food waste bins here, they could go in there...] But the general result of this recycling is that there is a definite improvement in the soil. Good grounds make good ground!

If you don't drink coffee yourself, you may find bags of free used coffee grounds being given away free at local establishments [like Starbucks, and National Trust coffee shops]

*I reluctantly abandoned the home made cotton filters, Bob said they imparted an unsatisfactory taste to his drink. ** tea bags do vary as to their compostability, this little graphic is helpful