Progress #5. go greener

I've been roasting a lot of green Ethiopian coffee beans these days, which saves on the woes of packaging, as roasted beans are often stored in foil and plastic unrecyclable bags to preserve freshness, while green beans can be stored and shipped in single paper recyclable bags. I'm trying to find my perfect bean, so that I can buy in large industrial bulk in green, which should help preserve even more in packaging. Also, every time I think I'm learned about coffee, I pick up new knowledge through research, which is a fortunate byproduct.

I store all the beans in washed jars saved from sauces or pickles.

(Also, by the way, I currently roast exclusively in an old popcorn popper from my childhood, so that is the best repurpose endeavour in the world. Trust me.)

The above roast is my favourite thus far: An Ethiopian Limmu from the Burka Gudina Estate, light-medium roast, natural process.

I make my coffee exclusively by pour over and, though the filters are biodegradable, they are still waste. I bought these "Coffee Socks", which are reusuable cotton. I used them for the first time today, and they make a really clean cup.

I think sometimes what people don't realize with "eco" living, is that it actually saves money over time -- what is disposable in and of itself seems cheap, but you quickly earn back your money if you can use something repeatedly, indefinitely.

I think I will save the coffee grinds to sprout my saved tomato seeds for garden seedlings, as experimentation says that tomato seeds will sprout as well in coffee grounds as in soil.

Speaking of seed-saving, the tomato plants from the first cherry seeds I saved in my Aerogarden are flowering, which means it will be time soon for delicious homemade salsa. It's a constant cycle of reuse!

Lastly, I am obsessed with my dehydrator. I can make the greatest crackers from saved almond pulp and flax. 

I currently have two trays devoted to drying out fresh herbs.

The last tray is currently host to something new: Fruit roll-ups of yellow plum jam and applesauce (of which I obviously saved the jar -- good large size for 1 lb of coffee beans). I don't usually line with parchment paper, but it is advisable here for the ease of cutting and rolling.

Original goal list posted here