Put your paper coffee cup to good (re)use

Paper coffee cups. We use them, we throw them away. It happens. And if you're like me, you hate yourself for participating in this vicious cycle. But alas, the cycle continues.

I recently decided to start an indoor herb garden. Or try to at least. In gathering the necessary supplies I had a revelation! Plant the seeds in my old coffee cups! Now I can feel slightly less guilty when the barista at Starbucks hands me yet another latte in a paper cup.

Step 1: Supplies

Here's what you need:

Recycled paper coffee cup with lid
Recycled plastic tray - or something waterproof to catch the water and dirt
Soil (I used seed-starting mix and composted potting soil)
Seeds
Spray bottle - I didn't have one so I used a recycled bottle

Comments

[ccarreer]

I love this idea! I am a regular at my local coffee shop, and I hate throwing away my cup after I'm finished with my mochas, but it just doesn't taste the same out of a mug. This will make me feel like less of a thorn in Mother Nature's side.

[dubainoob]

What was the herb that germinated in 4 days?

[skrysiak]

Neat idea! While the cups aren't biodegradable (they have a thin coating of plastic to make them leak-proof), any additional usage is obviously commendable. The lids help keep the seeds warm and moist during germination, and your suggested layering potting compost and seeding mix removes the need to transfer them to larger pots during the initial seedlings' growth.