"Coffee does not merely serve delicious tastes – its grounds can also be a treasure!" Recently, an interesting Coffee Cycle Event was held at Guangdong Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT). The activity was organized by "Rebuilders", an environmental protection group founded by GTIIT students, to introduce coffee waste knowledge and enhance people's environmental awareness.

The barista told the history of coffee through the legend of the goatherd, then clarified the types of coffee in Yunnan Province, China, as well as in the main production place in the world.

"You can't imagine how useful coffee waste is!" The Rebuilders explained the knowledge of coffee waste in a clear and simple way to participants. Although coffee is delicious, it generates lots of coffee grounds during production. People used to dispose of them directly, however, coffee grounds are rich in nitrogen, carbon and other nutrients, and can be used as agricultural fertilizers. With a loose and porous physical structure, they are lighter in texture, thus they can be turned into daily necessities such as clothes, cups, and toothbrushes with special processes. Clothes made of coffee grounds have good moisture-wicking and breathable functions; composite materials made of coffee grounds have excellent biodegradability and are environmentally friendly.

"Coffee grounds are good for beauty!" According to the Rebuilders, coffee grounds are rich in antioxidants. When combined with coconut oil, they can create a whitening and moisturizing effect. This feature aroused the audience's curiosity to have a try.

The barista brought Ethiopian Yirgacheffe lemon green (light roast), Italian blend (medium roast) and other three different types of coffee for students and teachers to taste. He said that these five kinds of coffee were from different origins and had different degrees of roasting, which are highly representative.

In the future, the leader of the Rebuilders, Chen Changyang, hoped to further investigate the commercial value of coffee waste and cooperate with related companies to develop more creative coffee re-products with his teammates.

Text: Dai Li, GTIIT News & Public Affairs

Photos: Liang Luyao, GTIIT Student Affairs Department, GTIIT News & Public Affairs