Someone at your local Starbucks does not know how to properly dispose of waste material. No having anything other than coffee grounds mixed in is not the normal practice. Ask the manager about this.

I disagree. It's normal. Not much fun, and probably not what Starbucks intended, but normal. Every time I ever took what was supposed to be bags of coffee grounds from Starbucks, I ended up with a fair amount of non-putrescible material that I then had to rebag and throw away. Blech.

One of the nice things, though, was the bags. Those were the heaviest, toughest bags I ever saw and I'm still using some of them, five and six years later!

Do all Starbucks stores participate? and what is the best time of day to go? The morning or evening? Thank You

All the full service stores participate. Actually, that's probably not entirely true. Sometimes the ones in downtown areas don't save the grounds because they don't get taken for long periods of time. Starbucks that you find in places like bookstores, grocery stores, airports, etc are usually owned by the store rather than Starbucks, and most of those don't participate.

Many stores will have a bucket somewhere inside the store (in many cases, right next to the door for those who don't drink coffee and just want to grab the grounds). Some will repackage the grounds in the original bags the beans came in with a label telling you how to use the grounds. Most of the places I've gone to lately are just leaving them in the trash bags since they have "regulars" who come and get them.

The best time to get the grounds is right before somebody else comes. If you come right after somebody else comes, you may not get any grounds. As for the time of day, that will vary from store to store and maybe even from day to day.

sudzy, i just went to starbucks for the first time, go in and ask them about "grounds for your garden program". if they don't have any built up coffee grounds, they'll be happy to change coffee grounds in their filters and give you the old ones, they told me they don't get many ppl asking for the so call a day or two ahead and they'll save em all for you....

i felt like a bum the first time i walked in there, haha, but it's really not that bad.....

I go to Starbucks in a Safeway grocery store. I've never gotten "contaminated" grounds--in fact, the grounds don't even include the filters. I haven't noticed any best time to ask--I agree with bpgreen that the best time is before someone else gets them! (At my store, the grounds aren't put out--I ask one of the servers behind the counter.)

I don't get much trash in the UCGs, but I do get filters from time to time. Once I got a part of an espresso machine, but it wasn't from a SB. The manager was a little suprised and dismayed when I returned it. From a SB I once I got a small steel pitcher like they use to froth the milk and I kept it. (I know I'm bad, but they did put it in the trash.)

I think that things are different in different areas, as my experiences are quite different from some of the the others above. It may depend on how many people want the UCGs.

In my area, they all seem to save grounds, even in bookstores and grocery stores. They will have them bagged up in the silver bags, but usually somewhere in the back. You just have to look around for the bucket. I try to go in during off hours when they aren't busy, but ideally just after they have been busy, like midmorning or midafternoon. Then I snag whatever is in the buckets and I ask at the counter if they have any more and tell them that I will take everything they have in the plastic trash bags. This makes the workers happy because they don't have to load up the grounds in the silver bags. If they are busy, I just take the ones they have in the silver bags and don't bug them.

I also do not feel obligated to buy anything. Every so often I will buy something if I want it, but usually I just take their trash and am on my way.

Thank you all for your thoughts.

I am hesitant to say anything to the management for fear that the store (the only one around here) might put a halt to the program, or worse - get an employee into trouble. I'm pretty sure that I'm the only person that picks up the UCG's as every time I go there, the bins are bulging with bags upon bags of grounds.

Actually, when I called weeks ago to ask if they participated in the program, the woman had to put me on hold and talk to the supervisor. I was then told that I could drive around behind the store and help myself to their organics bins. Maybe there really isn't a program in place per se, just willing to keep some crazy dame on the other end of the phone happy?

That must be it - they want to keep the 'wacko' out back by the receiving dock, not in the store.

Holly - roflmao!

Never have found a coffee store with organic bins out back . I sure wish I could find one though ! I could use every single bit of the UCGs . I have three compost piles and lots of acreage that would gladly consume all the UCGs I could find . Holly , you are SO lucky ! Go for it and grab some in my honor too !

There may be some managers of Starbucks stores that have not subscribed to the corporate social responsibility pledge and that is one of the reasons several hundred of them are being closed. It is, however, corpoate policy that the used coffee grounds be recycled when possible and that they be kept seperate from other trash. That may not include the filters they use, but it certainly includes coffee cups, lids, and other non recyclable trash. Maybe people need to visit the corporate web site and print out the policy and take to their local manager.

Will do, gatormomx2!

I guess I should stop complaining - there are lots of folks out there that can't get their mitts on ucg's.

kimmsr - I had no idea that they were closing stores. Wow, 12,000 could be out of work. What a shame.

The best time to get the grounds is right before somebody else comes.
Haha bpgreen. Thanks for the laugh! Guess, I walked right into that one.
Well, the nearest large town is 20 miles away and there are 4 Starbucks located there. So the next time I "go to town", I'm going to give them all a visit. Thanks for all the info.

I just called my local SB and they said come any time and if they aren't by the front door they will bag them up for me.. weeeeeeee... I'm going to go get some tonight!

I go to Starbucks about once a week for a random pickup whenever I happen to be driving by. It depends on the particular store for availability, but most will be happy to just give you the entire (very heavy!) bag from their bin next to the coffee machines if you ask.

The only "contaminate" I've ever had in the past six months of collecting was a single empty Splenda packet which someone must have mistakenly tossed in thinking it was a trash can. You shouldn't have weird trash in with the grounds, the bags should have grounds and filters only. I've only had one store that is particular about removing the filters from the grounds when they put them in the silver bags.

My local 'bucks said just call in the morning and they'll save a bag (or more) .. . . not enough people picking them up so they stopped putting them out.

If you're driving 20 miles, I'd definitely call.

The SB's in the city where my husband works will not 'save' grounds. He has called to see if they have any grounds so he does not drive across town for nothing...has given his name only to arrive to find they are 'out'.

As far as finding things in the ucg; I found one of their stainless steel pitchers and we returned it, have found straws, cups, napkins, etc. BUT never have I found a filter.

I'm not complaining, though. I'm building new raised beds and doing the composting right in the boxes. Mixed the SB UCG with cardboard, grass clippings, cornmeal, a. meal, etc. and it heated up right away and made some great stuff. Am planting in the first one now; #2 is starting to cool off and looks really good! Just finished loading #3 and started #4.

I don't drink coffee but sure love what UCG's do for my gardens!

Peggy