Welcome to the dirt-nerd zone. This is where coffee grounds, egg shells, and wiggly worms get the spotlight they deserve! If you’ve ever wondered why we collect the stuff we do, here’s the scoop (pun intended).

Thanks to our rainy weather, we have some of the richest, most vibrant soils but heavy rain also means nutrients wash away faster. Compost and scraps help replenish what’s lost!

One handful of PNW healthy soil can contain more living organisms than there are people on Earth.

Soil is full of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes that work together to break down organic matter, feed plants, and keep ecosystems healthy.

Healthy soil = healthy plants = healthy food = happy people!

Fun Fact: The PNW (especially Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver) drinks more coffee per capita than almost anywhere else in the U.S. That’s a lot of grounds ready to feed gardens!

Used coffee grounds are about 2% nitrogen by volume, which is awesome for leafy greens like lettuce, kale, and spinach.

Coffee grounds help loosen heavy clay soils, which are common in Clark County and around Vancouver. They also improve soil texture and attract beneficial microorganisms that help break stuff down.

Fun Fact: Worms LOVE coffee grounds. It's like a caffeine party in the soil (without the jitters).

Eggshells are about 95% calcium carbonate, that’s the same stuff in antacids, but plants use it to build strong cell walls.

Eggshells are packed with calcium, which helps prevent blossom-end rot, a common problem for tomatoes, peppers, and zucchinis grown in the sometimes unpredictable PNW climate.

Our region’s soils tend to acidify naturally from all the rain, and eggshells help buffer the soil’s pH just a little bit toward neutral, plants love that balance!

Crushed shells also help aerate the soil and deter slugs. Slimy critters don’t like the sharp edges!

Earthworms eat organic matter and poop out pure gold worm castings, aka nature’s finest fertilizer.

They thrive in the moist PNW climate they aerate heavy soils and create drainage tunnels naturally.

In fact, worms are especially critical here because our rains can cause soil to compact easily. Their tunnels prevent flooding and promote root health!Their tunnels help aerate the soil and improve water retention, especially helpful during hot summers.

Worms don’t have eyes, but they can sense light and vibrations. They’re basically tiny soil ninjas.

Vancouver’s landfill waste is around 40% organic material, meaning a lot of what ends up in the trash could actually be feeding the soil instead.

Using coffee grounds and eggshells keeps nutrients local and reduces the greenhouse gas emissions from transporting and processing waste.

Composting turns “waste” into black gold nutrient-rich material that improves any garden.

It reduces landfill waste and methane emissions while feeding the soil instead of filling a trash can.

Fun Fact: Compost piles can get up to 140°F! Hot enough to steam and kill weed seeds!

Clark County’s native soils like Gee silt loam and Hillsboro sandy loam are fantastic for growing vegetables, if you give them a little organic boost.

The Columbia River floodplain, which runs right through Vancouver, was built over thousands of years by sediment and organic matter, basically ancient compost on a massive scale!

Soil microbes release hormones that trigger plant growth and even help plants communicate through their roots (they’re basically gossiping underground).

Mycorrhizal fungi form networks connecting plant roots, kind of like a forest internet (aka the "Wood Wide Web").

Your coffee grounds and egg shells are made for this place. By feeding the soil, you’re helping keep the Pacific Northwest green, healthy, and thriving, one scoop of scraps at a time.

By feeding the soil, you’re feeding an entire underground ecosystem. Cool, right?