What happens to the coffee grounds left behind after your morning cup? For a group of climate-conscious teens in the South Bay, those leftovers are more than waste; they’re an opportunity to nurture the planet and build community.
Founded in 2023 by Audrey Hsu and a team of like-minded youth, Grounds for Growth is a grassroots initiative that repurposes used coffee grounds into slow-release fertilizer for gardens. The idea is simple but impactful: collect grounds from local coffee shops, clean and dry them, and redistribute them to community gardens, like the one at Camp Via West in Cupertino.
So far, the group, including co-leader Kathleen Hsu, Pamela Wang, Eugenie Kim, Hasinishree Jeyakumar, Luke Zins, and Chloe Chen, has partnered with more than ten coffee shops and distributed over 10,000 pounds of grounds.
“We want people to start thinking about their food and their waste as cyclical, not a straight line,” said Hsu. That philosophy has become the foundation of educational presentations that the group has delivered to more than 20,000 students across the region.
But the mission goes beyond sustainability. Hsu says Grounds for Growth is also about connection.
“It’s able to bring people together,” she said. “Especially at a time when our communities are a little polarized, finding connection in things we share, like food and nature, is so powerful. We’ve brought youth into gardens, introduced gardening to people who’ve never tried it, and connected students with local businesses to spark dialogue.”
Despite her age, Hsu is no stranger to environmental activism. She began her journey in climate advocacy at just five years old, and her passion continues to inspire others to think differently about waste, sustainability, and community.
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