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Fire logs made from coffee grounds By Kris Kolk
October 23, 2007
While getting our chimney cleaned the other day, our chimney sweep told us about Java-Log, a manufactured fire log made from recycled coffee grounds. They’re even supposed to smell like coffee when burned.
Coffee-scented logs may seem like a novelty; however, they were invented as an environmentally-friendly firewood alternative. They do not emit caffeine so will not keep you awake all night.
The manufacturing process reuses millions of pounds per year of coffee grounds. The company claims that coffee grounds in landfills decay and release dangerous emissions into the atmosphere contributing to global warming.
The coffee logs save trees otherwise destined to become fireplace fuel. Java-Logs are 10 times cleaner to burn than wood, produce less creosote and emit less carbon monoxide than traditional wood fires. The product is so “green,” its ashes are safe to use in an outside garden.
The coffee log was invented by Rod Sprules, a Canadian mechanical engineer. While researching the energy content of propane, he discovered that coffee grounds release more heat than wood when burned. To try this idea, he used coffee shop coffee grounds, dried them in an oven and stuffed them into an old cigar tube. He was pleased with the flame, burning time and aroma. The successful result encouraged Rod to pursue coffee as a firewood and manufactured log alternative.
sccworlds.com was just “burning” to try this product. We purchased our five-pound log at Walgreens in WingHaven for $3.99 and used it in our fireplace last night.
We noticed:
· tall, bright flames;
· the heat reached further into the room than when burning wood or other manufactured logs;
· crackling sounds but no really big “pops;”
· a slight coffee scent every once in a while but difficult to detect;
· it only burned for about two hours.
Like many environmentally-friendly products, the Java-Log is expensive compared to its counterparts. It’s fun to try, but if you enjoy fires all winter long, using the Java-Log gets pricey.
For more information, see the Java-Log website.
Copyright 2007 Neighbors About Town
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Environmental friendly Java Logs are made from recycled coffee grounds. |