How to ensure your morning beverage isn’t brewing up an environmental storm.
More than two billion cups of java are drunk every single day around the world, and the resulting waste and environmental impact is massive. A colossal 500 billion coffee cups are dumped every year (nearly 300 million in NZ alone), along with an estimated 56 billion coffee pods that end up in landfill. And that’s before you even consider the global resource and human costs of what has become possibly the most traded commodity after crude oil.
Fortunately, there is much you can do to ensure your caffeine kick is not compromising the planet. As with most products, knowing the origin of what you’re consuming is vital, and many supermarkets are keenly aware of their responsibility to offer ethically sourced coffee. Check for sustainability certifications that ensure things are being done to help make production better for both the environment and the farmers involved. Associations like Fairtrade and the Rainforest Alliance are great examples of this, so look out for beans that feature their logos.
More than two billion cups of java are drunk every single day around the world, and the resulting waste and environmental impact is massive.
Even fans of pod machines can also lower their coffee carbon footprint. Many appliances are now compatible with foil pods which can be recycled using a very simple and nifty pod recycling device that separates the used coffee grounds from their foil casing. The grounds go on your compost heap, while the accumulated foils head for the recycling bin. You can also source pods that are compostable in their entirety.
When it comes to drinking ‘on the go’, the obvious solution to limiting waste is to switch to a reusable coffee cup, and many cafes will offer a discount on your beverage when you proffer your own vessel. You can also upgrade to beans that are organic; and if your focus is on the imprint being made on the dairy industry, cow’s milk alternatives such as soy, almond, rice or oat have never felt closer to the real thing.
In other words, you don’t have to let your coffee consumption become a burden on your conscience.
