Sometimes subtle changes can make a huge difference. Did you know that by making a few small changes in your daily coffee brewing process and coffee buying habits, you can do your part to help out the environment? Check out a few tips below to help make your daily cup a little more sustainable.
Use a Manual Brewer
Different coffee brewers expend different amounts of energy. For manual brewers, like a French Press, Chemex, and Aeropress, most of the energy for that process is used to boil your water. For some electric coffee brewers, like some drip coffee brewers or espresso machines, energy is used to not only heat water but to power additional bells and whistles like digital clocks, warming plates, and grinders. To conserve energy, try making your morning coffee with a manual brewer. For a little insight on how these brewers work, check out our brew guides for French Press, Chemex, and Aeropress.
Repurpose Old Coffee Grounds
You probably have a ton of old coffee grounds you don’t know what to do with. Did you know, that you can put those old coffee grounds to good use? Check out our below graphic for some inspiration.
Use Reusable Drinkware
Did you know it would take between 20 to 100 uses for one reusable cup to make up the greenhouse gas emissions of a single-use cup? Not only does putting your coffee in your favorite reusable mug to avoid using single-use cups but some of our favorites keep your coffee warm so you don’t have to waste energy re-heating your coffee or making more once it goes cold. Check out some reusable drinkware options we offer here.
Try Organic Coffee
Another way to make a difference with your dollar is by trying Organic Coffee. Organic Coffee processes contribute to sustainable growth practices at origin. This includes soil building practices that enhance the retentive ability for nutrients and water and control soil erosion, replacing synthetic chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers (compost, animal manure, etc.) to reduce risk of groundwater pollution, and increasing biodiversity in the ecosystem at origin. Our newest organic coffee comes from a co-op in Congo that is 50% female and stresses gender equity. Learn more here.
Support Sustainable Sourcing Practices
Your dollar makes all the difference. By purchasing coffee from purveyors who have sustainable sourcing practices, you’re encouraging the continuation of those practices. In terms of sourcing, we value building long-term relationships with our farmers at origin and are committed to bettering the lives of our partners at origin through positive relationships and sustainable practices. Not only do we partner with organizations that provide continuing education for a variety of growing elements but we also aim to provide access to water to the communities at origin we work with. Learn about our Haiti Coffee Academy and Burundi Kayanza Project where we worked to provide sustainable infrastructure to strengthen communities at origin and their surrounding environment.
Try Dairy Alternatives
Reducing the amount of dairy milk you use in your coffee can make a difference. Dairy alternatives, like oatmilk, use less water and land to produce than cow’s milk. Not too mention, oatmilk mixes very well with coffee.
