Our coffee craze has slaughtered forests and left hilltops barren. It has resulted in the underpayment of small farmers, while affluent merchants have amassed vast sums of money. However, attempts are being undertaken to make coffee more environmentally friendly and sustainable.
Greetings, coffee lovers and brewers! This is the final installment of our sustainability series. We’ve witnessed the impact of coffee cultivations as well as sustainable alternatives, from shade-grown coffee to the rainforest alliance and third-wave movement. We’ve seen what organizations are doing thus far, but in this last section, we’ll discuss what you can do.
But before that, we have something amazing to share with you all! We are excited to share the launch of our very own “Gloo Patron Program”!
“Gloo Patron Program” is a platform that rewards individuals for their skills & ideas. Whether you are an illustrator, content writer, photographer, engineer, marketer, or analytics guru, GLOO makers need your detailed insights and skills to build better products. For your insights & contributions, you will have the opportunity to get a commission on the products sold. As a patron, you can contribute by writing, graphic designing, photography, business feedback, product testing, etc.
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Intro-Sustainable Coffee – Everything you need to know!
Part 1: Green Coffee – Top reasons to choose for the environment!
Part 2: Fair trade coffee & its alternatives – Best Guide
Even small everyday changes to make our coffee more environmentally sustainable can add up over the years and centuries.
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1. Stay away from single-serving cups for sustainable coffee.
Every year, 16 billion single-use cups are produced. This results in the removal of 6.5 billion trees and the consumption of 4.5 billion gallons of water. The yearly carbon footprint of coffee cups that wind up in landfills is around 152,000 tonnes. These numbers are really scary.
Always, carry your reusable mug instead!
2. Avoid single-serve coffee pods at all cost
Single-use pods are not sustainable. They are a disaster for the environment. Not only that, but they’re rather pricey and make subpar coffee. Thus, they keep you from getting the most out of your coffee. So, staying away from them is an overall amazing choice
3. Purchase a Reusable Filter
Paper filters should never be used for a variety of reasons. The biggest one however is the chemical seepage. Since most paper filters have been chlorine bleached, when they end up in landfills they poison. Trace levels of dioxins and chemical pollutants eventually seep into watersheds through the soil. Toxins that are exceedingly hazardous to people spread to budding plants through the water. As a result, eating vegetables and fruits exposes us to dioxins. Employing reusable cloth filters would eliminate water poisoning and generate less waste. If you’re a big admirer of paper filters, at least look for TCF (total chlorine-free) or PCF (processed chlorine-free) labeling.
4. Go for pour-over or manual brews
1. French press
To brew using a French press, all you need is hot water and coffee grinds. No power or disposable filters are required. When the user presses down the plunger, the grounds steep directly in hot water and are then filtered out. After drip brewing, the French press is probably the most eco-friendly brewing method.
2. Stainless steel coffee filters for Hario V60 & Chemex
In the previous article, we have already seen all about Harrio V60 & Chemex. Click here to read. And the best part is both these star pour-over coffee makers are compatible with a stainless steel reusable filter.
3. Aeropress & Sustainable stainless steel filter
Ground coffee and hot water are all that you require for the Aeropress. This means you can use it even if you don’t have access to electricity! There are stainless steel filters for the Aeropress, making it a more environmentally responsible alternative.
5. Recycle used coffee beans
Coffee grinds are thrown out in the trash and shipped to landfills. They produce methane, which is 25 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Click here to learn how to repurpose the beans!
6. Choose sustainable coffee makers
Always opt for coffee makers who have certifications like the rainwater alliance, organically grown, bird-friendlily, etc. Connect with your coffee maker to understand how they grow their coffee and if it is truly sustainable. Click here to check out the list of sustainable coffee brands.
7. Choose recyclable/eco-friendly packaging
We are well aware that buying sustainable coffee with the labels mentioned around is not affordable for everyone. And that’s okay. You can follow the previous 5 points. You can also choose one that comes in reusable glass bottles or paper packets rather than promoting plastic creation.
All the seven steps mentioned above are easy to adapt & sustainable. You can follow a few or all, you’re your small action matters, a lot! Landfills, the greenhouse effect, and single-crop cultivation are all serious issues all around the world. They unnecessarily contaminate our rivers, ruin ecosystems, and render land worthless.
The globe is not a garbage can for us, and our lovely planet needs to be treated with respect.
And with that thought, we come to an end to our sustainability series.
We care strongly about the environment at the #Gloo community, and we want you to join us in our effort to embrace little changes to create a better world.
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