Many of us can’t wait to lay hands on that hot cup of brewed, black/brown powder called coffee that enables us to function tirelessly throughout the day.
Whether you prepare one at home in the mornings or use the coffee machine in the office to get your delicious, hot cup of brew, there’s no denying how energized we feel after having our morning cup of coffee.
Yes, coffee is good for your body, but have you paused to think about what really could be happening to the environment following your choice of coffee source. Many people do not know that coffee could harm our world.
The good thing is, you can easily change your coffee habits to be more eco-friendly and sustainable.
Here are 10 ways to make your daily cup of coffee better for the environment!
1. Brew your coffee
Brewing your coffee at home or the office helps to ensure that the coffee you use checks all the social and environmental criteria you’re looking for—and it will save you money.
2. Save more energy on coffee brewing
There are lots of coffee machines that are energy-saving. Getting one for your coffee brewing is a way of maximizing energy while minimizing its effects on the environment.
3. Say no to coffee pods
The simplicity, convenience, and style that coffee pods bring to the table might be attractive, but on the other side of this fascinating trend is a seriously looming danger.
Do you know where all those plastic and aluminum-made disposable pods go after satisfying your coffee craving? To the landfill! Unfortunately, these materials take centuries to decompose.
Therefore you should opt for coffee machines that use freshly ground coffee instead of those using capsulated brands. Our planet life matters!
4. Invest in coffee cups that can be recycled
Instead of purchasing takeaway cups that eventually end up in landfills and polluting the environment, it won’t hurt to carry along a reusable coffee cup when you need to get coffee from the shops.
5. Decide to use a personal mug
This is a straightforward method of reducing paper cup landfill waste. Most of the cups serving coffee in offices and other workplaces are not recyclable or may take decades to break down. The fact that billions of people are still using these cups even makes it a more significant threat. Using your mug or tumbler is a simple way to lower plastic and paper waste.
6. Support eco-friendly coffee production by purchasing fairtrade coffee
You may have heard the word “fair trade” and may not know what it means. Fairtrade is a good arrangement that allows farmers in developing countries to be paid a fair sum by businesses for their products to help them invest in climate-friendly farming techniques and create a transparent and sustainable supply chain.
The price of coffee isn’t steady – it changes from year to year. On the part of coffee farmers, this represents a significant risk because their sales come down to how much quality yields they can produce.
Change in climatic conditions affects farmers’ ability to cultivate good coffee yield, but when you buy Fairtrade coffee, you invest in this program and evade its adverse effects.
7. Choose your coffee roaster carefully
Like other industries where production occurs, not every coffee roaster is careful about its environmental impact. However, there are a few that put effort into ensuring their ecological footprint is well controlled.
Find out what methods your local roasters are employing in the business of coffee roasting. Best environmental practice will involve reduction, reuse, and recycling.
Encourage roasters that are doing well, and as much as possible, impress upon the others to ensure they do the right thing.
8. Get yourself a good filter
In the preparation of coffee, the kind of filter you use matters.
Don’t use paper filters – they have been treated with chlorine, and when trashed, harmful chemicals can leach out of them into water sources, affecting human health and the environment.
While purchasing filters, look out for those that carry the label tagged TCF (total chlorine-free) or PCF (processed chlorine-free). You can drop disposable filters for other brewing methods that guarantee better flavor and be more environmentally friendly.
9. Coffee grounds can become compost
Coffee grounds that usually end up in the trash can make good compost. Apart from the obvious benefits that it brings us, coffee is rich in phosphorus, nitrogen, potassium, plus other trace minerals that can act as excellent plant fertilizer.
Every year, around 6 million tonnes of coffee grounds are wasted globally. Wouldn’t it make sense to channel this nutrient-rich product into a worthwhile venture?
So, starting right about now, throw that coffee ground into your garden soil, and you will be keeping it more fertile than you ever thought. You can read more about how to use it as compost here.
10. Use cleaning agents that are not toxic to the environment
What is the point of having energy-efficient coffee machines, reusable mugs or cups, and still washing them clean with detergents containing harsh ingredients?
The best thing is to complement your eco-friendly coffee and coffee-making tools with cleaning agents that protect the environment. This aspect must be considered and treated as necessary when thinking of ways to conserve the environment.
Summarising
It may look like there is nothing you can do to cause a change in the direction environmental pollution is taking, but that is not true at all. See how far we have come to this point; there’s a lot you can do to help make the environment safe.
So, when next you think of a hot cup of coffee, remember to get it from an eco-friendly source and use a reusable cup or mug if you’re at home or relaxing in your coffee break at the office.
Tell family and friends about the importance of employing sustainable environmental practices. Safe coffee saves the environment!