How can we make coffee more sustainable?

Use a coffee press or a mocha maker. Photo by C Solorzano on Unsplash.

How can we make coffee more sustainable?

Use a coffee press or a mocha maker. Photo by C Solorzano on Unsplash. Photo by Tim Foster on Unsplash. Photo by Zac Harris on Unsplash.

Photo by Janko Ferlič on Unsplash. One thing the study doesn't mention is where coffee comes from. Coffee cultivation is so carbon-intensive, in part because the traditional method of growing in the shade has been replaced by growing more plants under the sun. However, it's still possible to buy shade-grown coffee, which can hold carbon dioxide in the soil, provide habitat for birds and other animals, and make coffee cultivation more resistant to rising temperatures, among other environmental benefits, as noted by the Smithsonian's National Institute of Zoology and Conservation Biology.

Therefore, one way to improve the sustainability of your coffee is to look for bird-friendly coffee, which is grown in the shade and is organic. Another very simple way to reduce paper waste is to use your own cup. This method doesn't cause landfills to fill up with paper cups and makes you feel at home. For many years, Starbucks promised to make a recyclable cup, but it hasn't done so. The standard Starbucks cup takes about 20 years to break down.

It might not seem like a long time, but when you consider that the U.S. The United States consumes 60 billion such cups a year, and the problem worsens even more. Every month, we'll give one lucky person a Javapresse package with the best image and a caption about how they use our products. Although the use of sustainable agricultural inputs, their correct application and the elimination of by-products are three examples of how coffee production can be more environmentally sustainable, there are many techniques that producers can use.

While environmentally friendly production methods often represent an additional effort (and, in general, an additional cost) for coffee producers, sustainable coffees come at an increasingly high price. In this sense, capsules have an advantage over filtered coffee, since they inherently limit the amount of coffee that can be prepared. From coffee capsules and filters to expensive coffee machines for brewing coffee, it turns out that the most sustainable way to prepare coffee is to use a French press. Although Covid has currently put you on hold, if you are going to have coffee on the go, try to avoid single-use glasses to find a more sustainable alternative.

However, if coffee drinkers consume 20 percent more coffee and heat twice as much water, coffee in capsules comes first. Some producers grow their coffee among trees that provide shade in a system known as agroforestry, which has benefits both for the quality of the coffee and for the environmental impact of the farm. What they found was that, when consumers followed instructions, instant coffee was the most sustainable method of preparing coffee and traditional drip coffee was the least. No filters are used, the grinder is completely compostable, and the electric kettle (probably) consumes less energy than a drip coffee maker or a capsule type coffee maker. In Alberta, which derives much of its electricity from fossil fuels, washing a cup of coffee in the dishwasher consumes two grams more carbon than manufacturing and throwing a coffee pod in a landfill.

However, by adopting greener practices on farms, producers can increase their chances of attracting a rapidly growing consumer segment looking to buy sustainable coffee. If you're using a drip coffee maker, drip coffee maker, AeroPress, or something similar, there's a filter, usually made of paper or bamboo, and ground coffee. This is a little difficult to measure, but assuming that a regular coffee maker stays on for a while after preparing coffee, the electric kettle may be the most efficient option from the energy point of view.

Glenna Matthys
Glenna Matthys

Hardcore internet practitioner. Wannabe beer advocate. Infuriatingly humble beer expert. Devoted coffee evangelist. Hardcore social media scholar. Friendly beer fanatic.