Joe the (Sustainable) Cuppa

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A girlfriend of mine has successfully given up the caffeine habit to improve her health, but I’m not about to part with my coffee. Still, I want to ensure I’m getting my morning pick-me-up in a way that’s sustainable. I did a quick search and found there’s not much to it. Here are a few simple tips:

-As delectably exotic as beans imported from faraway regions may sound, transporting them long distances can result in unnecessary pollution. Try to buy the beans nearest your home state (or country), and make sure you choose organically-grown and/or biodynamically-raised beans.

-Organic should also extend to the milk or creamer that you add. Is your diet lactose free? Try the tasty varieties of organic soy, rice or almond milk.

-Disposable filters are anything but green. Invest in a French press (VivaTerra’s is trés chic) or reduce waste with reusable filters. There are recycled filters available, too, but reusable is definitely best.

-Sweet tooth? Make sure your sugar is fair trade certified.

-Don’t waste a thing. Compost coffee grounds or simply spread them onto your soil as fertilizer.

-And, of course, you’ll need to pour your steaming drink into a sustainable cup, like the stylish coffee ware by Terra Keramik that we recently featured.

-You can even trace your coffee beans back to the farmer who harvested them. Just check out Sarah’s post on Crop to Cup.

Image: annia316