Starbucks is on a roll this year.

Starbucks started a trend

Who could forget Starbuck’s Unicorn Frappuccino release in April? Or its recent Secret Menu slew of ombre drinks? And on June 13th, the funky drink powerhouse announced its partnership with Lady Gaga. Now, through June 19th, the company will donate 25 cents from each sale of its “Cups of Kindness” collection to Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation.

No matter how you feel about Starbucks’ increasingly insane drink menu—I’m a black coffee enthusiast who thinks a latte is too fancy—you’ve got to give it up to the company’s marketing and drink-making team.

So, it was only a matter of time until other coffee shops and restaurants jumped on the eye-catching drink trend.

Local’s Corner, an Australian cafe, is one such coffee house. The coffee shop recently posted a picture of its “signature” carrot latte—a latte housed in a carrot in lieu of a coffee mug, and its orange latte plopped inside an orange peel.

I reached out to the coffee house for comment about its mysterious produce drinks, but have yet to hear back. But even though I don’t really know why these drinks exist, I at least want to take a stab at making sense out of these mind-boggling beverages.

1. It’s about attention—plain and simple

Weird drinks get snaps, clicks, likes, and hearts. So, the stranger the drink, the more clicks, right?

Well, this theory is mostly correct.

A recent American Express Restaurant Trade Survey discovered that Millennials who use social media to post pictures of food are snapping at a super high rate. Seventy-two percent post about their restaurant experience on social media and 25 percent will post photos of their meal or drink.

Restauranteurs are well aware of this trend. The survey discovered that 83 percent of restaurateurs view social media as “having a very or somewhat positive impact on their business” and “a majority use some type of social media promotion for their business.”

2. Maybe it’s about the packaging…

All of us at EcoSalon appreciate a business that is aware of its carbon footprint. So, maybe—just maybe—these drinks are a way to cut back on non-bio resources.

Think about it—restaurants could easily compost carrots and orange peels. These cups could help cut down on water use and trash. Not such a crazy idea after all, huh?

3. Perhaps a barista just wanted to have a little fun

Let’s face it—work is super boring sometimes. We totally wouldn’t blame a barista for getting creative on the job.

Well, this is likely the real reason behind the shop’s crazy lattes.

A recent Daily Mail Australia article reports that the cafe owner just likes to be… different.

“We just like doing different things, we’ve being doing a few of these, one with an apple, one with an avocado, this week was a carrot and next week we will do something different,” Vanja says.

Fair enough. You can’t blame us for daydreaming, though.

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The post This Carrot Latte Exists and We Can’t Stop Thinking About It appeared first on EcoSalon.

What most people fail to realize about the pumpkin spice craze is this: most pumpkin spice flavored things don’t even involve real pumpkin.

Food companies have found the perfect elixir of synthetically made flavors to invoke that cozy flavor of fall, and they do it well. Pumpkin spice makes its way into everything from Oreos to waffles, but if there’s one item that seems to be the leader of the craze, it’s the pumpkin spice latte.

And who wouldn’t want a caffeinated drink that tastes seasonal? The reality is that your average coffee shop pumpkin spice latte isn’t so good for you, what with all the additives, sugar and calories involved.

Still craving a hot autumn drink? There are plenty of seasonal lattes you could be making at home. Here are 10 ideas for fun seasonal latte drinks

1. Actual pumpkin

While the corporate world is busy making pumpkin spice lattes with no real pumpkin in it, that doesn’t mean you have to. Buy a pumpkin, bake it, make a syrup and you’ll be on your way to homemade pumpkin spice latte bliss.

2. Cinnamon

One of the main spices in an actual pumpkin pie, making a cinnamon syrup and adding to a latte gives your drink that extra spicy kick.

3. Maple syrup

A maple flavored latte will have you feeling like you’re in a forest of maple trees.

4. Cardamom

If cinnamon is a bit too average for you, then a cardamom latte may do the trick. How about a coconut cardamom spiced latte?

5. Ginger

We’re not quite into gingerbread season yet, but a gingerbread latte, made with fresh ginger, is easy to make at home.

6. Apple cider

Sure, it sounds like a bit of an odd combo, but a dash of apple cider in coffee gives you the sensation that you’re drinking an apple pie.

7. Butternut squash

Oh hey now, squash in a latte? It’s not weird when it’s pumpkin, now is it? Butternut puree and butterscotch come together for this autumn latte that’s certainly a bit out of the ordinary.

8. Rum

Spike that latte my friends.

9. Sweet potato

This Korean recipe actually doesn’t involve coffee, but it’s warm, creamy and full of seasonal flavor.

10. Salted caramel

Make your own salted caramel and serve up a caramel latte to all your friends, then let the caffeine and sugar kick in.

Related on EcoSalon

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Image: Basheer Tome

The post Forget Pumpkin Spice, Here are 10 Other Fall Flavors to Put in Your Latte appeared first on EcoSalon.

Time vs. energy waster. 

Coffee and environment are inextricably linked, but to put your caffeine addiction into perspective, consider: one latte releases about the same amount of CO2 emissions as using Facebook for an entire year.

In 2011, Facebook says its “data centers and operations used 532 million kilowatt hours of energy, and emitted 285,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent.” That’s the same amount of CO2 as about 52,000 passenger vehicles would emit in one year. Broken down per user per year and you get the latte comparison.

Not a coffee drinker? According to the company, one year of Facebook accounts for about the same amount of energy as two glasses of wine.

Pick your environmental poison.

Image: dusk-photography

The post What’s Worse For the Environment: Lattes or Facebook? appeared first on EcoSalon.