The Environmental Brew-haha with Coffee
Let’s face it; between filters, single use brew pods, coffee grounds and polystyrene cups, your morning caffeine jolt can make a lot waste!
If your coffee craving is leaving you feeling a little trashy, here are some suggestions for enjoying your cup-o-joe without the eco-guilt.
Reusable Mug: There really is just no excuse for not having a handy reusable coffee mug on hand to refill at your favorite java oasis. You can find a multitude of sizes, shapes, and styles in various price ranges.
Compost: If you haven’t already started composting coffee grounds, you need to. They are a wonderful addition to the compost pile and if you have a vermi-compost system (worm bin), worms LOVE them! Unbleached coffee filters can also be composted. Adding bleached coffee filters to a worm bin could kill your worms so be careful.
Single-use Brew Pods: Avoid them if you can. The only environmentally-friendly way to deal with them is to reuse them. Used pods can be used for art projects and tiny seed starter pots, but you can only reuse so many. A better alternative is to use a reusable pod designed for use in your single serving coffee makers..
Coffee Cans: These are some of the best reusable containers around. Store your nuts and bolts or craft supplies in them or use them to decorate, wrap gifts, or use as a care package. You can even go to the Folgers website to find free printable decorations for the cans.
Eco-coffee: The harvest and production of coffee can have its own impacts on the Earth such as loss of habitat, deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution and over-use of agri-chemicals. What can you do? Look for the Rain Forest Alliance certification, Fairtrade Foundation and organic beans the next time you shop.
