Coffee : Are You Being Environmentally Friendly As You Should Be?

Oil aside, coffee is the most highly traded substance in the world. The worldwide demand for coffee stretches from coffee houses in New York, to cafe’s in Italy, to “qahwas” in Cairo, to street stalls in Thailand.

Undoubtedly, this coffee consumption takes its toll on the environment. Most of us do not consider the deforestation caused by coffee farming, the massive amount of water consumption, and the mountains of paper products (filters, cups, etc.) we create as a by-product of our coffee habit.

If you want to continue drinking coffee (relatively) guilt free, below are some ways to make your coffee habit more environmentally friendly:

Drink Local Coffee – Buy coffee which has traveled the shortest distance to reach you to help lower the impact of shipping fuel on the environment.

Buy And Use a Mug – Purchase a really cool mug that you will want to again and again; eliminating the need for plastic or styrofoam cups.

Do Without A Coffee Stirrer – Instead of mixing cream and sugar into your coffee, try adding it in the empty cup. Then gently pour your hot coffee on top, letting the heat naturally dissolve the sugar.

Compost Your Coffee Grounds – Instead of throwing out your old coffee grounds, create a compost heap and toss your used coffee grounds in. The nitrogen rich coffee will produce a powerful fertilizer. You can also spread it on top of your plant’s soil.

Purchase Organic Coffee – Organic coffee is grown without toxic chemicals, and is grown in such a way that protects sensitive ecosystems and the birds that inhabit them.

Opt For Fair Trade Coffee – Rainforest Alliance and Transfair coffees not only guarantee fair living wages for coffee farmers, they consider environmental standards in their certification process.

Choose A Good Filter – To minimize unnecessary paper consumption, consider buying a reusable gold coffee filter; not only will it help the environment, it makes your coffee taste better. If you do use filters, look for unbleached, biodegradable ones.

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TheCoffeeMakerStore.com is a daily blog and e-commerce store about coffee, coffee makers, and coffee culture. Download our free eco-friendly coffee tips widget that displays ways to make your coffee habit more gentle on the environment.