What are your thoughts on coffee? Jackie Chan claims that coffee is a language in and of itself. Coffee enthusiasts couldn't agree more. A coffee-to-go is a lifesaver, especially if you leave home early, take a break from work, or go for a long city walk. But have you ever considered where your coffee comes from or how sustainable it is?
If you're interested in sustainable living, it's essential to consider the sustainability of the coffee you're drinking. So we made a list of key factors that will help you find out:
Coffee grown sustainably and ethically offers better livelihoods to those who cultivate and process it while protecting the environment. It enables a transparent coffee chain by involving those who add real value to the bean-to-cup journey. As a result, both the impact of your cup of coffee and the lives of coffee farmers are improved. To help you choose wisely the next time you buy coffee, consider the Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance certifications.
You might be shocked that even fair-trade coffee's eco-friendliness can be improved. Ultimately, it all comes down to the brewing method and the amount of electricity and water required. If your coffee machine consumes a lot of energy, consider replacing it with a more sustainable alternative. An example of an easy-to-use and more eco-friendly option is the French press. It's a great place to start for those concerned about the environment. You only need a few things to make French-pressed coffee:
The coffee's intensity and flavour are well-known among French press aficionados. Another great way to make coffee with a low impact is by using a pour-over. You'll need:
These things can get you started on the path to great coffee with minimal waste. Don't worry—we did mention a filter. Paper filters are not required when making a pour-over. By investing in reusable filters, you can prevent the waste that comes with using disposable ones. There are many more ways to make the ideal brew—these are just a few to get you started.
About 3% of the carbon footprint of the entire coffee supply chain is caused by packaging. Paper, plastic, and aluminium are usually used for coffee packaging. It is harmful to the environment if plastic packaging is not correctly sourced, produced, transported, and discarded. For something to be considered truly "green," it must either be biodegradable, or the packaging must be reusable or recyclable. Rice paper and unbleached kraft paper are among the most widely used eco-friendly materials to make coffee bags. These natural substitutes are created from the rice-paper plant, bamboo, tree bark, or wood pulp. Choose eco-friendly options, buy coffee with FSC-certified packaging whenever possible, and minimise your coffee’s environmental impact.
Switch to a reusable cup or mug if you accept disposable coffee cups. That way, you'll be ready when single-use plastic cups and containers are banned in July 2023.
More benefits?
There are some other creative solutions as well. For example, reusable cups made of natural rice husks rather than plastic by Huskup. Another alternative, De Koffiejongens, sells coffee cups made of corn and sugarcane, which you discard with organic waste after use. Within three weeks, their cups decompose into compost - so cool!
Enhancing the sustainability of your coffee consumption is possible in a variety of amazing ways. So, next time you're going for a takeaway coffee on a cold winter day, pause to think about how eco-friendly it is. Spread the love for sustainable coffee by sharing this article! For additional tips on building a sustainable and eco-friendly lifestyle, visit the Bamboovement blog.
The story of bamboo starts with the plants themselves. Over the past decade, the popularity of bamboo has increased to create materials and products that offer competitive sustainability like never before. Bamboo, a type of grass, is used to make many products, from furniture to clothing. As a result, it has many advantages when it comes to sustainability and living a healthy lifestyle.
Bamboo is a symbol of strength, flexibility, and growth.
Bamboo can grow up to 36 inches in 24 hours and is one of the world’s fastest-growing plants. It can also be grown without pesticides or fertilizers, which makes it an environmentally friendly choice for sustainable living.
There are many bamboo products, from furniture to clothes to even food! In fact, bamboo has been used as an ingredient since ancient times in Asia. It contains more than twice the amount of protein that other plants do.
Bamboo is hypoallergenic, antibacterial, and anti-fungal, and it has only recently been employed in personal care products. Bamboo has been popular due to its natural features as a sustainable resource that neither damages the environment nor human health. Bamboo fibers do not contain natural resins, so they do not have the same potentially harmful side effects as synthetic resins. Bamboo is environmentally friendly and biodegradable. All of this makes it an excellent substitute for many other materials found in personal care products.
"The use of bamboo as an alternative to plastics has been increasing with the discovery of its natural properties."
At Bamboovement, the story of bamboo has inspired us. We offer a solution to plastic pollution by replacing disposable, daily-used plastic products with eco-friendly alternatives. All of our products are created in harmony with nature. Most of them are from Moso bamboo, which can grow up to one meter per day in optimal conditions. We have tried and tested our items. Our bamboo toothbrush, for instance, has FSC certification.
Together with like-minded people, we work on innovative ideas to rid our world of plastic waste every day. Bamboovement is a global movement inspiring people to choose personal care products that protect our planet. We are grateful to many people who want to make our planet cleaner and greener.
“Life is better with a panda.“ We love pandas and their big eyes!
For the love of pandas, we can assure you that Bamboovement is completely safe for these adorable creatures. They prefer eating the leaves low to the ground, while the leaves of Moso bamboo grow too tall and are unreachable to them.
In terms of packaging and shipping materials, we strive for maximum sustainability with the lowest environmental impact. That’s why we ship our parcels in recyclable cardboard packages with paper tape and minimize their impact by planting a tree for every single one!
Our goal is to offer a complete climate-neutral product range. To learn more about our sustainability initiatives, check out the Tree Planting Project.