I love my morning coffee. Me, and so do millions of other Canadians. So, grab a cuppa, and let’s chat about coffee, shall we? Is being a java junkie a sustainable habit? Well, over-consuming anything is NEVER a good thing for you or the environment. However, here are 6 ways to make your coffee addiction eco-friendly.
Fun Fact: A study shows that Canadians come in third as the largest coffee drinkers per capita. The Netherlands and Finland top the list.
If I’ve scared you into thinking you might have to give it up, don’t worry, you can still enjoy your coffee!
Going eco-friendly, sustainable, zero-waste, or green doesn’t mean turning your lifestyle completely 365 degrees right away. It means making small, gradual changes to your habits. We still enjoy the sweet things life has to offer, but we can do it with a more conscious approach.
Another Fun Fact: Let’s not forget the benefits of coffee either. According to the CBC, up to 4 cups a day can reduce the risk of colorectal cancer.
So, if you love coffee, don’t fret, you’ll love these options.
Table of Contents
Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission to fund my coffee-drinking habit if you use these links to make a purchase. You will not be charged extra, and you’ll keep me supplied in caffeine. It’s a win for everyone.
Buy Bulk Store Beans/Grounds
Buying in bulk is a great way of reducing packaging and cost. By buying bulk, you can say goodbye to plastic containers or lids!
Before the whole COVID thing happened, I would bring my mason jars to the bulk store to be refilled weekly! It was great because I could experiment with various flavours.
It’s a bit unfortunate that at the moment, my go-to bulk store doesn’t currently allow BYOC!
Reusable To-Go Mug
Sad fact: According to UBC, millions of paper cups are used EACH WEEK!
In Vancouver 2.6 million paper coffee cups end up in the landfill each week.
source: https://cases.open.ubc.ca/w17t2con200-3/#cite_note-Josh-2
That’s alarming! Please, bring your reusable cup to the coffee shop and don’t be part of the statistics!
Pro tip: I keep a reusable to-go cup at my desk, in case I decide to walk to the coffee shop at lunch with some coworkers, and I keep a spare one in my car, for those mornings when I need a second cup on my way to work!
Brew with Ethical, Fairtrade, or Organic Grounds
My favourite way to enjoy coffee is in the comfort of my own home, brewed by myself, just the way I like it. You can choose to brew your own java using ethical, fair trade or organic grounds.
What’s ethical, fair trade or organic coffee?
Ethical coffee is made by small roasters, not big companies that sacrifice the bottom line over quality. The big companies are looking for cheap labour. Ethical coffee is made with quality in mind. It might cost you more to buy, but you’ll definitely taste the difference.
Fairtrade coffee ensures that the makers get a fair price for their coffee and that farmers are not exploited. If you want to know more about ethical or fair trade coffee, read this article.
Organic coffee means that farmers didn’t use any pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides in their farming practice. This is good for the environment and the farmers themselves. Organic coffee isn’t always the perfect solution either though, read this enlightening article on the subject by naturalforce.com
For the locals: If you are from to Niagara, here are two local sources of coffee you might want to consider. I can definitely vouch that they are high-quality coffees. Check out Balzac’s or 416 coffee, both have locations in Port Dalhousie in St. Catharines. Balzac’s is also located in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Use Reusable Coffee Filters
Another great way to make your coffee addiction eco-friendly is to use reusable coffee filters. I haven’t bought disposable paper coffee filters in years. The picture above is of my reusable coffee filter and you can tell it has served me well. I love this also because I never have to worry about running out of filters.
Eco-Friendly Compostable style K-cups
I admit I HATE k-cups! I really do! On principle, I don’t use them. I don’t even like the coffee produced by them. So many workplaces have moved over to this unsustainable practice and it really irks me.
But, if you or your work use them (I’m only judging a little), you can still use your coffee machine, just PLEASE switch to some greener options. I found these compostable Ethical Bean pods. The pods are 100% certified compostable. Read more about them here: https://www.ethicalbean.com/
Just to add to this, the super dark roast pods I bought made super tasty coffee in a Keurig maker! They were also Fairtrade and organic! And, I also bought them at the local drugstore, which is very convenient. Win/Win/Win!
I did buy these and keep them at work because they’ve switched all our coffee makers to Keurigs. So, I can enjoy a social cup of coffee with less guilt!
Use Reusable K-Cups
Another alternative to traditional k-cups is to bring your reusable k-cup. I bought mine at the bulk store for $3. They are inexpensive and they work! Also, you can pick high-quality coffee grounds to brew your cup!
So there you have it. 6 Ways to make your coffee addiction eco-friendly without sacrificing coffee itself.
If you liked this post, you might also like:
5 Eco-Friendly Changes To Clean Up Your Laundry Room
23 Things I Stopped Buying And Don’t Even Miss
Update on My Plastic-Free Experiment
Another eco-friendly tip regarding coffee is that you can compost the grounds. I put them direct In my garden during the summer,
Yes, you are very right, and thank you for bringing it up! Composting or reusing the grounds for gardens or houseplant is definitely another eco-friendly practice. Thank you for this tip!
What a great article . I definitely have one of those addictions but I like to believe I am doing it the eco way 🙂
Thank you for the compliment, and for your commitment to the environment!
I have the never seen the compostable K cups! I have the reusable one but using the compostable ones might come in handy If im ever traveling or just to have as back up!
Great to have as a backup for sure!