Love coffee but want to have less waste? These zero waste coffee tips will help you avoid a lot of waste but still enjoy delicious coffee drinks.
Drinking coffee can be a pretty wasteful habit. Did you know it’s the second most popular drink in the world? The world consumes about 1400 million cups per day.
Americans alone consume more than 16 billion paper cups of coffee every year. And that doesn’t include all the Styrofoam and plastic cups of coffee. Coffee addicts, I’m not asking you to give up this habit, just rethink it and there are several ways you can do that.
How to Have Zero Waste Coffee
Rethink the Cup
When getting coffee out ask the coffee shop if they offer real mugs when you are staying at the coffee shop. If you are getting it to go be sure to bring your own reusable mug.
There are a lot of great options out there. A lot of local stores carry them so shop around. If you can’t find one locally try one of these from great small online shops.
A double-walled travel mug that holds about 350 ml. It’s the perfect solution for coffee on the go. This tumbler is insulated and stainless steel so no weird metallic taste and it's easy to clean. This is another great stainless steel insulated mug that works perfectly for coffee on the go. Not a fan of stainless steel? Try this silicone option instead. It's dishwasher and microwave safe.
Glassen Double Wall Travel Mug
Miir Insulated Tumbler
Klean Kanteen Insulated Tumbler
Silicone To-Go Coffee Cup
Rethink the Coffee
There are several things to look for that make coffee more sustainable. Locally roasted coffee requires less energy to transport and supports your local economy.
Fair Trade certified coffee helps ensure that the coffee was produced with fair wages and higher environmental standards. Organic certified coffee is produced without the use of harmful chemicals. And you can also find “bird-friendly” coffee, which is coffee production with a natural tree canopy.
Some of your favorite coffee shops may sell a good option. There are some great small shops online that also sell delicious and ethical coffee. These are some good small businesses to check out for coffee.
You can also order Fair Trade and organic coffee on Amazon.
Rethink How it’s Made
Even if you have your own cup, some places, like Starbucks, will often make your coffee in a disposable cup and then pour the coffee into your reusable cup. This, of course, doesn’t help anything. So if you drink coffee out, make sure they will use your reusable mug properly. Also, ask about their recycling policy.
Another way to ensure your coffee is made in the most eco-friendly manner possible is to make it at home. This doesn’t have to mean giving up your fancy coffees or buying huge and costly expresso machines. There are some great easy ways to make your own fancy coffee at home. Here are some supplies that can help.
AMSTERDAM Pour Over Coffee Maker
Double-walled glass top for perfect brew temperature. Double layer filter for ultra-smooth coffee.
BODUM® French Press
A French press is one of the easiest ways to make zero waste coffee. It also makes truly delicious coffee.
BODUM® Milk Frother
A milk frother is another handy tool to have when you may coffee at home.
More Zero Waste Tips
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