Green Tip of the Week from the MCC Sustainability Group
When it comes to sustainability, small efforts can make a big difference and making environmentally-friendly decisions in your everyday life can be fairly easy. Why not start with something you probably do everyday? Drinking coffee.
If you brew your own coffee, you can eliminate paper filters by purchasing a reusable filter. Filters are usually available for just a few dollars. White paper filters pollute water with chlorine and other harmful chemicals. Unbleached filters are an improvement but are still an unnecessary waste of paper.
If you are like me and make a stop for coffee every morning on the way to work, bring your own reusable cup with you. You’ll save paper, reduce chlorine used to bleach cups, and reduce your contribution to landfills. Many coffee shops will also provide a discount if you use your own cup.
Whether you make your own or purchase it on the go, look for shade-grown, organic, sustainable and fair trade coffees. Each has its benefits and most of the local coffee shops carry some of the following:
Sustainable: Sustainable coffee farming uses renewable resources whenever possible, minimizes pollution, and takes steps to care for the environment and surrounding community. Coffee produced through sustainable farming has less of an overall environmental impact and is often also organic, shade-grown or fair trade.
Organic: Organic coffee is produced without the use of pesticides or herbicides.
Fair Trade: Fair trade, or equal exchange coffee, bypasses the middle man (the coffee trader) and establishes direct relationships between the coffee producer and the coffee roaster. This brings greater economic stability to the small coffee farms, many of which use sustainable farming methods.
Shade Grown/Bird Friendly: Shade grown coffee reduces the need for fertilizers and herbicides and promotes biodiversity. Approximately 150 bird species live on farms of shade-grown coffee, compared to only 20-50 species supported by non-shade coffee farms. Shade-grown coffee farms benefits migratory birds and often tastes better than non-shade grown coffee. The shade has the effect of slowing coffee growth which results in the production of more sugars and better flavor overall.
Whatever choices you make for your next coffee beverage, keep in mind these simple tips to make a more environmentally conscious choice. Overtime, your small, daily steps can add up to make a big difference.
Bethany Gizzi
Sociology
02/27/2008
