A steaming cup of coffee is almost a symbol of coziness and comfort during the fall season, but it’s no secret that growing coffee has a significant impact on the environment, depending on the cultivation methods used. If you want to make your daily habits as environmentally friendly as possible, you should evaluate what kind, how much and how to prepare coffee we consume.
Threats to biological diversity
According to the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which is under the umbrella of the United Nations (UN), the main countries where coffee is grown are countries in the tropical region. Brazil is the world’s largest producer of coffee, supplying about one-third of the world’s coffee. Both are grown in Brazil Arabicaboth Robusta coffee varieties – the most popular and widespread coffee varieties in the world. The other coffee powerhouse is Vietnam, especially famous for Robusta coffee used in the production of instant coffee. But Colombia ranks third and is famous for high quality Arabica coffee that grows in the mountains, whose climate gives it a mild and rich taste. Indonesia is the fourth largest producing country, producing both Robustaboth Arabica coffee. Ethiopia, on the other hand, is considered the birthplace of coffee, and one of the most highly valued coffees is produced there Arabica varieties known for their rich, fruity flavor characteristics.
Other important coffee producing countries are Peru, India, also Uganda and Mexico.
Most conventionally farmed coffee trees are hybrids adapted to growing in direct sunlight, although coffee is a shade-loving plant, increasing yields. The crop can be harvested several times a year, instead of just once a year as it would be naturally.
One of the main problems of coffee production is deforestation to access areas for its cultivation, and this is also recognized by the International Coffee Growers Organization (ICO). Thus, natural habitats, especially valuable rainforests, or planets, are destroyed lungsbiodiversity is reduced and the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere is excessively promoted, which in turn exacerbates climate change. In addition, much of the coffee is grown using various pesticides and fertilizers. These substances end up in soil and water, causing pollution and harming local ecosystems. In addition, the use of chemicals can deplete the soil and reduce its fertility in the long term, which is why more and more areas are being taken away from nature due to the establishment of coffee plantations.
Large amounts of water are also used during coffee cultivation and processing. And if wastewater is not properly treated, it can cause oxygen levels in natural bodies of water to decrease, which in turn harms local aquatic ecosystems.
You can also get coffee in an environmentally friendly way
As in almost all areas of farming, sustainable methods can be used very successfully in coffee cultivation, thus reducing the impact on the environment and at the same time maintaining production volumes. How do you know that coffee is grown in an environmentally friendly way? When buying coffee, you should see if it is certified. The best choice is organic coffee, as evidenced by the organic farming certificate label, but fair trade coffee has a lower impact on the environment and also on the well-being of the workers involved in the coffee growing industry, while deforestation and the preservation of biodiversity take place as small coffee growers on farms that are involved in the Rainforest Alliance are also supported. It is no secret to anyone that millions of farmers living in third world countries live in extreme poverty, because it is very difficult for them to ensure the competitiveness of their production with the large plantations and they are forced to sell coffee beans to middlemen at too low prices.
Increasingly popular in the world of coffee is the so-called speciality or niche coffee offered by small roasters, for example, there are such in Latvia Rocket Bean Roastery, Kalve Coffee and a few more. These companies work with small coffee farmers whose farming methods are generally sustainable and environmentally friendly. These roasters emphasize a responsible and short production chain – the traceability of the origin of the coffee beans to specific coffee farms, because the specific taste and quality of the coffee are very important to the producers.
If you want to reduce your ecological footprint in the field of coffee even more, you can go to zero waste stores for your favorite coffee beans, but Kalve Coffee and in some other cafes it is possible to come with your own packaging and buy weighed coffee beans, they will also be ground on the spot if necessary, and the price for this coffee will be a little cheaper than buying a new packaging.
By the way, it is also worth considering your coffee consumption. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) state that the safe consumption of coffee for adults is up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, which roughly corresponds to three to four cups of coffee. However, it is important to consider individual sensitivity to caffeine, as even lower doses can cause side effects such as anxiety, insomnia, fast heart rate or stomach upset in some people. Decaffeinated coffee is also not completely innocent and does contain a little caffeine.
In search of the greenest taste method
If we look at the aspects of coffee and the environment, the method used to prepare the delicious drink is also important. Not everyone pours ground coffee into a cup, pours hot water over it and enjoys it, but coffee grounds are used as a body scrub or composted – simple and environmentally friendly!
If you don’t want the coffee grounds to accidentally end up in your mouth, a fairly green method is a French press. No filters, capsules or other waste. Also mocha a pot that makes coffee on the stove will be a good choice. If you use an energy-efficient cooktop, such as an induction stove, your energy consumption will be low. After brewing, you can compost the used coffee grounds, but wash the dishes.
If you want a cleaner taste and don’t like the slightly greasy deposits, you can also buy reusable fabric or metal filters and cook t. s. pourover or manual filter coffee. Compostable paper filters are also not the worst option, but it should be taken into account that their production consumes resources. Do you really need it?
There are coffee connoisseurs who value perfectly brewed espresso, and an espresso coffee machine will be a must-have in their kitchen. As with any technique, the impact on the environment can be measured in energy consumption. It should also be remembered that cleaning and maintaining the device will require resources. It is important to choose a device that heats up quickly and does not consume a lot of energy in standby mode, while composting the coffee grounds.
The most environmentally friendly way to make coffee is the disposable capsule system. Even if refillable capsules are used, an unnecessary amount of resources are consumed in cleaning, packaging and ultimately recycling them.
Milk-free and in a reusable cup
If you enjoy a coffee drink with milk and sugar and want to add some other interesting flavors, such as different syrups, chocolate, product cultivation, production and packaging will affect the size of your coffee drink’s ecopod.
For example, milk production has a large impact on the environment, as livestock farming contributes to greenhouse gas (CO2) emissions, consumes a lot of water and land. Therefore, adding cow’s milk to coffee increases the ecological footprint of the drink. Of course, milk from organic farms is a better choice, but an even greener alternative is plant-based milks such as oat milk, almond milk or soy milk, as their production results in less CO2 emissions and water consumption. However, there are variations within these categories too – for example, almond cultivation requires a lot of water.
Syrups that are often added to coffee drinks (caramel, vanilla, chocolate syrups) are made from sugar and other sweeteners. Sugar production requires large amounts of land and water resources and can cause serious environmental damage if carried out on a large scale without sustainable management. On the other hand, if chocolate or cocoa is added to the drink, it should be taken into account that the production of chocolate can also be related to the cutting of tropical forests and large CO2 emissions. By choosing fewer additives such as sugar, syrups or milk, you can reduce the ecological footprint of your coffee drinks. And it is always best to choose an organically certified alternative for any food product.
Everyone knows that disposable dishes are not good for the environment. Therefore, when you buy coffee in a cafe, use reusable cups and reduce the use of plastic products (a cardboard cup is not only made of paper – it has several layers, including plastic)! Many cafes offer discounts if the customer brings their own cup of coffee. It is possible to buy neat, stylish and comfortable thermos mugs.
Source: www.diena.lv
