My sister in law goes everyday to Starbucks to pick up her coffee in a disposable cup. Because they know her- they double cup the cup! Yet she cries poverty (1 kid in college and one about to go) She would save $1460 a year by drinking the already brewed coffee that my brother makes every morning. Not only that, but what a waste of paper and the amount of disposable coffee cups in the landfill. My computer guy (who just lost his job) tells me how broke he is, but every time he comes over he has a large coffee and danish ($7). My brother on the other hand buys his coffee at the 99 cent store.
Reality Check #1: Coffee is actually a luxury item. Designer Coffee is even more of a luxury item. You do not need it to live. The only liquid you have to have is water. So— if you just have to have coffee it -be socially responsible, Take Your Own Mug – Buy Fair Trade and quit complaining about how broke you are.
Reality Check #2: Rushing out of the house is no excuse. Think of the time you spent, going to the coffee house, waiting in line (5 min.) waiting for your coffee (5 min.)
Reality Check #3: I forgot my mug: Put extra mugs in the car, in your purse. No excuses.
That said:
Coffee Trivia:
- Coffee is second only to oil as a commodity on world markets
- Hawaii is the only state of the United States in which coffee is commercially grown. Hawaiian coffee is harvested between November and April
- Beethoven was so particular about his coffee that he counted out exactly 60 beans for each cup.
- Caffeine is a prohibited substance for the International Olympic Committee. In fact, if athletes test positive to more than around 12 micograms of caffeine per millilieter of urine, which translates to about 5 cups of coffee, they may well be banned from competition.
But I just gotta tell ya
- 67% of consumers who frequent coffee shops admit to discarding their used paper cups in a trash can
- 28 Billion Cups (100 Million pounds of paper/year) in landfills
- If you buy a pound of organic, shade-grown, fair-trade coffee instead of conventional, you will avert the weight of 556 espresso machines in toxic chems while really helping wildlife and workers
- When you purchase one cup of coffee (or tea) in a disposable container every day, you create about 23 lb of waste each year. -Ideal Bite
- About eighteen percent of garbage we produce is composed of disposable containers, of which hot beverage cups represent a large portion.
- Styrofoam cups are the worst culprits, as it never degrades. Americans throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam cups every ear. Even 500 years from now, the foam coffee cup you used this morning will be sitting in a landfill somewhere. -The Recycler’s Handbook
The Trend:
- Cities and States are considering banning the coffee cup, along with the bags and bottles. Even though it might not pass, the future will lie in taxing you for that cup.
- Many Cafe’s are now crediting for bringing your own mug. That .05 savings, will more than buy you a refillable coffee mug and save the environment.
What Can you Do?
1.) Make Your Own and Save Money – You can get 40 cups of coffee from a pound of beans. Savings about $500.00 per year.
2.) Take in Your own Mug- Savings about $.05 a cup
3.) Buy only from stores who provide recyclable coffee containers
4.) Support only those cafes that provide recycle containers in the store.
5.) Tell the stores you will be going elsewhere until they provide
- Fair Trade Coffee
- Cups that are recyclable
- Recycle Bins in convenient locations
Why Fair Trade Coffee?
‘Fair Trade means an equitable and fair partnership between consumers in North America and producers in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The chief concern of the Fair Trade movement has been to ensure that the vast majority of the world’s coffee farmers (who are small holders) get a fair price for their harvests in order to achieve a decent living wage. Fair Trade guarantees to poor farmers organized in cooperatives around the world: a living wage (minimum price of $1.26/pound regardless of the volatile market); much needed credit at fair prices; and long term relationships. These fair payments are invested in health care, education, environmental stewardship, and economic independence. Fair Trade Certified coffee is the first product being introduced in the United States with an independently monitored system to ensure that it was produced under fair labor conditions; now we need a movement to demand it!!
Fair Trade Farmers are Small farmers are the best stewards of the land. When you support Fair Trade, you support the environment. Fair Trade farmers don’t have the capital input to clear forests, buy chemical fertilizers and pesticides. They generally grow small plots of mixed-crop, shade grown coffee organically.
According to Global Exchange there are only 100 Coffee Companies that Sell only Fair Trade Coffee (see below) Many of the below are importers only, but you can help support them by purchasing their products. You can purchase Fair Trade coffee online as well.
| Café Europa 601 W. 36th Avenue Anchorage, AK 99503 907 563 5704 (phone) |
Kaladi Brothers Coffee 6921 Brayton Dr. Anchorage, AK 99507 907 344 4480 (phone) |
| Adam’s Organic Coffees San Mateo, CA 94403 650 212 2468 (phone) 650 212 2469 (fax) |
Atlantic Specialty Coffee, Inc. 23785 Cabot Blvd., Ste. 314 Hayward, CA 94545 510 780 1110 (phone) |
| Beantrees, Inc. 540 N. Santa Cruz Ave., #280 Los Gatos, CA 95030 408 395 5101 (phone) 408 395 5641 (fax) |
Café Canopy 7966 Arjons Dr. #107 San Diego, CA 92121 888 716 4966 (phone) 619 578 3065 (fax) |
| Capricorn Coffees, Inc. 353 Tenth St. San Francisco, CA 94103 415 621 8500 (phone) |
Coffee Roasters 106 Van Buren Ct Novato, CA 94947 415 256 1373 (phone) |
| Elan Organic Coffees 5622 Taft Ave. La Jolla, CA 92037 619 551 6812 (phone) |
Equator Estate Coffees & Teas, LLC 1525 E. Francisco Blvd., Ste. 9 San Rafael, CA 94901 415 485 2213 (phone) |
| Flying Goat Coffee 324 Center St. Healdsburg, CA 95448 707-433-3599 (phone) |
Greenbeanz 18010 San Ramon Valley Blvd San Ramon, CA 94583 925 244 1000 (phone) |
| Holland Coffee (California), Inc. . 505-A San Marin Dr., Suite 118 Novato, CA 94945 415 893 1988 (phone) |
InterAmerican Commodities 1001 Country Club Dr., Suite E Moraga, CA 94556 888-881-4229 (phone) |
| Java City 717 Del Paso Road Sacramento, CA 95834-1106 916 565 5500 (phone) |
Jeremiah’s Pick 1495 Evans Ave. San Francisco, CA 94124 415 206 9900 (phone) |
| McLaughlin Coffee Company 6355 Hollis St Emeryville, CA 94605 510 428 2951 (phone) |
Mountanos Bros. Coffee Co. 380 Swift Ave. Suite 13 South San Francisco, CA 94080 650 952 5446 (phone) |
| Mr. Espresso 696 3rd. Street Oakland, CA 94607 510 287 5200 (phone) |
North Coast Coffee Roasting Co. 2851 Research Park Dr. Santa Cruz, CA 95073 [1] 831-476-2233 (phone) |
| Organic Coffee Co. 1933 Davis Street, Suite 308 San Leandro, CA 94577 888 829 8886 (phone) |
Peabody’s Coffee Company 3845 Atherton Rd, Suite #9 Rocklin, CA 95765 909 798 2297 (phone) |
| Peerless Coffee Co. 260 Oak Street Oakland, CA 94607 510 763 1763 (phone) |
Peet’s Coffee and Tea Berkeley, CA 94712-3509 800 999 2132 (phone) |
| Petaluma Coffee & Tea 189 H Street Petaluma, CA 94952 800 929 5282 (phone) |
Royal Coffee Co., Inc. P.O. Box 8542, 3306 Powell St. Emeryville, CA 94608 510 652 4256 (phone) |
| Sacred Grounds Organic Coffee Roasters 686 F Street Arcata, CA 95521 800 425 2532 (phone) |
Santa Cruz Coffee Roasting Co. 331 Locust Street Watsonville, CA 95060 888 725 2827 (phone) |
| Sustainable Harvest Coffee Co. 1480 66th St. Emeryville, CA 94608 510 652 2100 (phone) |
Taylor Maid Farms Sebastopol, CA 95465 707 824 9110 (phone) |
| Thanksgiving Coffee Co., Inc. 19100 South Harbor Drive Fort Bragg, CA 95437 707 964 0118 (phone) |
Uncommon Grounds, Inc. 2813 Seventh St. Berkeley, CA 94710 510 644 4451 (phone) |
| Village Cup Coffee 273 Green Street #8 San Francisco, CA 94133 415 609 8949 (phone) |
Wolf Coffee Co. 3350-A Coffey Lane Santa Rosa, CA 95403 707 586 2200 (phone) |
| Bongo Billy’s Coffees Buena Vista, CO 81211 800 738 0622 (phone) 719 395 4991 (fax) |
Coffee Jones Boulder, CO 80306 303-818-7863 (phone) website | email |
| Kaladi Brothers Coffee Denver, CO 80250 303 570 8111 (phone) |
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| Café Britt 3785 NW 82nd Ave., Suite 108 Miami, FL 33166 506 261 5885 (phone) 2100 Ponce del Leon Blvd Coral Gables, FL 33134 800-470-8019 |
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| Cafe Campesino 302 W. Lamar Street, Suite C Americus, GA 31709 912 924 2468 (phone |
CoffeeAM.com 100 Lundenderry Ct., Suite 112 Woodstalk, GA 30188 800 803 7774 (phone) |
| Cooperative Coffees 302 W. Lamar Street, Suite C Americus, GA 31709 912 924 2468 (phone) |
Jo Belle Coffee 223 Amber Wood Drive Vidalia, GA 30474 912 537 0246 (phone) |
| Freedom Coffee Roasters 2950 West Carroll Ave. Chicago, IL 60612 773 826 3472 (phone) |
Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters & Tea Blenders 1657 W. Cortland St. Chicago, IL 60622 773 395 3989 (phone) |
| Sara Lee Coffee and Tea 990 Supreme Drive Bensenville, IL 60106 630 860 1400 (phone) |
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| Friends of the Third World, Inc. 611 W. Wayne St. Fort Wayne, IN 46802-2167 219 422 6821 (phone) |
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| Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee Hop Brook Farm New Salem, MA 01355 978 544 2002 (phone) |
Equal Exchange 251 Revere St. Canton, MA 02021 781 830 0303 (phone) |
| Indigo Coffee Roasters, Inc. 660 Riverside Drive Florence, MA 01062 [1] 413-586-4537 (phone) |
Solar Trade Corporation 669 Stevens Street Lowell, MA 01851 978 937 3460 (phone) |
| Watch City Coffee Company 738 Main Street, #430 Waltham, MA 02451 781 894 7686 (phone) |
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| Java Journey Coffee Company 309 E. Federal St. Baltimore, MD 21202 410 332 0133 (phone) |
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| Benbow’s Coffee 99 Main Street Bar Harbor, ME 04609 207 288 8225 (phone) |
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| Coffee Express/Mountain Country 47722 Clipper Street Plymouth, MI 48170-2437 734 459 4900 (phone) |
Mountain View Coffee Co. 1915 Dove St. Port Huron, MI 48060 888 512 2221 (phone) |
| Alakef Coffee Roasters, Inc. 1330 E. Superior Street Duluth, MN 55805 [1] 218-724-6849 (phone) |
B&W Specialty Coffee Co. 2010 E. Hennepin Minneapolis, MN 55413 612 331 5345 (phone) |
| Cafe Imports 1701 E. Hennepin Minneapolis, MN 55414 612 331 3994 (phone) |
Cloudforest Initiatives P.O.Box 40207 St. Paul, MN 55104 651 592 4143 (phone) |
| Coffee and Tea Ltd 2730 W. 43rd Street Minneapolis, MN 55410 612 920 6344 (phone) |
Dunn Bros. Coffee 3348 Hennepin Ave, South Minneapolis, MN 55408 612 823 3721 (phone) |
| European Roasterie Inc. Route 1, Box 295 New Prague, MN 56071 612 758 3554/888 588 5285 (phone) |
Intelligent Nutrients 321 Lincoln Street NE Minneapolis, MN 55413 800 311 5635 (phone) |
| Morningstar Coffee Co. 2325 Endicott Street, Suite #207 W St. Paul, MN 55114 800 409 7350 (phone) |
Muskrat Coffee Company 31446 E. Round Lake Road Ponsford, MN 56575 218 573 3049 (phone) |
| Peace Coffee 2105 1st Ave. S. Minneapolis, MN 55404 612 870 3440 (phone) |
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| Broadway Café 4106 Broadway Kansas City, MO 64111 816 531 2432 (phone) |
The Roasterie 2601 Madison Kansas City, MO 64108 816 931 4000 (phone) |
| Hunter Bay Coffee Roasters, Inc. Lolo Shopping Ctr. Lolo, MT 59847 406 273 5490 (phone) |
Montana Coffee Traders 5810 Highway 93 South Whitefish, MT 59937 406 862 7663 (phone) |
| Larry’s Beans, Inc. Raleigh, NC 27650-5050 919 828 1234 (phone) |
Port City Java Wilmington, NC 28412 910 796 6646 (phone) |
| American Coffee Corporation 11 Hanover Square New York, NY 10005 212 785 2870 (phone) |
Paragon Coffee Trading Company 1 North Lexington Ave. White Plains, NY 10601 914 949 2233 (phone) |
| Paul de Lima Company, Inc. PO Box 4813 Syracuse, NY 13221-4813 315 699 5282 (phone) |
Royal Coffee New York, Inc. 239 Western Ave. Staten Island, NY 10303 888-ROYAL-NY (phone) |
| Seven Hills Coffee Co. 11561 Grooms Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45242 513 489 5220 (phone) |
Sweet Maria’s Coffee Roastery 9 East 2nd Ave. Columbus, OH 43201 [1] 614-294-1816 (phone) |
| Blue Mountain Trading Co. La Grande, OR 97850 541 963 9526 (phone) |
Caffe Orsini 4080 West 11th Ave. Eugene, OR 97402 [1] 800-992-9424 (phone) |
| Coffee Bean International, Inc. 2181 N.W. Nicolai St. Portland, OR 97210 503 227 4490/800 877 0474 (phone) |
Mellelo Coffee Roasters 2780 Cedar Links Drive Medford, OR 97504 541 779 9884 (phone |
| Morning Glory Coffee Brownsville, OR 97327 541 466 3451 (phone) |
Roast Your Own .Com 610 SE 33rd Ave Portland, OR 97214 [1] 510-652-2100 (phone) |
| Strictly Organic Coffee 1455 NW Ithaca Avenue Bend, OR 97701 541 383 1570 (phone) |
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| Buck’s County Coffee Co. Eileen Cattie, Marketing 2250 W. Cabot Blvd. Langhorne, PA 19047 800 523 6163 (phone) |
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| Coffee Exchange 207 Wickenden St. Providence, RI 02903 401 273 1198 (phone) |
New Harvest Coffee Roasters Box 14, 310 Bourne Avenue East Providence, RI 02916 401 438 1999 (phone) |
| MoonBeans 118 _ Laurens Street, NW Aiken, SC 29801 803 644 0638 (phone) |
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| InterAmerican Commodities Guy Burdett 7600 W. Tidwell, Suite 111 Houston, TX 77040 713 462 2671 (phone) |
Texas Coffee Traders, Inc Beth Beall 1400 East 4th Street Austin, TX 78702 512 476 2279 (phone) |
| Caffe Ibis Coffee Roasting Co. 52 Federal Ave. Logan, UT 84321 801 753 4777 (phone) |
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| Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Rick Peyser, Public Relations 33 Coffee Lane Waterbury, VT 05676-1529 800 223 6768 (phone) |
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| Cravens Coffee Company 1003 East Trent Ave. #200 Spokane, WA 99202 509-747-6424 (phone) |
Granum Inc. 2414 SW Andover Street Seattle, WA 98106 206 525 0051 (phone) |
| Organic Products Trading Co. (OPTCO) 10109 N.W. 12th Ave. Vancouver, WA 98685 360 573 4433 (phone) |
Outreach Coffee Company 4441 South Meridian, Suite 290 Puyallup, WA 98373 206-528-3890 (phone) |
| Port Townsend Coffee Roasters 2123 W. Sims Way Port Townsend, WA 98368 360 379 9490 (phone) |
Pura Vida Coffee Co. 2724 1st Ave South Seattle, WA 98134 206-328-9606 (phone)  |
What a great post! Disposable coffee cups are everywhere, but we rarely realize the bitter impact they impose on our planet. The amount of landfill waste created by coffee cups is astounding!
Unfortunately, the buck doesn’t stop with waste. Producing paper coffee cups means using natural resources too. Our 2006 coffee habit consumed close to 7 million trees and 4 billion gallons of water! If you’d like to see a complete breakdown, stop by http://www.SustainabilityIsSexy.com
FYI, the 28 billion cup number may be a bit overinflated. It was calculated using survey results and census data. Industry estimates place the number of cups used in 2007 closer to the 16-17 billion range – which is still staggering. Keep up the great work!
This is a very well researched and comprehensive post on the merits and benefits of drinking fair trade coffee! Please also know that fair trade tea is another great option, and is increasingly becoming available. Thanks for your great post!
Thank you for including us on your list of responsible coffee roasters and cafes. We have really been trying this last year to accelerate our efforts, contributing to our recent certification as a Green Business through BBI International. I appreciate those of you who support us in our quest to do what needs to be done, and yet are just scratching the surface. Cheers.
Not sure why Marques de Paiva coffee didn’t make the list. Not only do we have an extensive selection of whole bean and ground Fair Trade Certified coffees, but coffee roasted at our Brazil facility comes from a CarbonNeutral certified plant. Since 2007 we transitioned from fossil fuels and have only used renewable fuels to power our roasters, certified by the Carbon Neutral company. Check it out!
Kathy
great ideas