When you’re on a mission to be as sustainable as possible it can be quite disheartening to find out that almost everything you buy has a detrimental effect on the environment. One of the world’s most popular drinks is no exception. Although I’m trying to reduce my coffee intake, I still have one or two cups of coffee every day. I’ve asked myself is coffee eco-friendly quite a few times, especially when I’m choosing which coffee to buy in the shop. Is it more eco-friendly to buy instant coffee in a glass jar that can be reused or recycled or to buy fair trade ground coffee in resealable bags that can’t be recycled?
Having recently been sent some ‘eco-friendly coffee’ to review I decided to look into the environmental impact of coffee in some more detail.
Before we get into whether coffee is eco-friendly or not, here’s a bit more information about coffee itself.
There are some affiliate links in this article. I may earn a small amount of money, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase something.
Where is Coffee Grown?
In the simplest of terms coffee is grown between the Tropic of Cancer and The Tropic of Capricorn, the latitude lines that lie 23º above and below the equator. The countries that lie between these two lines of latitude receive the most direct sunlight throughout the year meaning they’re the most suitable environments for producing coffee beans.
The countries that export the most coffee include Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Honduras, India… You can find the full list on wikipedia.
How is Coffee Grown and Produced?
Growing, producing and harvesting coffee is a much longer and more complicated process than I thought. This infographic is a good summary of the 15 steps from bean to cup.
From the research I’ve done, and using common sense, hand-picked coffee is better for the environment than the more intensive machine picked coffee. You’re likely to get much better quality coffee as well as only the ripe ‘cherries’ are picked by hand.
How is Coffee Harmful to the Environment?
As coffee increased in popularity, more intensive ways to farm inevitably came about. It’s fair to say that intensive farming is rarely a good thing for the environment or for biodiversity.
“Coffee production has been linked to slavery and child labor, and many of the beans you buy are grown in countries that under-regulate use of chemicals and pesticides.
Traditionally, coffee beans were grown in the shades of trees and other plants. Shade grown coffee conserved the soil and original forests.” – The World Counts
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“According to a study published in the latest issue of BioScience, the world’s coffee farms are now more harmful to the environment than ever.
Specifically, the study’s authors, led by Shalene Jha of the University of Texas, found that a far larger share of the world’s coffee than ever before is now being grown in direct sunlight, rather than under the shade of a canopy of trees. These full-sun coffee farms are scarcely any different from the large plots of monoculture corn and soybeans that have been vilified by environmentalists over the past several decades.
By contrast, large trees provide a habitat for native wildlife, support soil health, fight erosion and confer side benefits, like fruit and firewood, to farmers. “Our scientists say a certified coffee farm is the next best thing to rainforest,” Chris Wille, the head of sustainable agriculture at Rainforest Alliance, said of shaded farms.” – Huffington Post
How To Tell If Coffee Is Eco-Friendly
The majority of the coffee you buy at the supermarket is very unlikely to be eco-friendly. If there are no eco-certifications present on the packaging it’s best to steer clear. However, if you can’t do without your morning cup of coffee it is possible to buy from reputable companies. They are doing everything they can to minimise harm to the environment. There are certain things you can look for when purchasing coffee:
Organic Coffee
Buying the organic alternative of anything means you’re going to spend a little bit more; however at least you know that no harmful pesticides or chemicals were used.
Fair Trade Coffee
“Fair trade coffee is coffee that is certified as having been produced to fair trade standards by fair trade organizations, which create trading partnerships that are based on dialogue, transparency and respect, with the goal of achieving greater equity in international trade. These partnerships contribute to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to coffee bean farmers. Fair trade organizations support producers and sustainable environmental farming practices and prohibit child labor or physical forced labor.” – wikipedia
10 Facts about FairTrade Coffee
Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee
“The Rainforest Alliance works with sustainable coffee farmers to improve their livelihoods and the health and well-being of their communities. Coffee farms or groups of smallholder farmers that earn the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal are audited annually against a rigorous standard with detailed environmental, social and economic criteria. These criteria are designed to protect biodiversity, deliver financial benefits to farmers, and foster a culture of respect for workers and local communities. Rainforest Alliance certification also promotes decent living and working conditions for workers, gender equity and access to education for children in farm communities.” – Rainforest Alliance
Out of all of these things to look out for when buying coffee, I’d say that looking for the Rainforest Alliance logo is probably the most important.
Is Coffee Eco-Friendly? Conclusion
As with everything, people with more disposable income are more able to buy responsibly; Whenever you want to buy a product that provides a fair wage and that doesn’t involve intensive farming you’re going to be paying more. Thankfully more and more companies are realising how important sustainability is; to the environment yes, but most importantly to their customers… If there wasn’t a market for sustainable products then most companies probably wouldn’t bother. We do need Governments to step up and subsidise products that are not harmful so that everyone can afford them. Increasing taxes on harmful products would also help as this would encourage all companies to improve their business practises.
So is coffee eco-friendly? Not all coffee is, but it is possible to buy coffee that has a minimal detrimental effect on the environment. Of course, you could also cut down on how much coffee you drink. And you should always use a reusable coffee cup when you’re out and about to be as eco-friendly as possible.
Eco-Friendly Coffee To Buy
Presto Coffee
- Compostable bags
- Fully recyclable packaging
- Rainforest Alliance Certified
- Part of 1% For The Planet
I recently wrote a review of Presto Coffee and I’m impressed with their overall sustainability. It’s really good coffee too!
Percol Instant Coffee
- Organic coffee beans
- Rainforest Alliance Certified
- Glass Jars (recyclable), not sure about the lids
Suma Espresso Coffee Beans
- Fair Trade Certified Coffee Beans
- Organic
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