Coffee

If you're like me, cutting out coffee is not an option.  So here's what i've come across to make it a little easier on the environment.  I should point out that these thoughts mainly concern home brewing.  If you buy coffee at the store by the cup, realize you are getting ripped off, but at least bring your own mug.

• For starters, buy fair trade, organic, shade grown coffee.  This will insure that the coffee was grown in an environmentally responsible way and that the growers actually received a fair share of the money.
• If you are using an electric coffee maker don't leave it plugged in all the time (the clock uses energy all day long) and consider using a metal re-usable filter rather than paper filters.  If you do use paper, consider the brown filters over white as the white generally are bleached....yuch!  Paper filters can hit the composter when finished.
• Better than electric coffee makers, look into a good french press coffee maker.  You'll need to get a grinder or grind at the store, but you don't need filters (cuts down on consumption and waste) and I think the coffee tastes better, but that's me.
• When buying coffee beans, get them bulk from the store and take them home and put them in a container. Then fold the bag up nicely and you can re-use it the next time you need beans. This way you'll cut down on all those metallic plastic coated bags and you're waste stream will be diminished.
• Once you're done with making coffee, you can put the grounds in the garden or the composter (amongst other things) and they'll work wonders, especially on roses!
• Coffee filter uses...who knew?

PROS: Cuts down on waste stream, money gets to the farmers who deserve it,  saves on electricity, helps out your garden.

CONS: Can't set it and forget it, may require getting rid of your present maker (craigslist) and buying a french press maker (craigslist), cleaning the french press uses a bit more water and takes a bit more time, fair trade coffee may cost more, but the real question should be whether "conventional" costs too little rather than whether fair trade costs too much.

Related Links: Home Brewing Waste Solutions