How Sustainable is your Morning Brew?

Whether you are a hard core addict or just wed to a morning Cup of Joe, have you ever thought about the sustainability of your daily brew?  I try to drink only one daily cup at work and from a ceramic mug (yes, I’m cheap and environmental), but I know my daily dose of caffeine has a greater impact on the world than just stirring me to consciousness.  So I did a little research and found some eye opening data to share.  Hopefully, these coffee fun facts will be a wakeup call rather than a buzz kill.

• 500 Billion disposable cups are manufactured each year.
• Of the $70 billion in annual global sales, less than 10% of the earnings goes to the farmer.
• Labels and Certification:
  • “Fair Trade” only refers to labor standards and middle men in the coffee business (people)
  • “Organic”, “Bird Friendly”, and “UTZ” only refer to ecological impacts of the farming methods (planet)
  • “Rainforest Alliance Certified” refers to both the people and the plant
  • Less than 8% of coffee is certified in some way or another.

Peets Coffee, a Bay Area local like CCH, is responsibly sourced, fairly traded, delicious, and the grounds are reused for mushroom farms.

Brew wisely,

Sustainability Committee