The environment is our collective responsibility.

We need to make sure we dispose of things properly (i.e. prescription drugs, oil, batteries, etc.). We need to make sure we use everything to its potential–don’t just throw that pair of shoes out because it’s out of style! Keep them, keep using them, they still work. We need to consider what we do now, that is wasteful or problematic, that we can slowly and eventually change — and this is where coffee comes in.

Coffee is a delightful habit, but it can also negatively impact the environment. Every little change adds up in our individual lives, and if each individual makes a few small changes, we can have a big impact. So what does that look like for the average caffeinated individual?

• Reuse iced coffee plastic containers. I refill mine with iced coffee from home or turn them into my water container.
• Bring your own mug or thermos to the coffee shop.
• Decline the plastic drink stopper.
• Re-purpose coffee grounds–compost, soaps, candles, etc.
• Reuse and re-purpose coffee filters.
• Forgo Keurig pods and use the reusable pod with your own coffee grounds.
• Go into the coffee shop, don’t use the drive-thru.
• Reuse coffee bags — upcycle. Sew them into purses or totes (or, give them to someone who can sew them into purses and totes 😉)
• Reuse coffee cups — the cups are made for coffee, and sturdy, why not give them another go?
• Reuse/re-purpose coffee cans — they are strong containers! If you have no need for them, find an art teacher, they can definitely use them!

These are just a few ideas and suggestions. If we all chose a couple of things to upcycle, re-use, re-purpose, imagine how much we could stop going to landfills. If we all stopped idling in our cars, imagine how much gas (and money) we’d saved, and how much cleaner our air could be. If we all shared our best practices, and implement just a few, we could change the course of history–and still enjoy our coffee, win-win y’all, win-win.