BBC Radio 4 – Sliced ​​Bread

So what is the most effective way to reduce our carbon footprint from drinking coffee? It may be some comfort to know that packaging only contributes roughly 10% to coffee’s total carbon output, while aluminum packaging doubles that figure to 20%. Cécile explains how this value is calculated by performing Life Cycle Analysis, or LCA: “A method for measuring the environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle, from production to distribution, use and even waste management.”

LCA reveals that the biggest contributor to coffee’s carbon production comes from production; A huge rate of 60%! Apart from the resources required to grow the coffee beans, there are also some secondary effects that contribute to this overwhelming majority. Runoff from chemicals used to grow coffee reaches local rivers and acidifies the water downstream. Additionally, deforestation is often needed to make room for coffee harvesting, leading to reduced biodiversity.

Beyond that, the second largest contributor to carbon comes from the actual brewing of coffee. However, Cécile explains that it is difficult to give an exact figure for the carbon output per service of this step because there are so many factors to consider. These include the brewing method, previous temperature, the source of the beans and their exact composition, etc. takes place.

Choosing eco-friendly beans is not easy but controlling your consumption is difficult

Although production accounts for the bulk of coffee’s carbon output, there are still ways to choose coffee beans from sustainable sources. The environmental impact of sourcing beans from countries with low deforestation will generally be reduced. Another example is choosing organic coffee beans; See, coffee “beans” are actually the seeds of a fruit known as the coffee cherry. While many beans have the flesh removed from this fruit through carbon-intensive washing procedures, organic coffee beans are instead dried on terraces and then the flesh is removed.

However, these methods require deciphering complex packaging labels and independent research. Tim explains: “There is an incredible variety of coffee varieties and farm methods, as well as processing methods, within each of these coffee types, so being able to pin down the individual carbon footprint of any coffee is actually quite difficult.” So the best way to keep your carbon footprint low is not to waste! Always make sure you don’t make so much coffee that you have to pour it down the drain, and avoid instant coffee, which uses more “green” (immature) coffee beans as it needs to be processed twice.

In summary, if you want to keep your carbon footprint from coffee consumption low, consider being as efficient as possible! Coffee capsules may be the right option in terms of both convenience and volume. But don’t think that eco-initiatives around coffee pods make them better for the environment than other types of coffee.

To learn more about types of eco-friendly coffee capsules, such as reusable and compostable coffee capsules, Watch the full episode of Sliced ​​Bread on BBC Radio 4.