Q: What have you done to help the world lately?

There is a fairly simple and obvious answer to this question; it is just a matter of whether or not you would like to use it. Coffee could be your answer – well drinking it and making it at least.

In our productive and counterproductive world, we are constantly reminded about how much we do, how many footprints we take, how much impact we have – whether it’s sending a letter or going shopping down the street…we are using and abusing our resources. So what could coffee and coffee machines have to do with this…Your coffee machine, from the moment it is switched on in the morning to the instant it brews the last cup for the day, is also impacting the environment; from the amount of electricity that surges through the wires as you switch on your coffee machine, to the litres of water you pour into it to steam and froth your milk. So how can you help?

Research has shown that domestic and semi-commercial coffee machines – offices coffee machines and coffee machines seen around the kitchen – are much more gentle on the environment than the large-scale commercial coffee machines you see in cafes. Domestic coffee machines use less electricity, as well as less water. Even so, it has been found that compared to other appliances, the coffee machine rates very well in terms of environmental impact and energy consumption.

So, if you do make the choice to make a difference, a coffee machine in your own home or an office coffee machine are the ways to go to head in the right direction.

And if you are not prepared to give up your daily routine which includes a visit to your favourite café to have your coffee pulled by a favourite barrista who uses a shiny, fancy coffee machine that he treats as his own then that’s still okay. Because coffee drinking and coffee making are now one of the greenest habits you can have. What with all the fair trade coffee and rainforest alliance coffee options available to people, the world of coffee is certainly trying to make a difference…so you can sleep well tonight knowing that tomorrow morning your coffee machine will be kind to the environment.

    

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