Queensland’s Blackstar Coffee Roasters has launched its Coffee For Trees initiative, which will see three trees planted in Africa for every kilogram of coffee sold at its West End, CBD, and online stores.
Blackstar has partnered with Trees.org and Landcare Australia to make a meaningful environmental change, minimise the impact of its supply chain, and promote sustainability within the coffee industry.
Blackstar founder Martin Richards estimates the average coffee drinker, with a two-cup-a-day habit, could contribute to the planting of 40 new trees per year.
“I was concerned about the impact we were having as a business so this idea of creating change through business sits at the very core of Coffee For Trees,” Martin says. “Instead of making a profit and finding a way to use that money to effect change, Coffee For Trees is a profit-for-purpose initiative designed to change the world as we drink each cup.
“This is good coffee that does good and by simply buying a bag of beans, consumers can contribute to a regenerative economy and directly address the environmental damage caused by deforestation.”
Coffee For Trees’ first target is to plant 20,000 trees in its first 12 months, making Blackstar carbon neutral.
“We source a lot of our premium, specialty-grade beans from Africa so we have partnered with Trees.org which works with thousands of farming families in Africa to plant trees, return nutrients to the soil, increase their income and food supply and improve the environment,” Martin says.
He adds trees would also be planted by Noosa & District Landcare group in Queensland to regenerate the Six Mile Creek catchment area, preserving the habitat of threatened species including the Mary River Cod.
“Landcare Australia has a good track record for delivering strong, transparent results which we’ll share with our community via our website,” Martin says.
For more information, visit www.blackstarcoffee.com.au/pages/coffee-for-trees
