Sustainability

Single O and World Coffee Research bring climate-resilient coffee to Australia

Single O has joined with World Coffee Research (WCR) to launch the No Death to Coffee project, will see the roaster introduce three new climate-resilient WCR-bred coffees to Australia. “We’re passionate about supporting all innovations that will lead to more stability for coffee producers and future-friendly varieties like Starmaya are set to enhance farmer livelihoods. We can’t wait to share it with the Australian coffee community,” Single O Director of Coffee Wendy De Jong says.
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BioPak helps Perth café divert more than 33,000 kilograms of waste

Perth café Yelo has diverted 33,095 kilograms of waste from landfill and created 23 tonnes of compost since signing up to BioPak’s composting service in June. Yelo Owner Mike Pond says the service allows patrons to enjoy the convenience of disposable takeaway packaging, including coffee cups, while doing the right thing by the environment. “This is a fantastic initiative, which we believe will help divert potentially tonnes of waste away from landfills and turned into composting that can be used for commercial-level agriculture – at no cost to our customers,” Mike says. “In fact, the composting service will save us more than 20 per cent a year in waste bills.”
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Starbucks opens café built from recycled shipping containers in Taiwan

Starbucks has opened a 320-square-metre, two-story store in Taiwan built that uses 29 shipping containers to form its structure. It is the first retailer to open a storefront in the yet-to-be launched Hualien Bay Mall. “This drive thru location is built to meet customer needs, both today and in the long-term,” Starbucks says in a press release.
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Tree Free Global cups

In response to environmental and bacterial concern in takeaway coffee, Tree Free Global believes it has the best environmental solution to replace disposable and reusable cups. 
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Canberra café raises $300,000 for habitat restoration

Over the past 15 years, Canberra-based Brindabella Café has raised more than $300,000 for Greening Australia, a not-for-profit organisation that conserves and restores Australia’s landscapes. In 2004, Brindabella Café began charging a Greening Levy of 20 cents to customers when they opted for a takeaway cup, which was then donated to Greening Australia. “My partner and I were so frustrated that people were using so many single use cups,” Owner Skye Palmer says. “Apparently over 2.5 million cups are thrown away every day in this country.”
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Sydney council votes on reusable cup scheme

The Inner West Council of New South Wales has voted to support an investigation into a pilot reusable coffee cup scheme. The pilot, which is based on the successful model pioneered by the German city of Freiburg, aims to recruit cafés across a specific geographic area to participate in a scheme. Customers would drop off their empty cup at any participating café, which will clean and provide another for reuse.
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Turning coffee waste into cups

Macquarie PhD student Dominik Kopp believes he’s found a way to turn coffee waste into biodegradable plastic coffee cups. Dominik has developed a method to turn coffee grounds into lactic acid, which can be used to produce biodegradable plastics. Dominik is now refining the process as he finishes his PhD.
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La Marzocco’s living values

In an era of climate change and an increasingly fragile environment, machine manufacturer La Marzocco is well aware of its responsbility to set an example for the industry to follow.  Company Chief Executive Officer Guido Bernardinelli says the company’s increased sustainable practices are not only good for business, but good for the community and the environment.  “In observing society and the variations of the environment that have been occurring over the years, we felt the burning desire to dissent and to set an example for a better life in our small world,” he says. “As we continue to make wise decisions and to invest with this focus in mind, we sincerely hope to inspire other companies to follow our vision.”
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Starbucks to eliminate plastic straws by 2020

Starbucks has announced it will eliminate single-use plastic straws from more than 28,000 company operated and licensed stores by 2020. In the announcement on 9 July, Starbucks revealed it will by making a strawless lid or alternative-material straw options available around the world. It anticipates the move will eliminate more than one billion plastic straws per year from Starbucks stores.
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