The consumption of coffee around the world has been steadily increasing for the last 30 years. With an average daily consumption in the range of 2.7 cup of coffees. For each person is currently the most consumed drink in Canada. According to estimates, approximately 200 billion cups of coffees consumed each day around the world.
This has resulted in significant changes in the methods of making coffees as the development of capsules for coffee. They have split people’s opinions due to the fact that the method of preparation. That uses single-use packaging, is damaging for the planet.
As researchers who study the environmental impact of both services and products we often talk about coffee’s carbon footprint. We set out to investigate the impact of carbon emissions. From a variety of methods employed to make coffees at home. It turned out that coffee capsules aren’t among the major carbon emitters.
The Life-Cycle Of Coffee
The pollution that results from the making of coffees at home is only the beginning of the problem. Before you able to enjoy the cup of coffee. It must go through a series of steps, beginning from the farming of coffee beans, their transportation. Roasting and grinding of beans, and finally, the boiling of the water used to make the coffees. And finally cleaning the cup that it put into.
These steps, which are common to all types of preparation for coffees, use up resources and release carbon dioxide (GHG). To able to evaluate the carbon footprint of different methods for making coffee. Tt is crucial to look at their complete life cycle. Starting with the making of coffee through the production of packaging and machinery. Up to processing coffees, and the waste that generated.
The Comparison Four Methods Preparing Coffee
We decided to research this more thoroughly and performed an exhaustive literature review on the issue. Then, we determined the impact of carbon emissions from coffees, by looking at four ways to prepare 280 milliliters of coffee, which is:
- The traditional filter coffees (25 grams coffees)
- Filter coffee that encapsulated (14 grams of caffeine)
- Coffee that has brewed (French prese) (17 grams of caffeine)
- Coffee that soluble (12 grams) Also called instant coffee
Our study clearly revealed that filter coffee with traditional methods has the largest carbon footprint. This due to the greater amount of coffees powder is needed in the production of coffee. The process also requires more electricity to heat hot water to maintain it at a constant temperature.
Soluble
If consumers consume the recommended amount of water and coffees and soluble coffees, it appears to be the most eco sustainable alternative. The reason for this the small amount of soluble coffee consumed in a cup. Also, kettles’ less energy consumption than the coffees maker, and the lack of organic waste that needs to cleaned.
However it is when people consume 20% more of coffees and are able to heat twice the amount of water they require (which is usually the situation) capsules of coffees seem to be the ideal choice. Why? Because capsules allow you to maximize the quantity of water and coffee per cup corkcellarswinebistro.com.
In comparison the traditional coffee drinking capsule-sized filter coffees (280 milliliters) can save between 11 to 13 grams of beans. Making the equivalent of 11 grams Arabica coffees from Brazil produces 60 grams CO2e (CO2 equivalent). This figure significantly higher that the CO2e of 27 grams that released during the process of making capsules of coffees, and dumping the waste to landfill. These figures offer an idea about the importance of avoiding excessive use and waste of coffee.
Production Of Coffee
Whatever the method of preparation for coffees that is used, the production of coffees is the one that emits the most greenhouse gases. It contributed between 40 percent to 80 percent of total emissions. There are many reasons behind this.
Coffees plants plant that originally planted in shade of the canopy of trees. Modernization in the industry resulted in the change of many coffee plantations into huge fields that completely exposed to sunlight. This increased the demand for extensive irrigation as well as fertilization systems. application of pesticides.
The mechanization of irrigation, as well as the utilization of nitrogen oxide emitting fertilizers the process of which requires huge quantities of natural gas significantly increase the carbon footprint of coffees. Coffee’s carbon footprint can reduced by reducing its carbon footprint.
On a consumer level in addition to reducing coffees consumption by avoiding the waste of water and coffee is the most efficient method of reducing emissions from traditional made and insoluble, coffees.
Water And Coffees
Capsules of coffee help avoid the excessive use of water and coffees. However the convenience of capsules can cause consumers to consume more coffees and make this benefit to the environment unnecessary. It also important to aware of recycling options available for capsules in the area where they reside, to prevent it taken to the landfill instead of being recycled at a facility. It is better to change to reused capsules.
If you are in a country or province that has a high carbon intensity in electricity production, making sure you don’t use the hot plate of your coffees maker and washing the cup in cold water can reduce carbon footprint.
The electricity that used for washing a cup coffee in Alberta which a carbon-intensive electricity producing province, releases greater CO2 (29 grams of CO2e) than the process of making a capsule of coffees and then dumping it into the garbage (27 grams of CO2e). In Quebec due because of hydroelectricity, washing your coffee cup in a dishwasher results in minimal environmental impact (0.7 percent of the CO2e for each cup).