Episode Five- The Latte Levy and Ditching Disposables
This week Live 95’s Aislinn Kelly met Christie McAllister of Abbey River Coffee to learn about their initiative to get customers to opt for reusable cups. We also learned of how the proposed Latte Levy of up to 20c on disposable cups may influence the amount of single-use-plastics generated by the coffee industry.
Why should we reduce the use of single use plastic cups?
- A recent study in the UK revealed that only 1 in 400 coffee cups were being recycled.
- While many coffee cups are recyclable, the way they are manufactured means only a small number of paper mills have the ability to recycle them.
- 555,000 single use coffee cups are put in the Irish market every day.
- Compostable cups can only be composted under specific conditions, however often these cups end up in litter bins and not compost bins.
What are some ways we can make our coffee consumption more sustainable?
- When making coffee at home, instant coffee has less packaging involved than capsules.
- Coffee growing is an intensive form of farming, so to reduce the consumption of coffee beans to avoid wasting coffee, the beans are precious!
- Consider buying shade-grown coffee, which can sequester carbon dioxide in the soil, provide a habitat for birds and make coffee growing more resilient to climate change.
- Be mindful of the amount of packaging involved, opt for reusable spoons, stirrers and filters that all contribute to a more eco-friendly brew.
Learn More!
Learn more about how fairtrade products work and coffee growers:
