Carbon & Coffee

It seems that each company has a different approach. They are working in slightly different directions, using different math, focusing on different areas and have differing opinions on certifications and the ways to offset carbon production. It makes it all a little confusing and overwhelming. It’s tough for a small company to decide how to take action — what will make the biggest impact for the least amount of investment — both in time and money.

I know that carbon use and climate impact is extremely important and action must be taken, in some direction, in order to ensure that coffee is sustainable and that we’re being good stewards of our planet. But... it seems it will require a lot more homework to determine the right course of action.

A few more notes from the session:

• Counter Culture Coffee did a full seed to cup carbon study. Found that shipping is not nearly the biggest contributor to the carbon used in coffee. Retailing & brewing, fertilizer and wastewater are all bigger contributors.
• Where do our responsibilities for carbon end? As a roaster do we just concern ourselves with roasting as carbon neutrally as possible and choose to work with producers and millers that are working hard on their end, or do we have to get involved at every single link of the supply chain?
• Tree planting at origin can offset carbon through sale of credits on the voluntary offset marketplace - but at this point at best would be a break even scenario - not a money maker for farmers.
• Sustainable Harvest is working on a system that allows the coffee industry to measure and analyze how much carbon is used from seed to cup and help choose better supply and shipping chains. Focuses on the middle of the supply chain - shipping.
• Climate Path is working on open source database for carbon and supply chain measures (going to be an online subscription service).