The place for all the people interested in the world of doing good. And in doing it better.The Problem
Remember how this whole thing started with Starbucks? (see our intro to the challenge)
Well, ten days in, Jas is diving into how bad the whole buying-coffee-in-a-shop thing really is.
The results are in: It is indeed quite bad. Not only for your wallet but for your Mother Earth.
While TECHNICALLY possible, it’s really really hard to recycle disposable cups. Less than one percent ever make it to that stage. They are one of the worst products of our hectic lifestyle. The problem is so bad that even in 2018, coffee shops don’t know how many cups they are responsible for. Noone wants to face the ugly truth. This vicious cycle of caffeine consumption via disposable cups is the scourge of our precious earth, and we should say no it once and for all.
The thing is... Jas is SHAMELESS addict. Honestly, paying a bit extra seems like a reasonable deal to get good coffee. We’ve all seen those calculators that show you how much your "habit" costs you, and for Jas coffee easily runs into the hundreds every year.
So how does she go about being an addict, better? Obviously, she is not going to rely on instant coffee. She has pride and standards, if only on this matter.
Solution Number 1: Reusable cups
You go to Starbucks, you buy coffee and proudly, nobly, hold out your reusable cup to be filled with your basic beverage of choice. The world sings as a new wave of environmentalism takes hold, plus disposable cups are soooooo 2018.
Solution Number 2: Buy your own beans
You go to an indie coffee shop that has coffee that smells like chocolate but is too expensive to visit every day. You straight-up buy their coffee beans. You accompany this with the purchase of an aeropress/cafétiere/percolator/filter depending on your budget and snobbery level. You make your own coffee at home, put it in a reusable container, and take it with you on your journey. All the progressiveness points in the world go to you.
Here is Jas on that journey to a better life.
Evaluation
The perceived effort level of this trade is highly dependent on the human doing it. For some people, this looks easy. They can see the benefits in saving money, being able to track the beans, and it doesn’t really derail their life. For others, it's a big change. Maybe they have an awkward commute and it is just easier to buy their caffeine right next door to work, or they share a kitchen with 10 people who would totally break/steal their equipment.
For Jas, this was easy, and the smell of fantastic coffee at home was enough to sway her from her café residing habit. It’s also really good to have at home for hangovers or spontaneous weekend continental breakfast productions.
Jas recommends giving this a go. It might surprise you how much home brewing doesn't ruin your routine/addiction.
