Drink Smart!

Think your daily latte is only affecting your pocketbook?  Think again.  This daily habit has a large effect on the environment.  Much of the products associated with your daily latte, the cup, stirrer, lid, napkins, carriers, etc, are thrown into the trash contributing to the landfill.  The coffee beans used to brew your coffee travel thousands of miles to reach the US, using large amounts of fuel along the way. What about the land the coffee grows on?  Massive amounts of deforestation occur in order to have large enough farms to produce large amounts of coffee for consumption. While brewing your own coffee is more environmentally friendly, there are ways to cut back on the impact if you go to the local coffee shop.  First, bring your own mug.  This cuts down on most of the waste associated with buying coffee.  Secondly, try to find coffee shops that brew organic and fair trade coffee.  This will cut out harmful pesticides and chemicals, as well as ensure that they were grown environmentally as well as economically friendly.

Here are some more great tips:

http://www.ineedcoffee.com/10/7-easy-tricks/