Category Archives: Sustainability

Book Review – Cheap coffee: Behind the curtain of the global coffee trade

If you choose to read one publication about coffee this year, I suggest it is the new book by Karl Wienhold called ‘Cheap Coffee: Behind the Curtain of the Global Coffee Trade’. This book provides an overview of how and … Continue reading

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Thoughts on the new Coffee Development Report from the ICO: The Value of Coffee

In 2019 the International Coffee Organisation launched their first Coffee Development Report. This focused on supporting economic viability in the coffee industry. I found this an incredibly valuable report, not only in terms of demonstrating the breadth of issues affecting … Continue reading

Posted in Coffee, coffee culture, Consumers, Global Chains, ICO, Reports, research, Sustainability, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Examining sustainability risks in Indonesia-UK coffee supply chains

The global coffee industry faces a number of sustainability risks from price volatility, and supply of labour to climate change and changing prevalence of pests and disease. The challenges it faces are complex, with adjustments to supply chains shaped by … Continue reading

Posted in circular economy, coffee culture, Coffee Growing, Coffee industry, Economic Impact, Indonesia, research, Specialty Coffee, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Working together towards a circular economy: life beyond the cup of coffee

There are many different definitions of the circular economy, which at their core they have the same thing in common: the reduction of waste, and the movement away from a linear economy which operates on a take-make-consume-throwaway model (Ellen Macarthur … Continue reading

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New research summary published: The coffee shop industry and the circular economy

There are many different definitions of the circular economy, which at their core have the same thing in common: the reduction of waste, and the movement away from the linear economy which operates on a take-make-consume-throwaway model. Many have recognised … Continue reading

Posted in circular economy, Coffee, coffee culture, coffee cups, Disposable cups, Germany, Publications, Reports, research, Sustainability, UK | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Considering the future of coffee – ICO launches ‘Coffee Development Report 2019’

Much of the recent discussion in the mainstream media related to coffee has been about the ‘coffee crisis’, the historic low of coffee prices, and the impact this is having on the livelihoods of coffee farmers around the world (Alameida, … Continue reading

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From coffee grounds to grand designs – talking about coffee shops and the circular economy at the RGS conference

In London this week the Royal Geographical Society hosted its Annual Conference with an overarching theme of Geographies of trouble / geographies of hope. This year I presented some of my research in a session on Sustainablity, re-use and waste. … Continue reading

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Centre for Business in Society White Paper: Seeking Sustainability in the Coffee Shop Industry: Innovations in the Circular Economy

Across many sectors and industries, efforts are being made to be more sustainable, reduce consumption of materials and energy, and in many cases engage in more circular economy practices – reusing materials to create new ones, in turn reducing the … Continue reading

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Innovations in the circular economy: coffee grounds as a waste opportunity

In the UK around 95 million cups of coffee are consumed every day, which means it also produces a lot of coffee waste – around of 500,000 tonnes waste coffee grounds every year. Such amount of waste contributes to rising … Continue reading

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The Cup Fund has launched – seeking new ideas for coffee cup recycling

Disposable coffee cups have recently been in the news again. This time it’s because of a new effort to try and increase coffee cup recycling – The Cup Fund –  a £1 million funding scheme to kick start some ideas … Continue reading

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