Hey earth muffins! Since I started my sustainable journey, every so often I will write a post about “How to Zero Waste [insert topic here]“. I’ve written about everything from zero waste periods to laundry rooms; today I want to talk about how you can zero waste your whipped coffee morning routine! If you aren’t into the trendy TikTok drink, don’t worry – I will also be including tips for reducing waste for coffee and tea as well. 😀Many people start their day off with a delicious cup of joe, so it is a great time to rethink and modify to make it a more sustainable part of your day!
Tips for Reducing “Whipped Coffee” Waste
MAKE YOUR COFFEE AT HOME! During quarantine I can bet you couldn’t make it to the local Starbucks or coffee shop to get that chai latte… So learn how to make your favorite beverage at home! Even though you might be able to use your own reusable mug at a cafe, that still doesn’t prevent the employee from creating other waste when creating your drink (like stir sticks or straws). The coffee places where I live are still not allowing reusables right now, so making your coffee at home is a must. Plus, you can finally utilize all those fun mugs you have purchased at the thrift store! 😍
Buy your coffee and tea from the bulk bins. Again, this might be difficult if your local establishments have their bulk bins closed, but mine still has the coffee/tea section open. 🎉 Bring your own reusable bag with you, pop in the ground (or whole) coffee beans or loose leaf tea, and head on your way. This avoids the plastic tubs/bags for coffee and even the tea bag for tea!
Reusable Products for a Zero Waste Coffee Routine
After purchasing your ground coffee beans, I suggest getting a reusable coffee filter if your coffee pot doesn’t already have one built inside it. I’m pretty sure most pots do these days but, if not, Amazon has a great selection for a cheap price (affiliate link)!
If you want to avoid filters altogether, you could think about investing in a French Press. ☕ I’m not a coffee drinker, but my parents absolutely love how the coffee turns out in the French Press. After our travels to Italy a few years back, my dad also got an Italian Bialetti (affiliate link) to make himself some delicious coffee without any single use filter. These are both great options for reducing your waste in the morning!
For those of you who love the Keurig, there are actually reusable K cups you can purchase (affiliate link). This is extremely helpful if you don’t want the same drink flavor every day. Plus, for only $10 this is a great investment – just think about all the plastic waste you will be saving! 😁 If you don’t have a Keurig, some companies like Nespresso have cup/pod recycling programs in place. While you have to send back your pods (and create some carbon waste by doing so), this is still a better option than having them end up in the landfill.
Many people love getting their coffee at a cafe because of the milky foam… So I suggest getting your own milk frother (affiliate link)! This will allow you to make your fave drink at home – super sustainable! There are many options from handheld frothers (affiliate link) to full machines that do heavy duty frothing, so fit what meets your budget and make sure the frother will last a long time. 🙃
Reusable Products for a Low Waste Tea Routine
Because I’m not a coffee drinker, I love to drink a cup of tea in the morning. 🥰 Like I said before, try to buy your tea from the bulk bins. If that isn’t an option, then buy loose leaf tea in metal containers. You can at least recycle the container when you are finished! Some of my favorite places to buy tea are TJ Maxx and David’s Tea.
To steep the tea, I suggest using a stainless steel tea strainer. There are many silicone options on the market as well (usually in really cute designs!), but I’ve always felt more comfortable with metal versus plastic. 🤷♀️These strainers can be found on Amazon for the low price of $7 (affiliate link); I absolutely love mine!
If you can’t find loose leaf tea where you live, then try to find a company that has compostable tea bags. Obviously it is better to not have the bag at all, but it is perfectly okay to go this route!
Overall, I think it is super easy to reduce your waste each morning by skipping the Starbucks line and heading for your own kitchen. Plus, your morning will never be ruined by the barista adding too much sugar or making your drink wrong! 😋Whether it be zero waste whipped coffee for all those TikTokers out there or a simple green tea, you can always make your morning a bit more sustainable! What is your favorite morning beverage?
Love,
Jenna ♥