Materials Use, Reuse & Reduction
Reducing our waste generation has always been an important piece of our goal to minimize our environmental footprint.
REUSE + RECYCLING AT THE ROASTERY
On the roastery side we work to reduce waste by:- delivering coffee in durable, reusable containers to our cafes and wholesale clients;
- using boxes made with recycled content that are 100% recyclable;
- purchasing coffee bags that are biodegradable and made of renewable materials;
- creatively reusing label backing as packaging stuffing;
- reusing boxes and packaging materials we receive;
- donating burlap sacks to local community partners and gardens;
- giving away shipping pallets and grain-pro agricultural bags;
- and donating unsold coffee to local nonprofits.
Zero Waste Efforts
In August 2018, our Seven Corners Café pioneered a Zero Waste program where we not only had the $0.25 discount for bringing your own mug, but also an upcharge for getting a disposable to-go cup. Since introducing this new charge, we have seen a significant reduction in share of to-go cups being used in the café, as well as a dramatic increase in customers choosing to bring their own mugs due to the environmental initiative. On Earth Day 2019, April 22, we introduced the to-go cup upcharge at our other two Portland cafés.
