12 minute read
Compostable coffee
Every single second of every day, many people around the world have to make a decision about what to do with their used coffee pod. Should they chuck it in the rubbish, or should they attempt to recycle it?
Recycling coff ee pods is a process that can involve storing used pods in a bag before locating and driving to the nearest collection site. Given the choice, it’s no surprise that most of the pods that are produced every year end up in landfi ll. This is why David Foster, and his two co-founders, created Halo Coff ee, a company that produce home-compostable paper-based coff ee pods and fi ll them with exceptional coff ee.
“We want to put fantastic co ee into this convenient format, but in a way that makes people feel good about what they are using,’ says David. “There are dozens of companies doing plastic or aluminium, and it’s all going into waste. Ours can be composted at home so it returns to the soil in as little as 28 days, even quicker in a hot composter and under two weeks in an industrial composter.”
Halo make pulp-based capsules that are compatible with Nespresso Home Original machines. These are made from waste sugar-cane fi bre and every aspect of the production process is controlled for sustainability. The packaging is printed using non-toxic vegetable ink rather than oil-based polymers. Boxes and inserts are home compostable, recyclable and reusable and even the stickers that seal the boxes can be composted.
The outer laminate casing looks like a plastic but is a biolaminate derived from renewable food sources, so it’s fully home compostable while ensuring that the capsules are preserved for freshness.
This provides a stark contrast to the majority of coff ee pod producers, who use plastic, bio-plastic or, at best, aluminium, which is not easy to recycle and creates four tonnes of waste in the form of mercury, vanadium, chromium, lead,
titanium and arsenic for every one tonne of aluminium. As the world moves towards a more sustainable way of life, consumers are beginning to think more carefully about their environmental decisions while continuing to demand gourmet produce.
“We have proved the [compostable] model works and we want to expand the business because that will reduce people’s use of plastic,” says Foster. “The bigger we get, the more of a di erence we can make.”
In a bid to further strengthen their already sustainabilitydriven credentials and pioneering the movement towards fully compostable boxed packaging, Halo now produce roasted whole beans in a unique and completely compostable packaging.
“Did you know that the valve in Something to think about
Why do coff ee bags have a valve? When coff ee is roasted, chemical reactions create gases which are released over the next 48 hours from the porous structure of the beans, especially when you grind your fresh beans at home. The valve allows these gases to be released. The release of gases indicates freshly roasted beans and plays a big role in the taste, helps to form the frothy ‘crema’ and infl uences the taste of the cup.
a standard co ee bag is made of plastic, and the bag itself is usually foil lined or plastic lined?” says David. “We wanted to do away with all of those negative materials and developed the most environmental pack we could. Halo’s strapline, ‘the world’s best co ees in a way that’s best for the world’, sums up the heart and soul of the project – helping to reduce waste and keep our planet healthy.”
by Barnaby Dracup
Why are food emissions ignored at COP26?
Agricultural emissions will cause more than 1.5°C warming, even if fossil fuel emissions are stopped overnight, says a report from a team of researchers at Oxford University1
UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, UN Development Programme and UN Environment Programme found that government • subsidies of $470 billion (£341 billion) each year to farming • directly relate to $12 trillion (£8 trillion) a year in harm to health and the environment, and this is more than the value of the food produced. Food systems cause a third of greenhouse emissions2 , 80% of deforestation3 and 70% of biodiversity loss4. Why is one industry given a carte blanche on decimating the planet?
COP26 must be the opportunity for world governments to divert the current perverse subsidies from animal agriculture to a sustainable food system: supporting healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables, facilitating reduction in meat and dairy consumption, reforesting, implementing other measures that positively benefi t the environment and leaving a sustainable planet for future generations.
Bowing to pressure from countries like Brazil and Argentina to water down the need for reducing meat and dairy consumption, removing support for a shift to a plant-based diet, or not calling beef a ‘high-carbon’ food, deleting references to taxes on red meat and campaigns such as the ‘Meatless Monday’ shows only too well why greenhouse gas emissions are still rising, deforestation goes unchecked and why some experts are calling the current crisis an ‘ecological annihilation‘.
As people wait for government policies to change, individuals can make a huge diff erence to ensure that change happens sooner. In the new documentary, Eating Our Way To Extinction, narrated by Academy-Award-winning actress Kate Winslet, she says: “This fi lm shows us that we can be powerful, not powerless”. The fi lm uncovers hard truths about the future of the planet; a timely new documentary that is hard-hitting and a visually stunning fi lm experience. This powerful documentary allows audiences to question their everyday choices, industry leaders and governments. Featuring a wealth of world-renowned contributors, it has a message of hope that will empower audiences.
Rather than bowing to industry pressure, consumers can use their power on the food purchases that they make each day, because the single most meaningful change people can make in the wake of these planetary crises, is choosing what ends up on their plates each day.
Find out more
Visit eating2extinction.com to fi nd out more.
Bug Bakes — eco food for happy dogs
The average dog has twice the environmental footprint of building a 4x4 car and driving it 10,000km per year*
This is due to the high meat content in their food.
That’s why Bug Bakes decided to create an alternative that’s better for your dog and better for the planet. Their cold-pressed food is made in the UK using sustainable insect protein. Insects off er complete animal protein that’s easier for your dog to digest than chicken or beef. It’s even hypoallergenic which makes it perfect for dogs with sensitive tummies or allergies.
It’s for these reasons that the British Veterinary Association have publicly endorsed insects as a fantastic source of protein for dogs. Insect protein is not only healthy, but much more ecofriendly to farm than livestock.
To produce the same amount of protein as livestock, insects require thousands of times less water, hundreds of times less greenhouse gases and dozens of times less feed and land. Bug Bakes – sustainable insect protein, wonky fruit and veg, plasticfree packaging, cold pressed in the UK.
Better for your dog and better for the planet!
Cheers to trees – Drop Bear are brewing up change
Drop Bear Beer Co are a multi-award-winning brewer of 0.5% ABV craft beers with a conscience
Traditionally brewed in the UK with only the fi nest natural ingredients, the entire Drop Bear range is vegan friendly, gluten free, and low calorie. With a whopping 19 beer awards to their name, there’s no denying Drop Bear know how to brew a cracking 0.5% craft beer. The range consists of New World Lager, Yuzu Pale Ale, Tropical IPA, and Bonfi re Stout.
On a mission to “brew the best alcohol free beers and build a better world in which to drink it”, Drop Bear stand strong on sustainability, and they do so authentically.
With B Corp status pending, Drop Bear have taken the Green Growth Pledge and have recently launched their Cheers to Trees campaign. Cheers to Trees is a commitment from Drop Bear to plant one tree for every order they receive between 1 November and 31 December – 800 trees have already been planted by the brewery. Director Joelle Drummond said: “Climate change is a multifaceted and complex issue that has no single quick fi x, however, trees are our most powerful secret weapon.” More information regarding the brewery’s sustainability credentials can be found on their website. Find out more
Drop Bear are giving readers an exclusive 15% off all beers on their website dropbearbeers. com just scan the QR code to automatically redeem or use discount code CHECKLIST15 at checkout.
24 Food & Drink In the mood for a cup of Hectic Hamster?
Discover coffee that’s good for you and for the environment
Get in the Mood Coff ee are the gourmet coff ee company that are serious about delicious, 100% natural, blended coff ee, the wellbeing of people and the planet. But being serious shouldn’t stop • you from having fun. So, if a cup of Hectic Hamster, a medium-bodied • coff ee with citrus notes, doesn’t keep your buzz on, you could always go for a Fancy Cat, a Partied out Panda, a Brilliant Raccoon, or an Intrepid Baboon. • They’re your Coff ee Buddies and they’re all very diff erent. Each original blend has been meticulously crafted from Arabica beans to deliver a very distinct tasting characteristic. Are you in the mood for a smooth and mellow cup? Then Partied out Panda is the blend for you. Looking for something rich and powerful? Try Intrepid Baboon.
For creators and long-term coff ee lovers, Paula and Ian Lain, topnotch coff ee isn’t merely a product, it’s an experience and a passion. “Getting our fi ve blends exactly the way we wanted them was a complex process,” says Ian. “It involved sourcing the right beans, combining them in the right ratios, and altering their roasting times to release just the right fl avours. And, of course, each blend has its own distinct personality so you can pick the co ee to match your mood.”
Whichever one you choose; a decent cup of coff ee can be the boost you need to get going. And that positively impacts your mental health. Paula adds: “We’re about enjoying life and having fun, while • treating our planet responsibly. That’s why it is so important for our co ee bags to be recyclable and resealable. Now we’re creating Co ee Kits, with an emphasis on • giving great co ee with minimal waste. Choose items to suit your recipient instead of having a predefi ned gift box with things that might not get used.
“Our Co ee Buddies are catalysts for helping you enjoy all aspects of life, work and play, and aim to put you in exactly the right mood for what you want to be doing,’ continues Paula, “a mood to make you feel great!”
Find out more
Enjoy 15% o any Get in The Mood Coff ee and Kits with code GREEN15 until midnight 30 November. Visit the website at getinthemoodstore.com and follow @goco eebuddies
Cultivated and nurtured by women
Win a Land Girls hamper including ground coffee and beans, two hand-stamped biscuits, a percolator and two hand-thrown mugs. Worth £100!
Enter online at checklists.co.uk/win/landgirls
Land Girls’ Sumatran is an earthy, dark and spicy coff ee roast, with hints of citrus and apricot, making it an ideal choice to start the day. The Peruvian Coff ee has a smooth, well-rounded taste with a balanced berry sweetness and a hint of cocoa, making it easy to drink at any time.
At Land Girls, the mission is to support women farmers, producers and makers, so they can gain independence and support themselves and their families. Their beautiful hamper has everything you need to make the perfect cup of coff ee; so sit back, relax and enjoy.
The Land Girls founder, Emma, was inspired by the close-knit community of farmers in northern Peru who work together to produce better coff ee and fairer opportunities. The beans from Sumatra are grown by the women of Koperasi Ketiara, a cooperative of Indonesian farmers founded to help them feed their families.
Emma comes from a long line of fi ercely independent women farmers. However, she has had to fi ght to be respected and remain resilient in a male-orientated industry. When her application for a farm tenancy was turned down, Emma was determined not to be beaten and decided instead to focus her attention on supporting other women in farming who ‘go against the grain’ every day.
Award-winning deep fl avoured organic ciders
Delicious ciders and perry made in harmony with the environment certifi ed organic by the Soil Association
For over 40 years Dunkertons Cider have been making premium organic cider and perry crafted in artisan spirit and vision. Using distinct fl avoured traditional cider apples and perry pear varieties grown in Herefordshire orchards, they hand blend the juices using skills and techniques lost over time to the advances and pressures of mass production.
Long before ‘organic’ became mainstream Dunkertons Cider were pioneering organic cidermaking. The decision to make organic cider was driven by a love for nature – believing in preserving the natural eco system and working in harmony with nature.
The orchards grow with minimum intervention. Sheep graze and geese roam. Dunkertons Cider strip mow the orchards a couple of times during the growing season to keep the grass reasonably long to encourage pollinators and wildlife. They also have several beehives which are rotated around the orchards to help with pollination, and the organic honey produced by the bees is sold in their shops. Dunkertons Cider fl agship Black Fox Cider is the 2021 Soil Association Boom Awards winner of Best of Organic Alcoholic Drinks category.
“We are deep into fl avour here, our ciders taste of apples” said Ivor Dunkerton. Find out more
Visit dunkertonscider. co.uk and get 10% off your fi rst order with code CHECKLIST10. Find them on @dunkertonscider
