citizen mindful
Expo Boston Show Floor 2019
The show floor is open at Specialty Coffee’s Expo event being held in Boston April 11-14. Heads will swirl around ideas, products and more coffee than even the ultimate enthusiast might want. Having walked an Expo floor, in Boston, a few years back, the bevy of culture and community spilling out of these days is wholly inspiring.
In this 2019 installation, The Coffeetographer lends some of its coverage space to bringing light to a few events, products and happenings around sustainability. The future in coffee is dependent on the actions we take today, so let’s start with what we can, from where we can.
1. Coffee Skills + Coffee Sustainability Programs | April 11, 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
This is the right time in the wave of specialty coffee to enhance upon one’s education in specialties that directly affect the coffee supply chain.Newly launched and aimed at sustainability, the Coffee Sustainability Program has its debut at the 2019 Expo Event. The Sustainability Skills Foundation Course offers “baseline knowledge of what the term ‘sustainability’ means and how it is connected to current and historical events and coffee projects. Attendees will learn the vocabulary and techniques needed to begin assessing their company or organization’s economic, social, and environmental sustainability as well as that of the industry at large.”This course is sure to bring awareness and actionable follow throughs for its attendees. Register here. #makecoffeebetter
2. Titling themselves as The Leader in Compostable Packaging and Labels, Elevate Packaging is unveiling a full compostable coffee pouch. According to the company, “The new one-pound flat bottom bag is made entirely of compostable materials, including the zippers and degassing valve.” Specialty Coffee Expo’s Design Lab which identifies, showcases and celebrates compelling design, has made this coffee pouch a finalist in Design Lab’s Packaging category.
3. Lifestyle habits with minimal waste is a problem looking for new ways to be solved. For coffee drinkers looking to economize time, reduce waste, and be vegan conscious can check out Steeped Coffee. The brand, based out of Santa Cruz, California employs sustainable methodology that purports a single serve, nitro sealed bag made of plant based renewable and compostable materials to deliver one great cup of coffee. Pack your own reusable coffee mug and steep away. Visit Steeped Coffee at Booth 154.
4. Clear your throat and whet your whistles. For its third year running Cooperative Coffees puts on its Open Mic Night with the help of Daily Coffee News, featuring coffee people during the coffee industry’s biggest event of the year. Occurring Saturday, April 13, from 9 p.m. to midnight at District Hall, it will include a silent auction to support a coffee sustainability nonprofit On the Ground, as well as celebrate financing nonprofit Root Capital‘s 20th anniversary. Check into the event here.
5. You’ll be doing a lot of walking, talking and yes, sipping coffee during Expo. To lessen the impact of your consumption there’s a Sustainability Station (near 1162, and 467) sponsored by Miir, Bunn, and Club Coffee. There are 2,000 limited edition reusable cups at the Sustainability Station on the show floor and free to the public. Grab one while supplies last and reuse away with a clear conscience on those refills.