Your next favorite café could be made from coffee grounds
From coffee to concrete
Today’s eco snapshot👇🏽
Sustainable building solution: from coffee to concrete
Startup of the week: Atomo Coffee
5 brands that sustainably stand out
Some good news from around the world
3 ways I can help you on your sustainability journey
☕ ➡️ 🧱 From coffee to concrete
Did you know that your morning coffee could help build stronger and more durable buildings?
Scientists in Australia have found a way to create concrete that is 30% stronger by adding used coffee grounds. This innovative solution not only improves the strength of concrete but also tackles the problem of coffee waste.
When coffee grounds end up in landfills, they produce methane gas, which contributes to global warming.
By utilizing a process called pyrolysis, coffee grounds are transformed into a carbon-rich biochar that reinforces the building material. This sustainable alternative to mined sand has the potential to save millions of tons of coffee waste from harming the environment.
With 75,000 tons of coffee grounds disposed of every year in Australia alone, this breakthrough offers a rare double-win for the environment. By incorporating just 15% of pyrolyzed coffee grounds into the concrete mix, the country's coffee waste can be effectively utilized.
This not only reduces the amount of coffee grounds in landfills but also minimizes the production of harmful gases.
If this idea is adopted globally, it could save 1 million tons of coffee grounds, helping to combat the climate crisis.
Time for the quiz of the week ⌛
Answer at the end of the newsletter. No one (including me) can see your response so feel free to vote 😉
✨ Startup of the week: Atomo Coffee
Brewing change…Coffee has a significant impact on the environment. Large areas of land are cleared for its cultivation, resulting in increasing deforestation on the planet. This trend is expected to continue in the coming decades. This brand has found a solution by making the world’s first beanless coffee.
Innovative grounds…Atomo Coffee produces coffee without using traditional coffee beans. Instead, they utilize superfoods and plant-based waste ingredients, such as date seeds, which are able to mimic the molecular structure of coffee.
It gives the same texture and taste as coffee.
Their first product is the ground espresso.
It is made of ingredients like date seeds, ramon seeds and pea protein.
Fewer emissions, more flavor…Atomo claims that its coffee produces 93% fewer carbon emissions and uses 94% less water compared to regular coffee. This makes it beneficial for both the planet and coffee lovers.
✅ Brands that sustainably stand out
🇫🇮 Montinutra- Converting forest waste into cosmetic ingredients that are vegan, non-GMO, and biodegradable
🇺🇸 Free Flow Wines- Revolutionizing how wine flows from vineyards to glasses
🇮🇹 Babaco Market- An anti-waste grocery store, selling edible products that don’t look so good
🇺🇸 Eviation Aircraft- On a mission to make electric air travel affordable and efficient in the next 5 years
🇳🇴 Kebony- Reducing food waste and preventing deforestation at the same time
Engage with hundreds of sustainable brands like these by upgrading to a paid subscription. It comes with access to a database of planet-friendly brands from across the world.
😹 Some Good News
🔌 Cottoning on to sustainable power
Researchers and businesses are exploring alternative battery materials to reduce the environmental impact of mining lithium and other minerals. Options include burnt cotton-derived carbon, seawater, biowaste, and natural pigments. This exploration offers hope for a more sustainable battery production.
🔥 From coal to creeks
The Svea mine in Svalbard, Norway, is being restored to its natural state through a large-scale project. The project, costing 1.6 billion Norwegian kroner, aims to return the area to nature by allowing creeks to flow freely and facilitating the formation of new creeks through avalanches.
👏🏼 World's largest wind turbine blows past records
The world's largest wind turbine off the coast of Fujian Province, China, generated 384.1 megawatt-hours of electricity during Typhoon Haikui. With a rotor diameter of 827 feet, it could power around 170,000 homes. The turbine's intelligent system adjusted its blades to withstand the typhoon, ensuring uninterrupted power generation.
🌎 3 ways I can help you
📞 Interested in chatting about sustainability and climate change? Book a free call here
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Have a great weekend and see you next week😊