Do coffee machines use a lot of electricity and are they sustainable?
Alex | April 5, 2023
Does your office have a bean-to-cup coffee machine? Do you and your team enjoy a cup of freshly ground coffee each morning to kick-start the day? If you’re a facilities or office manager, you may have the task of providing coffee for the office, but what’s the best option?
With so many different types of coffee machines on the market, it’s hard to know which one to pick. You’ll have factors like cost, quality, convenience, and variety of drinks to consider, but one thing you should also think about is sustainability.
Many UK businesses are starting to care more about sustainability. This is due to a number of factors such as increasing consumer and employee awareness of environmental issues and the economic benefits of sustainable practices.
There’s also mounting pressure from governments to reduce carbon emissions and combat climate change. Overall, it’s becoming increasingly important for offices to implement sustainable practices so you can meet these challenges and improve your reputation as an environmentally responsible business. So what about your office coffee machine?
Along with choosing sustainable coffee that’s Rainforest Alliance Approved or FairTrade, your office coffee machine should also be sustainable. We take a look at how using a bean to cup coffee machine in the office can help you meet your sustainability goals.
Energy use
The first thing to consider when evaluating the sustainability of bean-to-cup coffee machines is their energy usage. They do require a significant amount of energy to operate, as they need to heat water and grind beans to make coffee. This energy usage can have a significant impact on an office’s carbon footprint, particularly if the machine is used frequently. However, most modern bean-to-cup machines are designed with energy efficiency in mind. They’ll have features like an automatic shut-off and low-energy modes, which can help to reduce their overall energy consumption.
Coffee waste
Firstly bean-to-cup machines don’t produce any waste. The only thing they produce is coffee grounds. If sustainability is your goal, there are lots of ways you can make use of these. You can use coffee grounds as fertiliser for your garden or like us, you can choose to donate it to a local allotment. You can also use a coffee grounds recycling service like BioBean. This is a service whereby your coffee grounds are collected and then taken to a recycling plant to make them into something else!
Plastic
By providing your team with quality bean-to-cup coffee at work, it means they’re not getting their caffeine fix on the high street. Not only does this save them money, but it also helps to reduce the amount of waste produced by your employees who might otherwise choose to buy coffee from outside the office in disposable cups. A lot of offices have a ban on single-use plastic which is a great way to make your coffee more sustainable. Encourage your employees to enjoy their coffee in reusable cups or mugs by providing them in your office kitchen.
Cleaning
The maintenance and upkeep of bean-to-cup coffee machines is also something to consider when evaluating your coffee machine’s sustainability. They require regular cleaning and maintenance to ensure that they’re functioning properly and pouring high-quality coffee. This can require the use of cleaning chemicals which can contribute to an office’s environmental footprint. However, regular maintenance will help to extend the lifespan of the machine, reducing the need for frequent replacements. When you balance the pros and cons, a bean-to-cup machine is a sustainable option.
Coffee
When considering the sustainability of bean-to-cup coffee machines, you’ll also want to think about the broader context of coffee production. The coffee industry is known for its environmental impact, particularly in areas such as deforestation, water usage, and pesticide use. You can offset this impact by choosing sustainably-sourced coffee beans to help mitigate some of these issues.
Get in touch
Overall, a bean-to-cup coffee machine is a convenient way for your team to enjoy high-quality, barista-style coffee throughout the day. This can help to reduce the amount of energy and resources they might otherwise use to leave the office and purchase coffee elsewhere. If your company is committed to sustainability and reducing its environmental impact, then a bean-to-cup coffee machine may be a worthwhile investment. If you need any help with choosing your machine, please contact our team and we’ll be delighted to help you. We have a wide range of coffee machines which will support you in your sustainability goals.