Lesson 4 Let It Be Green
A Better Future for Coffee Waste
The famous German musician Johann Sebastian Bach once ____,
“____ my morning coffee, I’m just like a dried-up piece of goat.”
Today this sentiment is shared by many, with coffee shops springing up on ____ every street corner,
and it is common to see city residents walking ____ with a cup of coffee in hand.
According to the International Coffee ____ (ICO), approximately 10 billion tons of coffee was consumed worldwide between 2020 and 2021,
and Koreans made a signif icant contribution to this ____ total, consuming 150,780 tons of coffee.
This ____ that every Korean adult drank an average of one cup of coffee every day throughout the year.
Clearly, for Koreans and other world citizens, coffee is not just a drink but a daily ____.
The world’s widespread love of coffee
The world’s widespread love of coffee comes at a substantial environmental cost, as the extraction process generates significant ____.
____ 0.2 percent of a coffee bean is used to make coffee, with the remaining 99.8 percent disposed of as waste.
As a result, the vast quantity of coffee consumed worldwide produces millions of tons of coffee waste ____ year.
So, what happens to all the waste ____ the coffee extraction process?
Spent coffee grounds (SCGs) are classified as general waste and ____ to landfills.
____ they break down, releasing methane, a greenhouse gas that is approximately 25 times more potent than CO2.
Some SCGs are incinerated instead of being buried, but this releases a lot of CO2: 338 kg ____ ton.
However, neither of ____ waste management options takes into account the potential value of coffee grounds.
Although the grounds contain valuable ____ compounds and minerals, they are simply destroyed.
Fortunately, thanks to increased
Fortunately, thanks to increased awareness of the ____ waste problem, companies, organizations, and governments around the world are working hard to improve the environmental impact of the coffee industry through circular economy measures.
A circular economy ____ the reuse of resources for as long as possible, reducing waste and environmental costs.
An example of a circular economy in action occurs when a ____ of coffee shops collaborates with an organization to collect spent coffee grounds from its shops.
These grounds are processed to ____ impurities and dried out.
The resulting SCGs are sold to ____ companies, where they are transformed into organic fertilizer.
This fertilizer is later sold ____ to the coffee shop chain.
The chain provides the fertilizer to local eco-friendly farmers, ____ then sell their produce back to the chain.
The farm produce can be used to create various food items, ____ as rice chips and dried sweet potatoes, which are sold in the chain’s coffee shops.
By repurposing coffee grounds in this manner, related businesses and ____ farmers can benefit both economically and environmentally.
Recycled coffee grounds
Recycled coffee grounds have a ____ range of uses, including coffee logs, fabrics for clothing and shoes, and reusable cups.
Coffee logs, for instance, generate more heat and ____ for a longer time than wood.
Fabric made from coffee grounds ____ sweat, dries quickly, and provides UV protection.
Reusable cups from coffee grounds not only have a visually appealing ____ but also preserve the taste of the coffee.
Korea has shown a growing ____ in recycling spent coffee grounds in recent years.
The government is taking steps toward the creation of a ____ recycling system in the coffee industry,
while companies are dedicating themselves to ____ and developing new uses for coffee waste.
By recycling materials such as coffee waste, ____ can also help protect the environment.
With continued efforts, the recycling of used coffee grounds is ____ to increase, encouraging more sustainable methods of enjoying coffee for years to come.