Entry #13: Sustainability from Coffee, Cups, and Bikes to… a lot more!

1/17/2011

Entry #13– January 17, 2010

Sustainability from Coffee, Cups, and Bikes to… a lot more!

A simple way to help make the world more sustainable and avoid filling landfills is to carry your own coffee mug or cup. My friends in Fair Trade at Higher Grounds Coffees (http://highergroundstrading.com) in Traverse City, Michigan pursue sustainability in many significant ways, including the usage of reusable mugs.

Their sustainability starts with wonderful Fair Trade, organic coffees (including those produced by the Maya Vinic growers – the folks in Chiapas, Mexico with whom I visited in October of 2010). In their coffee shop in Traverse City, there is a wall of coffee mugs used on site or for coffee-to-go. The customers also play a role in sustainability by donating a variety of mugs and by returning to-go cups. Beyond the shop, deliveries within the Traverse area are made by bicycle -- definitely easy on the environment!

If you are doing something similar, I would love to hear about it. Please leave a comment on this site or send me an e-mail.

P.S. Remember the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today, his birthday, and every day. By pursuing sustainability and taking care of each other and the Earth, we contribute to the pursuit of peace.

Copyright© 2011 by Paulette L. Stenzel for text and photo.

2 Comments

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9/24/2012 07:46:35 pm

Thank you for posting this great content. I was searching for this subject for a long time. I found your post quiet interesting. Keep sharing.

Paulette Stenzel link

9/25/2012 02:22:49 am

Thank you for your encouraging comment! Sincerely, Paulette

Paulette L. Stenzel

I am Professor Emerita of International Business Law and Sustainability at Michigan State University (MSU). I continue to teach part time at MSU and coordinate the Broad College Ethical Leadership program Additionally, I advise Spartan Global Development Fund, a student-driven microfinance organization, and serve on its non-profit 501(c)(3) Board of Directors. .

I am also a mom, learner, writer, violinist, environmentalist -in -process, traveler, and avid reader.

Through research, service, and public speaking, I share information and perspectives on teaching, ethical leadership, and the pursuit of more sustainable ways of living and doing business.

Photo above: Francisco Vinega, Jade Artist, Guatemala, with Paulette Stenzel.
Contact me at stenzel@msu.edu.

Entry #13: Sustainability from Coffee, Cups, and Bikes to… a lot more!

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