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 04:46:35 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

9/24/2012 11:22:49 pm

Thank you for your encouraging comment! Sincerely, Paulette

Paulette L. Stenzel

I am a professor, mom, learner, writer, violinist, environmentalist in process, traveler, and avid reader. My professional role is Professor of Sustainability and International Business Law in Michigan State University's Eli Broad College of Business. Additionally, I am coordinator for Business, Law, and Ethical Leadership in the Broad College.

My research, writing, and teaching coincide with my personal pursuit of a more sustainable world through the Triple Bottom line: economy, social equity, and environment.
Through research and public speaking I share information and perspectives on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Fair Trade, direct trade, cooperatives, micro-finance, local production and purchasing, organics, and related areas.

Contact me at stenzel@msu.edu.

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

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