TACKLING THE WAR ON WASTE
Written by Liam Burge
Coffee is one of the largest waste producers on the planet. Every year roughly 20 BILLION kgs of the waste off the coffee cherries and is left to sit in landfill, that then creates roughly 16.6 million tonnes of Co2 emissions (0.2% of global emissions). Around 80% the whole plant is stripped off and thrown away, leaving the remaining 20% (the seed/coffee bean) being the only part consumed.
So how can we combat the level of waste? This is the question I Am Grounded aims to solve, and is taking inspiration from one of the oldest coffee cultures on Earth.
The history of coffee can be dated back millions of years. Obviously it didn't come into the spotlight until the 1800’s however there are records of early humans enjoying this beautiful product in many ways before it was pumped into consumer production.
Coffee is widely believed to have originated in Ethiopia, with the Oromo people being some of the first to use the plant as an energy booster. There is evidence roughly 1000 years ago that the first “energy bar” was ever made by the Oromo people, by mashing together goat fats with mashed up coffee cherries so they could get a natural buzz while having a little snack.
I Am Grounded’s creators, Vanessa Murillo and Lachlan Powell, and taking the industry by storm, utilizing the cherry waste from multiple farms across South America in the effort to minimize the waste each year.
“Through championing eco-innovation, I Am Grounded aims to lessen environmental loading on the planet and further the ‘closed loop’ approach in coffee production.”
We have started stocking 3 of their coffee bars to help support their goal and to showcase just how delicious the bars actually are! With flavours that can suit all tastes, and caffeine levels in the bars that won't send your heart into cardiac arrest.
Two of the bars have roughly 35mg of caffeine, which is roughly a half strength single shot, which is PERFECT for that little pick me up whilst getting all of the nutrients that coffee delivers. The third bar contains 85mg, which is the same as your morning coffee! So if you do want that hit, there are options there for you!
With the idea of 'Snack Well. Snack Sustainably' I Am Grounded bars are the perfect way to have a healthy snack without any guilt.
Made organic, with no added sugars or binders, these bars have been tested thoroughly over almost 2 years, with the final products using 100% Australian grown nuts and fruits from northern NSW, being put together and made in the heart of Brisbane.
I Am Grounded is taking Australia by storm and is showing us all what we can be doing to make the world a better place.
Without innovators like Vanessa and Lachlan these issues will continue to rise. As we move forward into a future where our choices mean more than ever, we all need to be making the right choices before it is too late!
