1. Championing coffee growing communities and the Allegra Foundation
We are proud to have worked with Project Waterfall since 2011, from the launch of the first London Coffee Festival. Every year, we donate 50% of ticket sales to the charity (a total of £500,000 so far) to help provide clean water, sanitation and education for key coffee growing communities around the world. Thus far, the contribution has helped in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nicaragua and Uganda. Head to the Project Waterfall stand to take part in the Water Challenge, play at Spin the Wheel, or find out more about what they do. If you want to help further, drop by La Marzocco’s True Artisan Café to sample signature drinks from top specialty cafés; instead of paying for your drink, La Marzocco are accepting donations to Project Waterfall.
Find out more at projectwaterfall.org, or on page 36.
2. Recycling 100% of paper cups
Paper cups have been headline news this year. In a bid to do better, we have developed and implemented a commitment to recycling our paper cups in partnership with Seda and Simply Cups. Driving the conversation forward, Seda are working with new materials, meaning their cups are fully recyclable and being recycled at a higher rate, as well as being sustainability sourced and responsibly produced. To make this happen, we are working with Simply Cups - the UK’s only cup recycling scheme, who will be recycling 100% of the disposable paper cups used at the festival. Look out for the paper cup bins dotted around The Old Truman Brewery and make sure you drop yours in before leaving. Simply Cups are also offering to help our friends who stock these cups in their cafés, aiming to involve as much of the wider world as possible in our bid to protect the environment.
Find out more at simplycups.co.uk
3. Recycling 100% of coffee grounds
Thought coffee grounds were useless? Think again. Meet Bio-Bean, our new friend and innovative eco warrior. The award-winning clean technology company has industrialised the process of recycling used coffee grounds into advanced biofuels and biochemicals. Since 2013, they’ve been turning grounds into Coffee Logs. It’s smart; not only does it save businesses money, but it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and displaces conventional fossil fuels, and we’re proud to have them on board for 2018.
Find out more at bio-bean.com
4. Backing the sale of reusable cups
Join the movement proudly pioneered by a number of brands in the specialty coffee industry, many of whom are exhibiting at The London Coffee Festival. KeepCup, Ecoffee Cup and Stojo will all be on site, fully-stocked with their reusable brew cups. Proving quality design and being eco-friendly are not mutually exclusive; their cups are fully customisable, so you can leave with the design and format that works best for you. We are also excited to partner with Sol Cups to release 500 limited edition London Coffee Festival Cups to the scene. They are available on our website londoncoffeefestival.com now, and once they’re gone, they’re gone.
Find out more at londoncoffeefestival.com
5. Recycling single-use plastic
As part of their fight against single-use plastic, BRITA are hosting a bottle amnesty throughout the festival with their Green Team, equipped with wheelbarrows to collect plastic and promote the benefits of reusable, sustainable alternatives. Keep your eyes peeled for one of the Green Team members who will be handing out vouchers throughout the show for a discounted filter water bottle bundle.