Sustainable Coffee Transition

Staff at the University Services Building recently began a Sustainable Coffee project
to transition its conventional coffee to Fair Trade Certified Coffee to save money,
promote sustainable habits and support ASU’s Fair Trade designation.

From July through December 2023, the USB purchased 4,660 K-Cups^®, with the ASU Zero Waste department spending $1,289 to recycle them. A sustainable alternative that reduces operating expenses and waste sent to ASU’s landfill is to use personal and reusable K-Cups® and dispose of used grounds in a nearby compost bin.

ASU will provide employees participating in the Sustainable Coffee project with reusable K-Cups®, Fair Trade-certified coffee beans and a grinder to reduce single-use plastic waste and increase composting efforts through Zero Waste’s Office Compost Program. ASU will use this program to help design a sustainable coffee model that could be implemented across all campuses and locations.

This program is part of a larger effort by ASU Facilities Development and Management, Procurement, University Sustainability Practices and Zero Waste to reduce waste recycling costs and increase sustainability efforts in ASU office spaces.

Reducing single-waste plastic and food waste will help ASU create a circular resource system and reach its 30% aversion and 90% diversion goals by 2025.

Refer to the sustainable purchasing webpage for more information on purchasing items that help meet ASU's sustainability goals. Employees can also complete the UBS Sustainable Office training.