Lesson 4 Let It Be Green
A Better Future for Coffee Waste
The famous German musician Johann ____ Bach once said,
“Without my morning coffee, I’m just like a dried-up piece of ____.”
Today this sentiment is shared by many, with coffee shops springing up on almost every ____ corner,
and it is common to see city residents walking ____ with a cup of coffee in hand.
____ to the International Coffee Organization (ICO), approximately 10 billion tons of coffee was consumed worldwide between 2020 and 2021, and Koreans made a signif icant contribution to this huge total, consuming 150,780 tons of coffee.
This means that every Korean ____ drank an average of one cup of coffee every day throughout the year.
Clearly, for Koreans and ____ world citizens, coffee is not just a drink but a daily necessity.
The world’s widespread love of coffee comes at a substantial ____ cost, as the extraction process generates significant waste.
Only 0.2 percent of a coffee bean is used to make ____, with the remaining 99.8 percent disposed of as waste.
As a ____, the vast quantity of coffee consumed worldwide produces millions of tons of coffee waste each year.
So, what happens to ____ the waste from the coffee extraction process?
Spent coffee grounds (SCGs) are classified as general waste and sent to ____.
There they break down, releasing methane, a greenhouse gas that is approximately 25 ____ more potent than CO2.
Some SCGs are incinerated instead of being buried, but this releases a lot of CO2: 338 kg per ____.
However, neither of these ____ management options takes into account the potential value of coffee grounds.
Although the grounds contain valuable organic compounds and minerals, they are simply ____.
Fortunately, thanks to increased awareness of the coffee waste problem, companies, organizations, and governments around the world are working hard to improve the environmental impact of the ____ industry through circular economy measures.
A ____ economy promotes the reuse of resources for as long as possible, reducing waste and environmental costs.
An example of a circular economy
An example of a circular economy in action occurs when a chain of coffee shops ____ with an organization to collect spent coffee grounds from its shops.
These grounds are processed to remove impurities and ____ out.
The resulting SCGs are sold to fertilizer companies, where they are ____ into organic fertilizer.
This fertilizer is later sold back to the ____ shop chain.
The chain provides the ____ to local eco-friendly farmers, who then sell their produce back to the chain.
The farm produce can be used to create various food items, such as rice chips and dried ____ potatoes, which are sold in the chain’s coffee shops.
By repurposing coffee grounds in this manner, related businesses and ____ farmers can benefit both economically and environmentally.
Recycled coffee grounds have a wide range of uses, including coffee logs, fabrics for ____ and shoes, and reusable cups.
Coffee logs, for instance, generate more heat and burn for a ____ time than wood.
Fabric made from coffee grounds absorbs sweat, dries quickly, and provides UV ____.
Reusable cups from coffee ____ not only have a visually appealing appearance but also preserve the taste of the coffee.
Korea ____ shown a growing interest in recycling spent coffee grounds in recent years.
The government is ____ steps toward the creation of a sustainable recycling system in the coffee industry,
while companies are dedicating themselves to ____ and developing new uses for coffee waste.
By recycling materials such as ____ waste, individuals can also help protect the environment.
With continued efforts, the ____ of used coffee grounds is expected to increase, encouraging more sustainable methods of enjoying coffee for years to come.