The Power of Coffee

by | May 31, 2016 | B-Corporation, Cafes, Coffee, Environmental Stewardship

A lot of energy goes into crafting coffee. From roasting and production, to grinding and brewing, we are dependent on electricity to serve and enjoy this delicious drink each day.

At Amavida Coffee it is our mission to continually seek ways to reduce harm to the environment. We work to track and reduce energy uage, and make efficiency improvements where possible. Nonetheless, electrical power is still a requirement to roast, brew, and serve coffee. Amavida Coffee has an active role in each step of the coffee crafting process. As an importer, roaster and purveyor of specialty, organic, fairly traded coffees, we require quite a bit of electricity to run.

We are also a growing company. How can we grow, roast more coffee, require more energy to operate, and still have a positive impact on the environment? Well, with the help of Arcadia Power, Amavida Coffee is now able to operate on 100% clean electric energy!

What does coffee have to do with renewable energy? Everything! Same as selecting coffee, knowing the origin of the energy we consume and the outcomes creating it will have on the environment and the communities where its produced, allows us to make more responsible choices and contribute to a more sustainable world.

Allow me to elaborate on renewable energy credits, Arcadia Power, and how together we can power positive change…

Who is Arcadia Power?

Arcadia Power is a Certified B Corporation committed to changing the way America consumes energy by offering the choices of renewable energy to every individual and business in the country. They are the first renewable energy provider to work with homes and businesses in all 50 states. They are achieving their goal by providing their customers 100% pollution-free energy via local utilities and by partnering with wind and solar projects around the country.

How do Renewable Energy Credits Work?

Arcadia Power works with you and your current utility provider to discover how many kilowatt hours are used for your home or business each year. To off-set the amount of energy generated, you are able to support partner wind farms in producing an equal amount of energy through renewable resources, and pay for it through purchase of renewable energy credits (RECs). This is as if you had used the renewable energy in the first place.

I recommend watching this video by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to gain more insight into RECs.

As far as purchasing these RECs goes, you continue to pay you utility bill regularly and are also invoiced by Arcadia Power to cover the additional expense associated with supporting the wind farms. The added cost is only a fraction of a cent per kilowatt hour used. This is very little in comparison to the cost to the environment from general means of producing electricity. Investing in renewable power is a way to support our values through monthly electricity bills, decreasing demand for fossil fuels, and help to growAmerican jobs.

Here is an article explaining more on how working with Arcadia Power works.

Why Arcadia Power Became a B Corp?

We became a B Corp to join forces with other companies that share our values of social responsibility and sustainability. The change we seek won’t come from working alone, but together, we ca build a better world for future generations.”

What is the Change They Seek?

“Most people don’t need to be persuaded to do good, they just need the opportunity. But when it comes to energy use at home and work, the majority of Americans have never had that opportunity. Arcadia Power seeks to change that. By offering an easy way for any house and businesses to eliminate their carbon footprints, the company is using free market principles to build a clean energy movement that can dramatically reduce the carbon emissions and stop the tide of climate change.”

How are We Working Together to Create Meaningful Change?

Amavida Coffee is currently collaborating with Arcadia Power to create opportunities for our customers and team members to get involved and support renewable energy. Arcadia Power will make a $30 donation to On the Ground Global (OTG) in support of Project Chiapas, per person that signs up through arcadiapower.com/amavida & they will give a $20 account credit to each person off their bill. The account credit gets applied right when you sign up and the donations will be made to OTG monthly. Arcadia Power will also offer 20% discount to employees on the team at Amavida Coffee who wish to off-set energy use at home, when they use promo code AMAVIDA.

It is truly incredible the power in our choices. The way we source power today can shape the options we have for energy in the future, while also raising funds and helping Amavida Coffee reach our goals to better serve you, coffee producers, and the environment. We are grateful to Arcadia Power for their work and proud to invite you all to join in supporting renewable energy!

 

 

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