Morning Coffee. Is it Climate Friendly?

Coffee isn’t automatically climate-friendly, no matter how comforting that morning ritual feels. From planting the beans to sipping from your Anthora cup, every stage of production carries a carbon cost. Growing, fertilizing, processing, roasting, packaging, global shipping, and even the energy used to brew your cup all add up. A single black coffee can generate roughly a quarter-kilogram of CO₂, with dairy pushing the footprint far higher. Multiply that by billions of cups worldwide, and coffee becomes a surprisingly significant source of emissions, deforestation, and water stress.

Still, your daily brew can be made more climate-conscious with a few intentional choices. Beans grown through sustainable or regenerative methods—especially shade-grown or organic—carry a lighter environmental load. Brewing at home with low-energy methods, skipping dairy or choosing a plant-based alternative, and reducing waste by reusing cups or composting grounds all help shrink the footprint. Coffee may never be fully “climate-neutral,” but with a bit of care, it can get much closer to matching your environmental values.

Dedicated to preserving the legacy of the iconic Anthora coffee cup – a true symbol of New York City’s street culture, corner delis, and daily rituals – NY Coffee Cup celebrates its enduring design, cultural significance, and place in coffee history, both in NYC and beyond.