There are a lot of options for being a considerate consumer. Surprisingly, even just having a drink can be one of them. Here we list at a glance what makes a sustainable drink.
The Sustainable Drink
There are ways to ensure your drink is sustainable. Here are some rules of thumb:
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Juice - Organic, locally-made and squeezed from misshapen fruit. Tropical juices should be fair-certified. Blending your juice from fresh fruit at home is a way to save even more packaging, plus the pulp can be used for fertilizing or cooking.
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Milk - If cow’s milk then organic. Try plant-based milk, which can be easily homemade by blending nuts or oats with water.
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Soft drinks - Try smaller brands favor sustainable production methods, packaging and ingredients.
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Tea - Use a strainer or reusable bags over single-use tea bags. Opt for organic and fair tea, and buy loose tea leaves to avoid packaging. Making your very own tea from certain plants is even better.
Drinking Water
Drinkable tap water is always more sustainable than bottled water, often coming from the same source. Your local water company can provide a water quality report.
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Tap water can also be kept in a filtered jug or put through a sparkling water maker.
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With thousands of reusable bottles on the market, tap water can quickly be taken on the go. Some projects also promote free public refills and marking stations with recognizable stickers.
Did you know?
Bottled water can be up to 1,000 times more expensive than tap water and is resource-intensive. Most plastic bottles end up in landfill or the ocean after a single use.
Beverages Packaging
Here are the basics of sustainable beverage packaging.
Which beverages packaging is most sustainable?
The best thing is to drink water from the tap. If you buy packaged drinks,look for reusable bottles, both glass and PET are options. In any case, avoid aluminum and tinplate packaging.
And the less your drink travels, the better - buy local brands!
How to optimize the sustainability of my drink?
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Buy drinks in larger quantities to save the packaging. Items like juice or milk are regularly sold in bigger cartons.
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Look out for innovations like edible packaging or those made from algae and sugar cane that are being developed and set to increase in usage.
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Always use reusable bottles/flasks/cups to take drinks from home or to grab one on the go – some shops will provide a discount. This will reduce your plastic consumption and keep beverages at the right temperature if it’s a thermo container.
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Avoid plastic carrier bags when taking away multiple drinks, too, with a reusable bag.
