From organic, locally-made fruit juice to plant-based milk, there are many sustainable ways to enjoy eco-friendly beverages. What exactly does this mean?
In a nutshell, eco-friendly beverage choices use healthier ingredients, recycled and eco-friendly packaging, ethical production processes, and local ingredient sourcing. Some of the country’s biggest producers of smoothie brands and soft drinks don’t have such an ethical track record, leaving behind plastic bottles, human rights abuses, loads of sugar, and depletion of water sources in their wake.
There’s a better way: eco-friendly drinks that are becoming pioneers in the new-age beverage market that quenches thirst without detriment to human health or Mother Earth. From organic sodas to nutritious smoothies, here’s how you can ensure sustainable sipping.
Tips on Choosing Eco-Friendly Beverages
Looking to drink healthier? Follow these tips the next time you reach for a beverage.
- Juice: Opt for organic, locally-made juice, particularly juice that has been squeezed from misshapen fruit. Make sure the tropical juices you choose are fair trade certified. If you decide to blend your juice from fresh fruit at home, you can do your part to save even more on packaging, with the added benefit of saving the pulp for fertilizing or cooking.
- Milk: If you like cow’s milk, go organic. If not, then try plant-based milk, derived by oats, soy, almond, rice, coconut, or hemp.
- Soft drinks: Go with smaller brands known for their sustainable production methods, locally-sourced ingredients and eco-friendly packaging.
- Tea and coffee: Both can be produced with methods that do not harm the environment or exploit workers. To ensure coffee and tea products that are sustainable and ethical, look for fair trade certified, organic, B Corporation Certified options.
Types of Sustainable Beverage Packaging
Sustainable and responsible beverage packaging not only conforms to retail standards but also displays a commitment on the producer’s part to being environmentally responsible.
- Glass: An ideal material for eco-friendly beverages, glass is highly recyclable without losing quality and durability. Plus, it can be thrown away with minimal negative environmental impact, as it conforms to a “circular economy” offering endless recycling without sacrificing the integrity of the material.
- Aluminum: Known for its energy efficiency, high recyclability, and versatility, aluminum can be recycled indefinitely without sacrificing quality thanks to a closed-loop recycling system. It’s also lightweight in nature, thereby reducing transportation-related emissions.
- Recycled paperboard: Derived from post-consumer waste, paperboard results in better conservation of natural resources. A versatile and adaptable material, paperboard is a top choice for sustainable beverage packaging. This material uses recycled fibers, contributing to the reduction of landfill waste.
- Minimalist packaging: This involves the strategic elimination of unnecessary components, featuring streamlined designs while minimizing excess materials. Minimalist packaging shows a brand’s commitment to clarity and simplicity while appealing to environmentally-conscious consumers.
- Plant-based packaging: Originating from renewable sources like cornstarch, algae, and sugarcane, plant-based packaging is compostable or biodegradable.
Beverage Universe Has the Eco-Friendly Beverages You Crave
From organic Italian soda to organic oat milk, we carry all your eco-conscious beverage cravings here at Beverage Universe. Call us to place an order after you see what we offer.