(Green Efforts Page)

CoffeeTico Services™ is committed to protecting the environment by avoiding, to the extent practical, negative impacts to the natural environment, reducing energy use, purchasing environmentally preferable products, and increasing recycling of supplies and materials. By implementing some of these Green Effort initiatives, CoffeeTico Services™ is also able to help reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. CoffeeTico Services™ has incoporated into its operation, the following:

• Providing local machine service and repair in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia so that machines do not need to be sent over 200 miles to other SAECO & GAGGIA Authorized Service Centers for repair
• Promoting to customers the option of buying SAECO refurbished machines
• Turning off lights and electronics when not in use
• Combining vehicle trips to minimize travel
• Available on evenings and weekends for deliveries and pick up of products to avoid rush hour/congested traffic
• Electronic order and mail processing
• Coordinating daily USPS mail delivery with pick-up
• Limiting printing paper
• In its repair shop:
  • promoting to customers the option of repairing machines with used parts rather than buying new parts, not only saving money but also saving the environment
  • reusing boxes
  • recycling paper boxes that have reached their useful life
  • recycling paper
  • recycling metal components
• Recycling paper
• Offering products to our customers that are environmentally friendly such as:

Some of the shade trees planted are citrus, bananas and palm trees which provide a ready source of food and/or income to farmers when harvested during periods when coffee is not being harvested.

Costa Rica coffee is produced with minimal application of fertilizers and pesticides. With shade trees, there is little need to use of fertilizers and pesticides (an expensive commodity). Besides, the Costa Rica National Commission on Organic Agriculture (created by Costa Rica law) promotes coffee crop production using the least amount of agrochemicals.

Costa Rica is commited to protecting its 31% forest reserve areas. Costa Rica coffee plantations, considered second most important to its tropical forests, help clean the air by removing poisonous carbon dioxide, nitrogen and other pollutants.

The use of water at Costa Rican processing coffee plants is limited. The pulp from leftover waste is used as an organic fertilizer. The shell is burned to generate energy required for the drying process of the bean. The use of decomposed coffee tree underbrush is used as a source of organic fertilizer.

Costa Rica's coffee sector is committed to resource conservation, protecting the environment and responding to the challenge of climate change, while at the same time being commercially competitive and producing high quality coffee beans.

SAECO & GAGGIA Sustainable Machines...

SAECO & GAGGIA machines brew one cup of coffee at a time (no wasteful coffee sitting in a coffee pot). Most SAECO machines come with an Energy Savings function, to conserve energy while not in use for prolonged periods of time. SAECO & GAGGIA machines have a removable brew group for easy chemical-free cleaning. Fundamental benefits of having a SAECO & GAGGIA machine at home, office or business is the reduction of trips (oftentimes by vehicle) to a local coffee shop to purchase a drink and the benefits of using a reusable mug rather than a disposable cup.

Eco Friendly Packaging...

CoffeeTico Services™ uses USPS flat rate boxes that have "Cradle to Cradle Certification" for its material content, recyclability, and manufacturing characteristics.

Included with our gift packages are our 100% recycled paper bags that contain 95% post consumer recycled paper. Tissue paper used is acid free, made from 100% recycled fibers. Both made in USA.

Eco Friendly Glassware...