The SCAA is committed to a leadership role in protecting the planet, and this year’s expo will be no exception. Read ahead to find out more about how The 23rd Annual Specialty Coffee Event of the Year will be spotlighting sustainability and green practices. We’re approaching the issues from several angles including, but not limited to green practices on site, recognition of fine work in the area of sustainability, and community engagement. Make sure you get the scoop on how we’re greening The Event 2011.

The George R. Brown Convention Center, home of the 2011 expo is powered from 100% green energy. For more information on what that means, we encourage you to view the center’s Green and Brown worksheet.

Busch Systems is an internationally recognized manufacturer of customized waste and recycling bins that maximize participation rates without sacrificing durability, function, economy and style. They are providing custom Busch/SCAA branded indoor recycling stations to be stationed at The Event Coffee Breaks. The bins are made with a minimum of 35% recycled content in North America and the bin itself is 100% recycled.

During your registration for The Event, you will be asked to contribute $7 to support our carbon neutrality fee for the exposition. This money goes towards planting trees in our portrait country, Brazil, and supports a sustainable future for both Brazil and our annual Event.

This is a voluntary activity for all attendees and you may opt by checking the opt out box in the final step of the registration transaction. If you’re interested in making an additional donation to offset your carbon footprint, click here to learn more about our partnership with Trees for the Future. The SCAA Sustainability Council is extremely proud to showcase four extraordinary finalists for the 2011 Sustainability Award who have exhibited dedication to sustainability across the supply chain by creating projects that consider social, economic, and environmental development. The four finalists for the 2011 Sustainability Awards are, in no particular order: Cafe Feminino *** Climate Friendly Coffee Farming A partnership between Efico, RainforestAlliance, and Anacafe *** Grounds for Health *** National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia Bird Census To learn more about the finalists and what they’ve done to further the cause of a more sustainable coffee industry, check out the SCAA blog. The winner will be announced at The Event.

Greening the coffee world is something that would benefit everyone in the long run, producers, retailers, and consumers alike. Enter the Sustainability Tracking and Reporting Tool, or START, a tool that will help companies track their sustainability progress and compile their data into one cohesive body of reference for the industry’s progress as a whole. START will be officially launched at The Event. We encourage all members of the coffee industry to begin using this system to highlight the important work you are doing every day. To learn more about START, check out this article on the SCAA blog. You can also attend the Measuring Our Impact: An Innovative Method to Track Sustainability lecture at The Event. All lectures are included with the price of your Trade Show Badge. Visit lecture page to learn more.