Coffee Footprint Calculator
Understand the environmental impact of your coffee routine, from beans to milk add-ins.
One cup equals about 8 fluid ounces (240 ml).
Typical home brew; energy and filter use raise footprint.
Water Footprint
280 L/day
102,200 L/year
Carbon Footprint
310 g CO₂/day
113,150 g CO₂/year
How to Use This Calculator
Log your daily coffee intake
Count how many cups you drink per day on average. Include refills to capture total consumption.
Choose the brew method
Select the brewing style you most often use. Each method has unique energy and resource costs.
Include milk if applicable
Milk has a significant footprint. Toggle the option to see how dairy or plant milk changes your totals.
Formula
dailyWater = cups × (methodWater + milkWater)
dailyCO₂ = cups × (methodCO₂ + milkCO₂)
yearlyImpact = dailyImpact × 365
Example: 2 cups of drip coffee with dairy milk → Water: 2 × (140 + 100) = 480 L/day → Yearly: 175,200 L.
Assumptions: Data reflects average life-cycle assessments for bean production, brewing, and milk processing.
Full Description
Coffee production requires large quantities of water and generates greenhouse gases through farming, processing, and transportation. Brewing methods add energy use and waste from filters or pods. By understanding your footprint, you can make choices that keep your favorite beverage enjoyable and more sustainable.
This calculator draws on life-cycle analysis studies to estimate typical resource use per cup. Espresso uses fewer resources than drip but remains bean-intensive. Instant coffee uses fewer beans per serving, lowering its footprint despite manufacturing steps.
Use it to
- Compare the impact of different brew methods.
- See how switching to plant-based milk reduces emissions.
- Plan office coffee policies with sustainability goals.
- Educate students about environmental cost of daily habits.
Individual results vary based on bean origin, energy source, and serving size. Consider using reusable filters, buying sustainable beans, and minimizing waste to further cut your footprint.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the water footprint so high?
Growing coffee beans requires irrigation and rainwater. It takes over 100 liters of water to produce the beans for one cup.
Does cold brew have a different footprint?
Cold brew typically uses more coffee per cup. Increase cup count or adjust brew method assumptions to model it.
How accurate are these numbers?
They represent global averages. For precise data, analyze your specific supply chain and energy sources.
What else can I do to reduce impact?
Use reusable cups, buy fair-trade beans, compost grounds, and choose energy-efficient equipment.