Governor's Carbon Challenge Environmental Leader:
Brunswick's Wicked Joe Sustainable Coffees
In just one year, Wicked Joe Sustainable Coffees has achieved a 54% reduction in carbon emissions as a participant in the Governor’s Carbon Challenge—already far exceeding their goal of a 20% reduction by 2010. A growing small business four years young and located on Water Street in Brunswick, Wicked Joe is presently producing ‘specialty’ coffee for distribution to more than 120 Hannaford, Shaws, and Whole Foods supermarkets, as well as to a wide selection of local farmers markets, fine gourmet and natural food stores, restaurants, and independent grocers. Wicked Joe specializes in organic, Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, shade grown and bird friendly coffees, the production of which is kinder to the environment and more equitable to the farmers and their families.
Wicked Joe’s large carbon reductions come from their adoption of several sustainable business practices, including:
- Purchasing renewable energy from Maine Green Power Plus, a combination of wind and hydro power sources;
- Adopting facility energy audit recommendations that improve building energy efficiency, including new better insulated windows and improved insulation;
- Consolidating their equipment room area to improve efficiencies in operation and storage, making it possible to reduce the heated floor area by one third;
- Switching to bio-fuel for heating oil.
Wicked Joe is also exploring on-site wind power generation possibilities. Other green business practices that Wicked Joe has adopted include:
- Sending all coffee bean chaff and grounds they produce to local organic farmers and gardeners, including Bowdoin College and local community- supported agriculture Crystal Spring Farm, for composting;
- Burlap coffee sacks are reused by being shared with local farmers, gardeners, and fishermen, as well as selling some with the proceeds going entirely to benefit the organization Coffee Kids (supporting health care and education for children and parents in coffee growing regions around the world);
- Partnering with Maine’s “Take It Outside” program to encourage children and families to reconnect with nature and Maine’s valuable natural resources;
Co-owners Carmen and Bob Garver expressed their commitment to sustainable business practices by saying, “At Wicked Joe we are committed to bringing real, sustainable value to both our customers and to the people who grow, cultivate and produce our delicious coffees. We are proud to support the Governor’s Carbon Challenge and are dedicated as an independent artisan roaster to promoting sustainable business practices and ultimately leaving a positive imprint on the state of Maine and the earth.”
The Governor’s Carbon Challenge is operated from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s Office of Innovation and Assistance. Nearly 80 businesses, municipalities and institutions participate in the program. For more information about this and other Environmental Leader programs, contact DEP’s Office of Innovation & Assistance toll-free at 1-800-789-9802 or by visiting our web site.
July, 2008
