Sustainable Beer: Two Examples from the Craft Beer Industry (Post 1 of 4)
The craft beer industry is growing, and beer drinkers in the Pacific Northwest are becoming more and more savvy on how their brew is made. This is good news because the beer industry uses a lot of water. In fact, on average, it takes approximately seven gallons of water to produce just one gallon of beer.[1] This measure of water use only considers the production process and not the entire lifecycle of the product. In addition to having a high water-footprint, the global beer industry has a considerable impact on carbon emissions as well if considering the agricultural impact of the grains required and the transportation associated with supply chains and shipping.
Two emerging trends in the craft beer industry are starting to address these environmental impacts: water conservation and biological farming. As water scarcity and climate change are becoming more evident, consumers are starting to pay attention to their individual contribution to these problems. When faced with options, consumers are starting to choose more sustainable brands. The beer industry is a great example of consumers voting with their dollar, incentivizing craft beer to become more sustainable. According to a recent NPR report, beer drinkers are willing to pay more for sustainably-produced beer.[2] In fact, they found that craft beer drinkers were willing to pay nearly 40% more for sustainably produced beer.
Check back next week to learn how Portland-based Hopworks Urban Brewery conserves water through process and partnerships.
[1]Agnew, Michael. 2016. "The Thirsty Business of Beer." Growler Mag. March 2. Accessed June 2, 2019. https://growlermag.com/the-thirsty-business-of-beer-how-breweries-are-confronting-the-industrys-water-problem/
[2]Cohen, Rachael D. 2018. "Good News For 'Green' Brews: Consumers Say They'll Pay More For Sustainable Beer." NPR. October 13. Accessed June 2, 2019. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/10/13/656608166/consumers-say-theyre-willing-to-pay-more-for-beer-when-it-s-produced-sustainably
Read More
Vote NO on 2066 to Retain Energy Efficiency Standards
Initiative 2066 is needless and is a solution in search of a problem that doesn’t exist. This initiative actually repeals important planning measures that will keep energy costs lower. While this initiative seeks to ensu
Vote NO on 2117 - Keep Washington's Climate Commitment Act
Initiative 2117, which effectively repeals Washington State’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA), will negatively impact our local business community through a reduction in planned financial investments in transportation and w
Reject the business case for sustainability: The 1980s wants its business case back
They say a rising tide raises all boats. But there isn’t any raising to be done when the tide no longer comes into the bay – all boats remain stranded. We are often asked about the business case for sustainability. For y
Protect Your Business with a Climate Action Plan
Introduction Our changing climate impacts every aspect of our lives—our economy, our communities, and the environment—in ways both visible and unseen. While scientists and environmental organizations have long recognized