New research conducted by the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada (THAC) shows that we can all play a role in reducing our impact on the environment – even while drinking a cup of tea.
Per the THAC, the average Canadian boils twice the amount of water needed for a single cup of tea, and the impact on the environment is not small.
Research conducted by THAC with Carbon Intelligence showed that by boiling just what you need, tea drinkers could cut total annual carbon emissions by 83 tons per day (see footnote 1). With an average of 22,000,000 cups of tea consumed daily in Canada (see footnote 2), that equals 582,954 kWh of wasted energy.
“The reality of climate change is very present in the lives of Canadians,” said Shabnam Weber president of the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada. “We’ve seen the impact firsthand with floods and wildfires. What was the need for climate change has now become a full blown climate emergency and we all need to step up and do our part.”
Weber added, “The Smart Boil campaign is our way to show Canadians that even small changes matter.”
The new Smart Boil initiative was launched by THAC to show Canadians that boiling just enough water for their favorite cup of tea can have a real impact on the environment.
“Every tea drinker can be a part of the Canadian government’s goal to reach net zero by 2050,” noted Weber.
Smart Boil Facts from The Tea and Herbal Association of Canada:
- Canadians drink an average of 22,000,000 cups of tea per day.
- By boiling just what you need, it would save: 582,954 kWh of energy per day and $104,349 in energy bills per day, as well as 83 tCO2e in greenhouse gas emissions per day. That’s the equivalent of 10,493 propane cylinders used for a home barbecue (see footnote 3), 335,701 km driven in an average passenger car, and 291,477 dishwasher loads every day (see footnote 4)
What can you do? The THAC said you can help spread the word by sharing the information on social media using #SmartBoil and #JustWhatYouNeed.
Founded in 1954, The Tea & Herbal Association of Canada is the leading authority and industry voice on all things tea in Canada, representing members from bush to cup.
THAC provides proactive leadership in the areas of advocacy, generic promotion, education and information in order to ensure the long-term viability of the tea industry.
To learn more about the Tea and Herbal Association of Canada, visit Tea.ca.
Footnotes:
1. Tea and Herbal Association of Canada research with Carbon Intelligence
2. An average calculation using average tea consumed per head, as per the International Tea Committee
3. https://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/statistics/neud/dpa/calculator/ghg-calculator.cfm#results
4. https://electricityplans.com/kwh-kilowatt-hour-can-power
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