Sometimes a small, quiet café is the answer to your problems. Whether you simply need a pick-me-up or are searching for a peaceful place to study, a coffee shop has the resources to solve both of these common student problems. Because of this ability, coffee shops are considered necessary in a college town.

Aside from sustaining your energy reserve, three coffee shops near campus have another unique ability as well — helping to sustain the environment. Stomping Grounds, Lorry’s Café and Arcadia all in some way incorporate sustainable and eco friendliness into their products and business.

Stomping Grounds, located at the intersection of Knapp Street and Welch Avenue, attracts students and people from the surrounding area to take a break from the library and study in an earthy and more home-like environment. Their coffee beans come from Counter Culture Coffee Direct Trade Certified, which is organically grown overseas. Stomping Grounds also tries to keep it local by buying food and dairy products that are locally grown and processed to help support the Ames community.

Lorry’s Café, a newer shop located on Lincoln Way, is already sustainable in itself because the building, which once was a bank, has been reused as previous shops and cafes. Lorry’s provides Fair Trade Organic coffee and tea as well as using organic syrups. The café also composts all of their old espresso beans and left over products.

Arcadia, near Lincoln Way and Sheldon Avenue, roasts their own coffee, as well as composts what they can. Another unique attribute this cafe offers is counter tops and tables made from reclaimed trees from around the Ames area, and from Illinois. Liz Jeffrey an employee at Arcadia and her father worked together to make some of this furniture using the trunks of fallen trees.

One common sustainable feature of these three cafes is their use of environmentally friendly cups called “ecotainers.” These cups are biodegradable and therefore breakdown in the earth after being thrown out.

Coffee drinking can become a habit during the college years, but this habit does not need to negatively impact the environment. By offering organic options, fair-trade products and using reusable features in their building, Stomping Grounds, Lorry’s Café and Arcadia allow students to enjoy a guilt-free cup of joe outside of campus.