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Is coffee good or bad for you? Scientists can’t seem to agree. Some studies claim it raises the risk of heart disease, while others say it can reduce it. Coffee’s links to cancer are similarly debated. But while the health impacts are still up for debate, there’s no denying the coffee industry’s harmful environmental effects.Every year, 2.5 million acres of tropical forest—roughly 1.8 million football fields—are lost to coffee-related deforestation, particularly in Central America. This destruction is mirrored in South America, Africa, and Asia, contributing to biodiversity loss and worsening climate change. Trees, which absorb far more carbon dioxide than smaller plants, are being cleared for coffee plantations, accelerating global warming and extreme weather events like Hurricane Helene that devastated parts of Florida and Georgia over the last 24 hours.Coffee’s global popularity has surged over the past decade. Since 2012, consumption has jumped over 20%, with 2 billion cups of coffee consumed daily worldwide. In the U.S. alone, consumption has risen nearly 40%, with 400 million cups enjoyed daily.“Every time we drink coffee, we are basically putting CO2 into the atmosphere,” said Hubert Keller, a senior managing partner at Swiss private bank Lombard Odier Group, while speaking about the environment at the World Economic Forum in Davos earlier this year. “The coffee that we all drink emits between 15 and 20 tons of CO2 per ton of coffee, so we should all know that.”But what else do you need to know about the coffee industry’s effect on the environment and climate?Biodiversity lossTraditional shade-grown coffee benefits from a natural tree canopy, supporting hundreds of bird species that act as natural pest controllers and fertilizers.Growing in the shade also produces a richer, more flavorful coffee.However, sun-grown coffee dominates the industry. That method is about completely clearing the land of trees, allowing a greater yield, but none of the natural benefits—thus requiring the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers.Chemical UseCoffee plantations often rely on heavy chemical inputs, including pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. These chemicals can degrade soil quality and pollute nearby water sources through runoff, harming local ecosystems. The impact on pollinators like bees—critical for many crops—is particularly alarming as pesticide use threatens their survival. On average, coffee farms apply 250 pounds of fertilizer per acre.Soil DegradationIntensive coffee farming depletes soil nutrients, with some farms losing up to 16 tons of soil per hectare annually. This erosion makes the land less fertile over time, not just for coffee but also for other crops, threatening long-term agricultural sustainability.Water UseProducing coffee is incredibly water-intensive. From the growing to the processing stage, it takes 37 gallons of water to make just one cup of coffee. This puts enormous pressure on water resources, especially in regions already experiencing water scarcity. As coffee demand increases, so does the strain on water systems vital for ecosystems and communities.Climate ChangeOne pound of roasted coffee generates the same carbon emissions as driving a car for 11 miles. The planet consumes about 23 billion pounds of coffee each year, or 253 billion miles in your car. On the flipside, coffee is highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations, and the warming climate is shrinking the regions suitable for growing it. By 2100, climate change could wipe out 50% of coffee-growing land.Then, of course, there’s dreaded plastic. In the United States and Europe, more than 60 billion coffee pods are used each year. Most can’t be recycled.

National Coffee Day reminds us that our obsession comes with a huge cost.