The Sock Life Blog

Free, public green spaces protect people and the planet. These local, state and national green spaces may be our most hopeful spaces. From school playgrounds to pocket parks, green belts, and public gardens, free green spaces increase physical and mental health and fight climate destruction. And they are ours to share and protect. 

As rising temperatures, drought, and flooding threaten coffee farms across the globe, farmers and scientists have set their sites on a more climate-resilient bean. Turns out, they’ve been quietly growing for more than a century. 

Dairy milk has double or triple the greenhouse gas emissions of most plant-based alternatives, uses ten times more land, and about double the water use of almond milk, the plant milk that uses the most water. So, why don’t more people make the switch? The key for many is in taste, nutrition, and cost. After testing out just about every type of plant-based milk, oat milk comes out on top in all of these categories while having one of the lowest environmental footprints of all milk alternatives.

Attention is a form of investment. So, instead of a resolution, we are thinking about a reinvestment. And, to us, we want to reinvest in ways that build and protect our community and the earth. Here are the reinvestments we think will pay big dividends in the coming year, especially when we reinvest in them as a collective.

Sometimes plastic seems like an inevitable part of life. During the holidays, it’s a virtual plague. Between gift packaging, shipping, and party supplies, is it possible to avoid plastic? We’ve got tips to make it easier. 

You have a whole immune-boosting toolkit right in the aisles of your grocery store. The humble homemade herbal tea offers more than warmth and comfort, it can be packed with immune-boosting properties and natural remedies in the fight against seasonal viruses. 

These make-it-yourself swaps are healthier, cheaper, and more sustainable than their store-bought versions.

For the percolator lovers out there or anyone who loves a dark and rich brew, we’ll walk you through the perks and peculiarities of this vintage gem. And yes, there’s a reusable cotton filter for your percolator, too!

Switching brew methods? Hitting the road and looking for a good travel option? There’s a coffee system to match your needs and a reusable filter to go with it. We’ll walk you through your options, and highlight the key differences in size, technique, and more.

Before you toss out that limp celery or stale bread, look at it again. Food waste is an environmental and social problem—but it doesn’t need to be. Let’s rethink our perfectly good food.  

How do you milk an almond? Why dunk a cookie in liquid soybeans? And do you want to pour oat milk over your oatmeal? Whether you’re curious or confused about non-dairy, plant-based milk, you're not alone. We’ve got answers. Because plant-based milks are more sustainable than dairy, and they taste great too!

Every day on earth, about a billion people enjoy a cup of coffee (or three) using millions of paper coffee filters and then tossing them into the trash. And while some of this paper will compost over time, there’s a lot more to the journey of a coffee filter that makes paper filters a huge environmental concern, and drives the CoffeeSock mission to rid the world of paper filters.  Read on!

Why do some taste buds yearn for Central American coffees while others prefer the flavors of Ethiopian or Peruvian brews? Let’s take a trip to five continents for an overview of the regional flavors of the world’s coffee belt.    

There are hundreds of brew methods and endless specialty gadgets and machines. The simplest preparation still produces the best flavor for less cost and less waste while adding ritual and pleasure to every day.

They’re everywhere—tiny particles of plastic in the air, the dust, the water. While the harms of ingesting microplastic are unknown, we don’t want to be the test case. Try these easy swaps to rid your home of some of the worst offenders. 

Hawaii is the only US state known for its coffee. While the Kona region may produce the state’s most well-known coffee, Hawaii’s volcanic soil and rainy climate make for excellent coffee throughout the islands. Get the details.

Some coffee-growing methods are harmful to bird populations and ecosystems. When farmers use bird-friendly practices, they help protect our feathered fellow creatures and fight climate change. Bird-friendly coffee is a win for all.     

To use or not to use coffee grounds in the garden? The short answer is—you should! But do your research first. Some plants and soils love used coffee grounds. Others…not so much. Use your spent grounds in the right ways to keep your green friends safe and thriving. We’ve got the dos and don’ts for you.

Since the 1940s, we’ve been covering leftovers and bowls of rising dough with disposable plastic wrap. All that plastic ends up in landfills and waterways, where it leaches toxins and takes up to 450 years to break down. If you love a cling wrap, try this easy alternative. 

Want to taste the nuances of your coffee’s origin? Or do you love coffee that’s dark and bold? Coffee gets its flavor in a few key ways—where it was grown, the growing method, and finally, the roast. Here’s how roasting works and why it matters.

If you love sipping a mug of hot tea and use store-bought tea bags, you may be drinking plastic. Single-use tea bags contain tiny plastics that end up in your body and then leach into soil and water. Here’s why some tea bags contain plastic, and what you can do about it.

How long does your morning coffee routine take you? What does it offer you in return? Ask yourself two variations on these questions, and the answers may take your morning in a surprising direction.

From a simple filter on a wire to foldable camping drippers and gorgeous ceramic models—you have tons of choices to brew pour over coffee. This guide to pour over coffee brewers will help you choose yours.

Whether we give time or treasures, gifting is meant to sustain and nurture our most important relationships—to one another and the planet. This is the magic of gifting, and it can be simple and inexpensive. No Black Friday required.

Whether you’ve perfected your at-home brew setup or you’ve got a hand-me-down Mr. Coffee, brewing at home is less expensive and better for the environment. That doesn't mean you should give up your favorite coffee shops. Here’s how to decide which to choose.

Plastic makes up the majority of trash found in lakes, oceans and rivers. Over time, plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller molecules until they become microplastics, a tiny menace. Here’s the scoop on microplastics and what you can do about them.

The U.S. leads the world in paper towel use. And while a single paper towel doesn’t have much impact on the planet, when you add us all up, paper towels are a big problem. Whether you use paper towels regularly or only break them out for parties and spills—the Swedish dish towel will come in handy. A cloth/paper hybrid, it can take on the messes without all the waste.

You might be surprised to hear that some disposable food packaging is better for the environment than unpackaged food. Not all food trash is equal. Here’s where you can focus for the greatest environmental impact.

We rush around so frequently that nourishing ourselves feels more like a chore that happens on the way to some other event. What if we’ve got it all wrong? Luxury is ease, abundance, comfort and pleasure—and it can come from simple and nourishing places. Here’s how you can add more luxury to your life—and how it’s better for the planet, too.

We love a morning coffee or tea ritual. It’s a delightful way to wake the senses. But some mornings just don’t go to plan. Here’s your simple, sustainable backup plan.