5 things you should know about upcoming film Thora Jee Le

Get (REALLY) Good BeansIt’s a good time to be a coffee-lover. Craft coffee roasters have set up shop all over the country, and if you don’t happen to have a good roastery near you, many will ship shade-grown, organic, ethically-sourced beans to your doorstep. Try the organic beans from Backyard Beans, a small Pennsylvania roastery that sources from small farmer cooperatives around the world.

Green Your K-CupIt’s reported that the number of plastic K-Cups thrown away could circle the earth more than 10 times. Opt for a compostable version instead, such as the ones from Cameron’s Coffee, whose offerings include a line of organic coffees in pods that biodegrade in 90 days.

Grind It RightVolatile flavor compounds and aromatics in coffee start to dissipate the moment you grind it, so for the best-tasting coffee, get whole beans and grind them at home right before you brew them. Invest in a sturdy burr grinder, which will evenly pulverize each bean to yield a consistent grind. It’s not a new notion; in fact, some of the best burr grinders are the low-tech, 19th-century cast-iron coffee mills made by Spong & Co. These hand-cranked grinders—which must be mounted on the wall or clamped to a counter—are beautiful, easy-to-use, and dependable. They can be found on Ebay and Etsy. If you prefer an electrical appliance from this century, try the Baraza Encore Conical Burr Grinder.

Invest In A Reusable FilterReplace the paper in your coffee ritual with one of these reusable organic cotton wonders. There’s a version for pour-overs, for drip coffee machines, and for making cold-brew by the gallon.

Upgrade Your Pour-OverChemex, a beautiful, one-piece coffee maker, is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art and the Smithsonian. Made in Massachusetts since 1941, it contains just two elements: heat-proof (and dishwasher safe) glass and ethically harvested rubber wood.

Bring Your Travel MugAre you a disposable coffee cup offender? Invest in a solid travel mug—and use it. There are good stainless steel, ceramic, and glass ones out there.