Meet Change Maker Larry Larson of Larry's Beans

Like any college student pursuing academic goals in the Seattle area, Larry Larson fell in love with coffee. But his affection for java didn't stop when the late-night cram sessions did. After landing a degree in economics, Larson decided that being a barista was his true calling, and in 1994 he opened Larry's Beans in Raleigh, North Carolina. Today, his shop roasts beans "in ridiculously small batches" in order to bring out the best flavor from his various sustainable coffee offerings, which are 100 percent Fair Trade, shade-grown and organic or transitional organic.

But that's not all. His roasting plant uses passive solar energy, wind-powered vents, rainwater harvesting, and dual-flush toilets. Plus, they deliver locally using recycled veggie oil and operate Raleigh's only biodiesel pump. As a founding member of Cooperative Coffees, a Fair-Trade cooperative launched in 1999 for independent roasters, Larry's Beans has also created an online document trail, which allows consumer to can see that Larry's is roasting what it's boasting. Oh yeah, and his coffee is delicious, too—probably the reason it's showed up in the TreeHugger Holiday Gift Guide for two years running.

How did you get into this line of work?

I became a coffee geek when I lived in Seattle, studying economics at the University of Puget Sound. I then moved down to Raleigh, NC, got a job as a barista and a roaster, and eventually dropped out of grad school to start my own coffee house and roasting operation. Pretty soon, I realized that my passion was about discovering beans from around the world, roasting them, and blending them. I didn't want to just sell coffee; I wanted to create my own kind of coffees. So I sold the coffee house and focused on the roasting side of the business.

What was your "a-ha" moment?

I just wanted better coffee. But as I got to know farmers, and traveled to coffee growing regions, I began to understand that to get the best coffee, you had to work with farmers as partners—not as anonymous suppliers. And I learned that environmental protection was also vital. You can't grow great beans, or anything else for that matter, if you don't protect and nourish the soil or protect the rainforests. And don't even get me started on our pillaging species.

Who is your green hero?

My heroes are the folks I meet every day in my line of business and in my personal life—my friends at Piedmont Biofuels, for example, who brew local fuels from waste veggie oil. (We sell it from a pump out in front of our bean plant.) We've also been getting to know some organic farmers who use our coffee grounds for fertilizer; it turns out that composted coffee grounds are even better for certain crops than chicken poop. (We even made a video about using coffee grounds vs chicken poop as fertilizer.) I also greatly admire the green-minded musicians we've been lucky enough to hook up with, like Xavier Rudd. Being keen on dancing I love anyone who can use music or the arts to inspire change.

What is your ultimate green goal?

Larry's Beans' goal is to manufacture coffee with zero carbon output and zero waste and to carbon-offset the activities that happen outside our facilities, such as shipping, paper supplies, etc. But sustainability ain't sustainable unless everyone is doing it. My ultimate goal is to have such a good time that our friends, our customers, and even our competitors, start to copy us.

What is your motivation?

My motivation is to inspire others to discover for themselves how easy and fun it can be to start living more healthily and more sustainably. Hopefully by doing so, they will inspire others to do the same. Ultimately, none of this is about sacrifice; it's about seeking authentic, affirming, and rewarding experiences. I never fail to be amazed by how much happier the folks we meet are who have a purpose beyond making money.

What is most important to you, ecologically speaking?

Big picture sustainability! It's no use conserving water if we're wasting energy, and vice versa. While we may pick one or the other to tackle first—for example, it was more logical for us to go 100 percent organic before we go zero-carbon—ultimately we've got to keep our eye on the bigger prize. Unless we create a society that gives more to nature than it takes away, then all the individual conservation projects we work on will ultimately mean very little.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

Pushing our sustainability agenda as hard as possible while growing our company. It can sometimes be hard to make more expensive decisions, whether they be related to packaging, purchasing, energy, or whatever, when you also need to watch the bottom line and make your payroll. But time and time again we find that what's good for the environment is good for business. As long as we go out there and tell folks about it, our customers stand by us.

What is the most rewarding?

It's got to be when we get mail from folks who are inspired by what we do, especially if they are doing world-changing stuff themselves. I'm amazed by how hungry people are to see real, conscientious change in our communities, be it in business, politics, or whatever. It's just great to be recognized as someone playing their part toward that end.

Of the people you have worked with, who impresses you most?

I hope this doesn't sound like a cliche? coming from a coffee geek, but it's got to be the farmers. It's all very well sipping a latte and preaching about organics, but working day in and day out in the Andes or the impoverished coffee growing regions in Ethiopia, not only to cultivate a crop but also to protect the forests around you, feed the soil, develop your micro-business and your community—that takes commitment and vision.

What green thing do you do everyday?

I'm pretty much a vegetarian and a locavore. That's probably the single biggest step I take in my personal life to support sustainability. Luckily it means I get to eat delicious food, too.

What do you wish you could do?

- End mountaintop coal removal overnight.

- Stop trash being dumped in the sea.

- Change the way plastic is used in our society.

The list goes on and on. But you've gotta start somewhere...

What is your biggest eco-sin?

Flying. I love to vintage dance and often attend events in different parts of North America, so my waltz-related travel footprint is probably pretty significant. I'm doing my best to support the local dance scene here in NC though.

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

Only one thing? Geez! Actually, I would have everyone live lives of authenticity—following their passions and their consciences, not some social norm. You may say I'm a dreamer...

What is your best green advice?

Do what you can, and have fun doing it.