Earth Day is just a day on the calendar. Conservation— like coffee — is an everyday ritual. Hrnček, a specialty coffee shop by the Komarov tram stop, offers a soul-cleansing option: one coffee = one tree.
Today is Earth Day, which started in 1970 as a way to raise general awareness of environmental issues. It has since grown and grown and continued to grow, much like a seedling that eventually becomes a tree that provides the cleansing power of changing carbon dioxide into oxygen.
More than a billion people mark the date around the world by cleaning their neighborhoods, signing petitions, and demonstrating for environmental issues, on the basis of “Think Globally, Act Locally”.
In any case, over the half-century, Earth Day has changed the way many balance nature and consumerism. In Brno-South, one new café — Hrnček — has found a unique way to strike that balance: one coffee = one tree.
“We understand that coffee production has an impact on the environment, so we want to do our part,” said Joshua D’Ariano, one of the owners of the specialty coffee shop, which is located next to the Komarov tram stop on the #12 route. “We also offer reusable coffee cups made from used coffee grounds and zero plastic.”
Each coffee bought at Hrnček, — both on Earth Day and in the future — will result in a tree to be planted by the environmental group, Enforest. In line with the global nature of environmentalism, the trees will be planted in Kenya, Brazil, the United States, and closer to home in the Czech Republic.
Hrnček (‘mug’) was established by Jozef Boháč (Dodo) in 2021 as a small stand near the exit platform of the Komarov tram stop, often attracting a small crowd with games and decorations and a comfortable place to stop for a break. Last year, D’Ariano became a partner and the café moved into the nearby small permanent structures, with indoor seating, snacks, and specialty coffee from Brazil, Ethiopia, Columbia, Burundi, and Indonesia.
“We have a community here,” D’Ariano said. “The same people come in every day, but you also get maybe one person every time the tram comes into the stop. We want to honor our current customers’ commitment, while welcoming new customers.”
Instagram, buy-two-for-one-price coupons, coordination with schools and other businesses, and local-event sponsorship has helped to establish the young cafe. People are also drawn by upcoming concerts and events, not to mention various activities for children. The works of local artists are displayed on the walls on a rotating basis.
Eventually there will be a roaster, small-group facilities, and more food.
Earth Day offered the cafe a unique way to connect coffee to trees — and get the word out about Hrnček.
“It starts 22 April, Earth Day, then probably goes on forever,” said D’Ariano, whose educational background is partly in environmental policy. “I feel like if we take it away, people will ask: what did you do with the trees.”
The trees planted by Enforest will match the environment of each country, including acacia, willow, elderberry (i.e., sambucus), oak, and poplar. For more information about Enforest, or to directly sponsor a tree for the equivalent of 50 cents, see their website.
For more information about Hrnček, find @hrncek_brno on Instagram.
