One of the benefits of this time has been the pause from “business as usual” to reconsider our objectives. Sustainability has always been important to us, but it can sometimes be difficult to make the right choices on a limited budget. During the past few years we have updated our water filtration to a complete in-house system that requires fewer cartridge changes than the standard reverse osmosis setup. We have switched to all LED lighting, we source many of our products locally, we compost and utilize compostable drinkware, construction and maintenance have always been addressed with sustainable solutions in mind, we invest in air filtration for the indoor environment, and we encourage traffic by foot, bicycle or public transit.
Since COVID-19 has allowed us to change our business model, we are saving more money on utilities. With the savings, we have purchased carbon offsets for the shop. The energy supplier we are working with buys Pennsylvania wind and solar based sources of power, so we are also contributing to a greener future for our region.
We take our role as a community steward seriously. We recognize that our responsibility to make great coffee only matters as long as our neighbors are all safe and comfortable. It has been a fine line treading between confidence in what we are implementing and extreme caution for our most vulnerable and the safety of our staff. We thank you for wearing a mask, ordering online, not approaching the register area, and waiting outside if you’ve arrived before your drink is ready. I know it feels awkward, it’s strange for all of us, but keeping everyone safe is our biggest priority. In addition to the added sanitation protocols, we are practicing social distancing between staff members, which is why you see fewer of us behind the bar, and the limited hours.
Thankfully, most people have been happy to adopt our new online ordering setup. If you haven’t heard, please visit www.constellationpickup.com before your next visit! We are happy to serve you and honored by your continued support.