what’s divine about Z’s?

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. ~Albert Einstein

A different kind of healthy business…

We serve our community and society by operating a thriving and profitable business exemplifying the values of social responsibility, community service and sustainability.

All businesses are not created equal. Our actions as a business have consequences, and our ideal is to be aware of and take responsibility for our impact. Everything is connected to everything else. Money and profit are not THE bottom line, just one of them.

The ideal result of this vision is a business where the purchase of our products and the patronage of our stores inherently makes a positive contribution to the health of society in and of itself. In this way, the goals of being a thriving and profitable business imply that the more business we do, the more “good” we do. Each time you make a purchase, you are making a small contribution towards a healthier community. Seems to us, if we’re not part of the solution, we’re part of the problem.

We contribute to the health of our community as an integral and ongoing part of the business, not as an afterthought.

We don’t do what we do just to “look” good. We do things to “do” good. We support local agencies and organizations that need the help. We make a point of purchasing our supplies and services from locally owned businesses. Some examples of things we do include:

Ongoing underwriting arrangement with KPR-KANU
Registering voters during presidential election years
Donations & support for Lawrence Public Library, Humane Society, Salvation Army, Headquarters Counseling Center, Haskell University, several local schools, Lawrence Arts Center, The Mankind Project of KC, Chamber of Commerce Event, children’s programs (kickball league, Dazzler’s dance team), Americana Music Academy, Douglas County Aids Project, The ARC of Douglas County, and Women’s Transitional Care Services – among others.

We operate in a sustainable manner by not leaving the planet worse off for having existed and striving towards restoration.

Our actions and choices impact our environment, and we take this into account for all business decisions. We certainly don’t have all the answers and are not perfect. But we do more than roast yummy organic coffee. Some examples are that we:

Use ONLY fluorescent light bulbs (55 CFLs) and have been since opening in April 2000 – reducing energy consumption for lighting by 75% while reducing the load on air conditioning systems because of the low heat output. This saves an estimated 500 lbs of coal per lifetime of each bulb. Do the math on THAT one! (read more about CFLs and mercury).
Recycle all used paper, plastic and glass keeping thousands of pounds of waste per year from the landfill AT OUR COST.
Save ALL spent coffee grounds and roasting byproduct (chaff) to be reused as free fertilizer for local farmers and gardeners – thereby placing organic matter back into the soil – estimated to be well over 25 tons of ground coffee since opening and at least 4 tons per year (dry weight).
Use 3-layer insulated paper cups (no plastic except for lids & straws) using 12% post consumer recycled content, which also minimize the need for “double-cupping” practices.
Use the most energy efficient coffee roaster available.
Are certified as an Organic Coffee Roaster, and over 90% of the coffee we roast is organic.
Package coffee for our stores in re-usable buckets instead of throwaway plastic bags.
Have motion detector switches in bathrooms that control both lights and exhaust fans, which come on when you enter, and turn off soon after you leave.
Have motion detector faucets and urinal in one store reducing water waste.
Have programmable thermostats in each store.
Offer a 25-cent cup discount to folks who bring in their own cups.
Use materials with minimal negative environmental impact, such as a plant-based linoleum for counter at the east store, and bamboo flooring at the downtown store.
Were awarded a Pollution Prevention Award in 2003 by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment
Were runner-up in the 2005 Imagination and Place Environmental Award

We constantly endeavor to create and deliver interesting, excellent and healthful products.

This is the filter that all our offerings pass through, and not the easiest one to maintain over time, as we get offered all kinds of things to sell that don’t pass the muster. In short, we look for products made locally, with natural ingredients and no preservatives (sugar free products excepted). The results are an absence of products with “empty calories” (i.e. sugar and white flour), and several made with whole grains – like peanut butter power bars, date bars, and whole grain muffins. We invented 3 versions of a healthy breakfast food we call “Rollumz” which start with a whole wheat wrap and are filled with nut butters, yogurt, granola, dried fruit, nuts and oatmeal.

We make our frozen frappés from scratch (no powdered chemical mixes), provide a fruit smoothie mix containing no high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and use Monin syrups with no preservatives. We make our whipped cream from scratch (not from a can) and use organic/fair trade chocolate in our mochas and hot chocolate.

Our intention is to help you make your money and your calories count for you in a good way. And we’re always on the look-out for new healthy and tasty ideas for you folks on the go (health department approved sources only please).

We are unique as a local business by being an ongoing notable addition to the “Lawrence Culture” where each visit is a memorable experience.

We want your experience as a guest to one of our coffee shops to be more than just “getting your fix”. Lawrence is a fun, funky and unique town, and we intend to keep adding to that reputation rather than taking advantage of it or taking it for granted. Certainly, being a socially responsible business is a positive contribution to the culture of Lawrence.

But we all know that coffee can be taken too seriously with all the pretentious Italian derivatives and furrowed connoisseur brows. So we have fun with it by naming our larger drink sizes “Big” and “Great Big”. By naming our specialty drinks and coffee blends after song titles “Stairway to Heaven”, “Brass Monkey”, “Rocky Raccoon”, “Tiny Dancer” “Instant Karma”, “Moon River” etc. How can you not smile if you order a Great Big Skinny Tiny Dancer?

Serious about quality, welcoming with our service, friendly and fun. And you were wanting what?

We show respect to all individuals by creating a context to have fun, to learn and to grow – linking our success to the success and wellbeing of others.

: Consider that almost all coffee is grown in countries where the citizens are much less fortunate than we are. Surely we can at least minimize this exploitation by supporting them to get a fair price (fair trade) for their beans, and keeping their land (and the people on it) healthy?

Leadership and Support: Our leadership style is based on trust, not suspicion. Our staff members are not interchangeable parts, but rather, a collection of individuals with individual needs. In essence, they are our internal customers, and their needs for support are a top priority. Their uniqueness is honored and respected. They are aware that their efforts support a larger cause than just making money, and that they work for an ethical and honest business. They are exposed to the routine of making decisions that look at the bigger picture and complexity of the world, versus a narrow focus of money and profit. They are encouraged to excellence in their work and their lives, taking personal responsibility, and have the opportunity to take pride in their work and their service. They know we strive to provide excellent products and service out of respect for their fellow citizen. We hope you experience that respect too!

We behave ethically in all our transactions by being fair, honest and reasonable.

You’d think this one would go without saying. Ask any business owners and if they’re honest, they can tell you there are multiple opportunities and pressure to cut corners. That pressure is even more intense in a value-driven company that incurs more costs by trying to do the right thing. If we’re not vigilant, even WE can be vulnerable to the prevailing cultural business attitude that the ends (profit) justify the means (whatever goes). It doesn’t. ALL our choices and actions matter. And the example we set for our employees and customers matters. Doesn’t it? We take responsibility for all our choices and actions – even when we make mistakes.

We demonstrate our awareness of Humankind as an element in nature’s cycle.

This principle is there to remind us that humans are not an entity separate from “the environment”. Our very bodies are made up of the same atoms and compounds as “the environment”, so when we pollute the environment, we pollute ourselves. Additionally, most of us know that our daily human lives are greatly disconnected from the rhythms and goings-on of the natural world. These are difficult principles to put into actions in the course of business, but we attempt to increase awareness of them by:

Daily postings of “The Kaw Valley Almanac”, which are provided weekly by Ken Lassman, local naturalist and bioregional expert. The idea behind this is to document the natural cycles of animals and plants as they occur for the benefit of commuters who drive through the countryside on their way to work. Ken talks about what’s blooming, migrating, mating, interesting or unusual in the natural world around us.
We have established a small wildflower garden in front of the east store which consists entirely of wildflowers native to Kansas (and some weeds… we’re working on that…).
The giant mural at the east store was designed and painted by a local artist to illustrate and symbolize the connection of human activity to the environment.

We commit to these values with the belief that working towards one value is working towards all – that they are NOT mutually incompatible.

This principle speaks for itself. As situations or problems present themselves, we have discovered that if we take the time to consider all these principles, we often surprise ourselves with solutions that fit our values AND support the financial health of the business. CFL bulbs come to mind. Powdered organic chocolate (versus shipping liquid across the country). Organic & Fair Trade iced tea that we buy in bulk and blend ourselves. Reusable coffee buckets (saving price of bags). You get the picture. It’s too easy to see solutions as “either/or”, with profit in the driver’s seat. We look for solutions that are “both/and”.