Fair February

Have you ever seen the movie Pay it Forward (this is not an age test, even though it came out in 2000)? The movie (loosely based on the novel of the same name) follows the story of a young boy named Trevor, who is assigned a school project to devise an idea that could make a big difference. The boy decides to create a goodwill movement called “pay it forward”, where instead of returning the favour, people are encouraged to help three new people. The film explores the ripple effect of kindness and the challenges that arise when trying to make a positive change in the world.

The movie’s idea is a homage to “suspended coffee” (or caffè sospeso) in Italy. In this custom, individuals prepay for a cup of coffee at a café, and the prepaid coffee is then made available for someone who may not be able to afford it. The concept originated in Naples: Gambrinus, a famous bar located next to the historical landmark of Piazza Plebiscito, allegedly claims this practice boomed at the time of Italian Unification in 1861. It was not until the Second World War that it found its fertile ground but gradually slowed down as the Italian economy boomed in the following decades. Its most recent rebirth is attributed to the global recession of 2008.

To celebrate and promote this tradition, December 10 has been declared Il Giorno del Caffè Sospeso by the  “Suspended Coffee Network”  since 2011.  Now it resonates as a worldwide movement, with no borders and boundaries.

But that’s not it: In 2017, Netflix released Coffee for All, a documentary where people in Naples, Buenos Aires and New York reflect on this tradition and how it changed their lives. Viewers on IMDB have highlighted that it focuses on parts of Italy where this tradition started and continues, featuring scenes from cafes and conversations with long-time patrons who have been actively involved in the coffee culture for decades, discussing how it has positively affected them. Another review mentions that “through the workers at these cafes and people linked to it in Buenos Aires and New York, coffee is portrayed as a way of transmitting warmth and energy among human beings”. I refer to reviews in this case, as I currently can’t seem to find this film on Netflix itself, and the original link also takes us nowhere.

In Dutch, this custom is known as uitgestelde koffie. A couple of minutes on Google yielded some results, though many pages appear really old and outdated. Nonetheless, I found out that this winter, an initiative named Bonnetje voor een Andere, led by the Amsterdam branch of the Dutch political party PvdA, promoted this gesture in collaboration with various catering establishments between December 22 and January 22.

Then, I came across Heat and Eat, which helps people who are less fortunate not to have to stay home hungry and alone. There, you can find a list of 30 locations across the Netherlands where you can get free cups of coffee and meals, or you can donate a cup of coffee, soup or snack via their platform. After checking their socials (to check if they are currently active), I picked three locations and made two donations through each of them (for a total of €12 + service fees).

Small contribution, yet a simple act of gratitude.

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Among other challenges tackled today, I changed my mind and decided to go for another TGTG box from the place I really liked the first time. I still have some left in the fridge, but having the challenge of wasteless cooking not ticked yet meant I needed some veggies to make soup (or something else) before the end of the month 😛. This iteration of this box was more fruit-heavy, but the variety was so so good once again: cherry tomatoes, cauliflower, courgette, aubergine, rutabaga (I think?) regular and sweet potatoes, parsley, limes, lemons, oranges, mandarins, pears, honey pomelo, plums, apples, bananas, raspberries, grapes, avocado, garlic. Most of them are still in great condition, so I believe they’ll last me for a week!

With that in mind, I consulted my seasonal produce leaflet: in February, that includes kale, celeriac, parsnip, carrot, chicory, sweet potato. These veggies can be from are from the Netherlands, but harvested in earlier months (apart from kale). Though I am not sure where this grocer sources their produce from, it could be possible to assume that some of it is indeed local.

To sum up, this is today’s progress:

SUCCESS	FAIL
No waste	Vegan food (office chocolate)
Use stairs instead of elevator	Bike to work (sleepy af)
Unplug devices that are not in use
Five-minute shower
Use stairs instead of elevator
Leave a suspended coffee/meal or contribute to food bank