The energy drink industry has surpassed $9.4 billion in market size,1 as this rapidly growing product is overtaking coffee as a preferred source of caffeine among younger generations; however, while millions of people rely on these beverages to power their days, few take the time to consider the carbon footprint of energy drinks.
With over 5.8 billion liters of energy drinks consumed every year all over the world,20 the environmental impact of this product is significant.
Everything we consume has a carbon footprint, and energy drinks are no exception, especially those that are sold in plastic bottles.
While some energy drink companies have incorporated a sustainable approach to product manufacturing and distribution, this isn’t true of all brands or the soft drink industry as a whole.
Assessing the full carbon footprint of energy drinks isn’t easy—publicly available information on sourcing, production, and distribution is scarce.
But by piecing together what we know about the product’s cradle-to-grave lifecycle and looking into published studies, we can begin to better understand how consuming these beverages impacts the environment.
The Carbon Footprint of Energy Drinks: Understanding the Cradle-to-Grave Lifecycle of Energy Drinks
A carbon footprint calculation includes all of the CO2 generated from every stage of the product’s lifecycle—from creation to disposal.
Therefore, to truly understand the carbon footprint of energy drinks, it’s important to review how they are sourced, produced, distributed, and consumed.
Any mass-produced, resource-intensive products are going to carry a large carbon footprint, but few food and beverage manufacturers have conducted a thorough examination of the carbon emissions generated from the cradle-to-grade lifecycle of their products.
However, by leveraging what is known about how energy drinks are made as well as data published by similar manufacturers, people can figure out how to calculate carbon footprint manually.
But to do so, you’ll need to deep-dive into every stage of an energy drink’s lifecycle.
Sourcing the Ingredients
Most energy drinks are made up of some combination of caffeine, I-carnitine, sugars, glucuronolactone, antioxidants, B vitamins, taurine, guarana, trace minerals, ginkgo biloba, and ginseng.2
Many of these primary ingredients are sourced from plants all over the world, while others are synthetically made in a lab. Regardless, every ingredient contributes to the product’s carbon footprint.
For the purposes of this analysis, we’re only going to focus on sugar, caffeine, ginseng, and water, but it’s important to realize that most drinks contain dozens more, which only increases the overall environmental impact.
- Sugar: Raw sugar is pulled from sugar cane, a type of perennial grass.
A study on greenhouse gas emissions associated with sugar production in Brazil suggests that 241 kg of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere for every ton of sugar produced.3 This means 241 kg of CO2 for every 37,037 cans of Red Bull. - Caffeine: Caffeine used in most energy drinks is synthetically produced. It’s made from a combination of theophylline, methyl chloride, ammonia, and other chemicals.
A significant amount of caffeine is made in China and shipped around the world. Data on carbon emissions from sourcing and manufacturing caffeine is extremely limited, but we should assume that it’s part of this equation. - Ginseng: Ginseng is an herb that can be often cultivated in China, Russia, Canada, and the United States. Large-scale farming operations consume a significant amount of water and require heavy machinery.
Transporting ginseng to manufacturing facilities also results in CO2 emissions. - Water: The carbon footprint of tap water is primarily from the energy required to pump it from the ground, treat it for drinking, and transport it into a manufacturing facility.
It’s important not to forget about the deforestation and habitat destruction that occurs as a result of large-scale cultivation efforts around sugar, ginseng, and other plant-based materials.
Eliminating trees reduces the planet’s ability to absorb carbon emissions. Not to mention transporting these ingredients to manufacturing facilities also has an environmental impact.
Packaging
The majority of energy drinks are packaged in aluminum cans, but some are sold in single-use glass bottles.19 Glass bottles have a higher carbon footprint than aluminum; however, both are 100% recyclable.
The process of producing containers and transporting them to the manufacturing facilities is a major part of the carbon footprint of energy drinks. The good news is more and more manufacturers are relying on recycled containers which reduces emissions; however, recycling aluminum and glass also creates a carbon footprint (though much smaller).
For the purposes of this analysis, we will primarily focus on energy drinks packaged in aluminum cans.
Packaging is the largest contributor to the carbon footprint of energy drinks; however, aluminum cans are 100% recyclable, and many energy drink manufacturers have started only using recycled aluminum in the production process. The overall cradle-to-grave carbon footprint of the average aluminum can is significant on its own—about 96.8 grams of CO2.4
Some studies suggest the carbon footprint of a recycled can is 95% lower than a new aluminum can.5 A study on the carbon footprint of carbonated soft drinks by the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable found that aluminum can production creates 137.8 grams of carbon emissions for every 355 ml can, which represents about 68.9% of the product’s total carbon footprint.6
- Can Manufacturing: Sourcing raw aluminum has a huge impact on the sustainability of can production. The exact carbon footprint ultimately depends on where and how the can was produced.
In China, factories primarily use coal-generated power, which emits significant CO2. However, aluminum made in Canada and the US is made with hydropower, which reduces the impact.5
Again, this point should be disregarded if an energy drink manufacturer uses recycled aluminum. Using recycled aluminum cans results in 96% less greenhouse gasses than producing new aluminum cans. - Shipping: Transporting cans to manufacturing facilities by air, sea, and rail also produces a significant amount of CO2. A 1,000 empty aluminum cans produce nearly 314 pounds of carbon emissions when shipped internationally.4
- Sterilizing: Before aluminum cans are filled with energy drinks, they must be completely sterilized to eliminate any harmful bacteria or particles. This exact strategy varies by the manufacturer, but it typically involves either sterilization or pasteurization, which can involve heavy machinery and significant energy.
- Sealing: Sealing a can of energy drink involves a massive machine which is able to eliminate oxygen from the can (compression) before interlocking the lid with the body of the can. This process also requires heavy machines and energy.
Beverage Manufacturing
Processes involved with producing energy drinks have a significant carbon footprint; however, this stage of the lifecycle is the most difficult to quantify. However, it’s worth noting that Red Bull,8 which has about 43% of the energy drink market share, has implemented a wall-to-wall production process where the can and the energy drink are both manufactured in a single facility when possible, which significantly reduces transportation emissions.8
Monster Energy’s facilities are equipped with solar panels, which are expected to reduce carbon emissions by 5,258 metric tons per year.16 However, precise carbon emissions calculators on potential savings haven’t been published.
The stages of production that contribute to the carbon footprint of energy drinks include:
Beverage production involves mixing all of the ingredients in large tanks, filtering out impurities, and transporting them into a tank for carbonation. Carbon dioxide is mixed into the liquid in a pressured environment.
Finally, a pasteurization process is done to eliminate bacteria. After production, the energy drink is packaged into its container using high-powered machines; however, first, the cans need to be sanitized.
Once packaged, the containers are sealed and labels are applied to the can or bottle.7
- Mixing & Filtering: Mixing all ingredients (water, caffeine, taurine, sugar, and any others) into large mixing tanks where the mixture is homogenized and filtered to eliminate impurities.
- Carbonation: Adding CO2 gas into the liquid energy drink mix under pressure is what creates a bubbly effect that many consumers enjoy. This process requires sourcing and transporting large quantities of carbon dioxide.
- Refrigeration: Energy drink companies require a massive amount of refrigeration equipment both during energy drink production and for storage afterward. Refrigeration produces nearly 8% of global greenhouse gasses.9
- Labeling & Packaging: Whether it’s a paper label or printed graphics on an aluminum can, labeling is a resource-intensive production stage that requires significant equipment, energy, paper, paint/ink, and other resources. After the cans are labeled, they’re packaged into containers for shipping.
- Manufacturing Waste Disposal: It’s important to mention that the process of mass-producing energy drinks produces a significant amount of manufacturing waste that is collected and transported to landfills.
Distribution and Warehousing
Distributing energy drinks from manufacturers to wholesalers (by air or sea), and then on to millions of point-of-sale centers (by diesel truck) all over the world is a significant contributor to carbon emissions in the energy drink lifecycle.
The previously referenced Footprint of Carbonated Soft Drinks study suggests that distributing a 355 ml carbonated soft drink generated 17.9 grams of carbon emissions.10
(Image: Rinson Chory22)
Since energy drinks are shipped all over the world, ships are frequently used for distribution. A typical cargo ship produces 16.14 grams of carbon emissions per metric ton of goods shipped per kilometer.17
When we’re talking about shipping millions of tons of energy drinks around the world each year, the compounding environmental impact is significant.
Once the goods arrive at a wholesaler, they’re unloaded from trucks and placed on shelves for warehouse storage. This process requires human labor (transportation to and from work) and equipment and energy to efficiently move pallets and boxes from trucks to shelves, and then back into trucks.
Wholesalers will then distribute bulk energy drink orders to convenience stores and grocery stores via diesel trucks.
The average freight truck produces 161.8 grams of carbon emissions per ton-mile.11 To truly assess the environmental impact, you’d need to multiply this by millions.
Once energy drinks arrive at the grocery store or convenience store, they’re often refrigerated in a cooler until purchase. As previously mentioned, refrigeration has a huge negative impact on sustainability.
Some energy drink manufacturers like Red Bull are providing energy-efficient coolers with natural refrigerants, fans, smart temperature, and light regulating.8
- Advertising: The process of creating energy drink advertisements for TV, radio, and print often requires labor, business travel, paper, ink, and other resources.
- Transportation, Distribution, And Consumption: Energy drinks are packaged into boxes and crates and shipped all around the world via airplane, boat, and truck. Once sent to wholesale suppliers, they’re then shipped off to point-of-sale locations (primarily grocery stores and convenience stores) where they’re available for purchase by the end consumer.3
Disposal and Recycling
After an energy drink is consumed, aluminum cans are either placed in landfills or recycled. Only about 65% of America’s aluminum is recycled, so you can estimate that 35% of energy drink cans end up in landfills.12
In addition to the carbon emissions generated from transporting energy drink cans to a landfill, it takes an aluminum can anywhere from 200 to 500 years to fully degrade in a landfill.13
If the energy drink can is recycled, it’s transformed into post-consumer scrap, which according to some analysis produces 0.5 tons of CO2 per ton of aluminum. These emissions are from collecting, transporting, sorting, and remelting the aluminum scrap.14
However, the overall carbon footprint of energy drinks is significantly less when using recycled aluminum than when using cans made from new production.
Summarizing the Carbon Footprint of the Energy Drink Industry
Now that we have a detailed understanding of each stage of the cradle-to-grave lifecycle of energy drinks, we can have a greater appreciation for the carbon emissions generated by making this product. While it’s very difficult to quantify the environmental impact of each stage, some studies have attempted to do so.
One particular analysis by ESU services suggests that the environmental impact of one 250 ml energy can of energy drink produced in Switzerland and shipped to the United States produces 0.3 kg CO2-eq.10 This study accounted for carbon emissions from agricultural production through supermarkets, but not disposal.
Another study suggests 1 liter of a soft drink generates 550 grams of carbon emissions across aluminum can (68.9%), sweeteners (9.8%), distribution (9%), electricity & natural gas (3.7%), production (1.4%), and electricity for consumer cooling (2.2%).6
We can also learn a lot from the carbon emission reports published by beverage companies. For example, Coca-Cola has regularly published sustainability reports for years and as of 2021,21 a liter of Coke also produces about .34 kg CO2-eq,15 which is similar to the energy drink calculation in the ESU services study.
While some major energy drink manufacturers are aware of the environmental impacts of their products and are taking steps to reduce carbon emissions, many still have a long way to go.
How To Offset the Carbon Footprint of Energy Drinks
Humans, along with the items we consume, have an extensive carbon footprint. Without taking significant action, we will continue to see the devastating effects of climate change worsen over the next few decades.
Awareness around carbon emissions and other greenhouse gasses is not enough—now is the time to act.
Limiting your consumption of products like energy drinks, which have a high carbon footprint, is one step.
You could also choose to only purchase products from manufacturers that prioritize sustainable processes. However, supporting the widespread planting of new trees is one of the most effective ways to combat climate change.
A single tree offsets about 20 kg of carbon dioxide each year,18 or about 66 energy drinks. Of course, not everyone has time to get out and plant trees themselves, but purchasing a carbon offset package is a great way to make a difference.
The Carbon Footprint of Energy Drinks: Are Natural Energy Drinks or Vegan Energy Drinks Better for the Environment?
While it’s true there is science-backed research that suggests a vegan or all-natural diet is better for the environment, opting for a vegan or natural energy drink as a way of reducing carbon emissions isn’t so effective.
This is because more than 90% of the product’s emissions come from packaging, distribution, and cooling.
Additionally, plant-based ingredients come at the cost of deforestation, which has a negative environmental impact.
While vegan, natural, and organic energy drinks may be better for your health, this does not necessarily imply a reduced carbon footprint of energy drinks in terms of environmental impact.6
Frequently Asked Questions About Carbon Footprint of Energy Drinks
Are Energy Drinks Bad for the Environment?
The packaging, production, and distribution of energy drinks produce significant carbon emissions. We estimate the carbon footprint of energy drinks to be around 0.3 kg of CO2 emissions per 250 ml can.
What Is a Carbon Footprint?
A carbon footprint is the measurement of all carbon dioxide emissions generated from the production, distribution, and consumption of a product or person. Everything has a carbon footprint.
What Are Some Ways To Make Beverage Manufacturing More Sustainable?
Energy drink manufacturers can reduce their carbon footprint by using 100% recycled aluminum packaging, conducting the entire production process in one place, and investing in energy-efficient refrigeration.
What Part of the Energy Drink Product Lifecycle Produces the Most Carbon Emissions?
Nearly 70% of an energy drink’s carbon emissions come from production of the aluminum cans.6 Energy drink manufacturers can significantly reduce their carbon footprint by using recycled aluminum.
Learn More About Carbon Footprint of Energy Drinks
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References
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2Higgins, J. P., Tuttle, T. D., & Higgins, C. L. (2010, November). Energy Beverages: Content and Safety. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 85(11), 1033–1041. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from <https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2966367/>
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6Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable. (2012, June). Research on the Carbon Footprint of Carbonated Soft Drinks. Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from <https://www.bieroundtable.com/wp-content/uploads/49d7a0_7a5cfa72d8e74c04be5aeb81f38b136b.pdf>
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