Wednesday, May 23, 2007

the scoop on your cup of joe

Several years ago, I got the chance to interview Larry Larson of Larry's Beans, a local organic/fair trade coffee collective. I was impressed with his passion not just for coffee, but of the whole coffee-growing process. Larry travels to the countries his coffee is from and is on a first-name basis with many of the farmers. He opened my eyes to the world of ethical coffee, and I've never been able to buy just any old coffee since.

When it comes to buying coffee, it's impossible for most people to buy locally grown. But it's important to know where our coffee comes from, as its production affects people's lives all around the globe. With a little discernment on the buying end, you can be fairly confident that you are making a responsible coffee choice.

When we talk about eco-friendly coffee, we use the terms "organic," "free trade," and "shade grown." Organic coffee is certified the same way that other foods are by the US Department of Agriculture. Their certification distinguishes between three levels of organics: "100% Organic" means all product ingredients are organic; "Organic" means that 95% of product ingredients are organic; lastly, "Made with Organic Ingredients" means that at least 70% of the ingredients are organically grown. Buying organic coffee is important for the same reasons that buying organic foods is: it is best to support agricultural practices that are less environmentally harmful and do not pit short-term gain over long term sustainability.
Right: labels associated with Larry's Beans

Next comes a term, "fair trade," that applies to a lot more than just coffee these days. (See the Ten Thousand Villages website to find a fair trade shop near you! http://www.tenthousandvillages.com/php/stores.festivals/find.a.store.php) The Fairtrade Labeling Organization International and The International Fair Trade Association are the two main certifying fair trade bodies. The Fair Trade Federation is another big organization that advocates for free trade and links American and Canadian importers with free trade producer groups.

The Fair Trade Federation website gives a good summary of the importance of supporting it:

"Many farmers around the world receive market payments that are lower than the costs of production, forcing them into a cycle of poverty and debt. Intensive farming can also lead to pollution and deforestation. Fair Trade works to correct these imbalances by guaranteeing a minimum wage for small producers' harvests and by encouraging sustainable cultivation methods. Fair trade farmers also receive badly needed credit and are assured a minimum price."

This minimum price is especially important during downturns of the global coffee market. While the value of the crops may fluctuate, you're still paying the same for your latte at the coffee shop. As an example, the article continues, "the fair trade price per pound of coffee is US$1.26. In comparison, the world price usually hovers around US$1 per pound, but most farmers earn less than 50 cents per pound since they are forced to sell to exploitative middlemen."

When we buy fair trade, we are voting with our dollars for the people who produce our goods to have a better way of life. A little higher price on our end translates into a huge difference for them.

Now for the last of the terms. The shade grown coffee movement came about because of peoples' concerns about bird habitat. Central and South America (the only continents for which the certification now applies) have had a lot of their native land replaced by agriculture, which causes problems for endemic species and especially birds. According to the website Coffee & Conservation: "Over the last few decades, scientists noticed apparent long-term declines in many species of Neotropical migrants -- about 200 species of birds that breed in North America but winter south of the Tropic of Cancer." The birds were disappearing with the trees.

It goes on to say that trees that are left standing on shade grown coffee plantations provide a decent substitute for many of the birds. "The multi-layered vegetation of traditional or rustic shade-grown coffee plantations provides food and cover for birds which is in some cases very similar to native forest. In areas where farming has replaced natural habitat with stark pastureland and row crops, coffee farms are sometimes the only quality habitat available." According to the Coffee Research Institute, shade coffee plantaions can support as many as 150 species of birds whereas non-shade ones support only 20-50.

In addition to helping preserve local habitats, shade grown coffee (which is the way coffee has traditionally been grown) is said to have a better taste to it. Again, the Coffee Research Institute: "The shade has a similar effect on coffee as growing coffee at high altitudes. Both of these factors slow down the growth of a coffee which results in the production of more sugars and chemicals responsible for the [improved taste] in coffee."

The main certifier of shade grown coffee is the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, label is "Bird Friendly Coffee." Check out their website for more information and to see an informative slide show. (http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Coffee/)

I also wanted to talk a little bit about the Rainforest Alliance. They do not easily fit into one of the above categories, but they are doing a lot of good things that deserve recognition. The Rainforest Alliance "works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior." They work with many different organizations to bring about positive change for land, wildlife, workers, and the surrounding communities. I recently discovered Rainforest Alliance when shopping for some budget eco-coffee at the grocery store. Yuban coffee is the only one of the "regular type" of coffee that has an eco-friendly label attached to it. In other words, it's possible to be an eco-coffee consumer without spending a ton of cash!

FYI: this world map shows biodiversity hotspots (high biodiversity wilderness areas) in orange, coffee growing regions in yellow, and cocoa regions in blue.



































































































2 comments:

Nate Smith said...

After reading your post, I'm encouraged to check to see whether the "internet" coffee I buy (fair trade: Dean's Beans) is shade-grown and otherwise environmentally friendly. Good ol' Yuban, right? I really should have a can of that in my freezer in case of emergency...

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