Green Stimulant: Organic, Fair Trade, Shade Grown Coffee

I am borderline addicted to coffee. I feel that I am noticeably more irritable if my day does not start with a cup of that magical bean juice (Mmmmm....bean juice. Makes it sound appetizing, doesn't it?). At the commencement of my coffee drinking days, how I got my coffee and where I got it from were seemingly irrelevant factors in my mind. Starbucks? Dunkin' Donuts? Sure. Paper cup? Eh, why not.

Nowadays, as I am trying to actualize more of my environmental beliefs, I find it imperative to only support suppliers of coffee who are committed to certain standards. If I can help it (when I'm traveling it is more difficult to do so) I only purchase and brew organic, fair trade, shade grown coffee. It is a mouthful to say, and a hassle to explain to someone similar to me a few years ago.

"Why does it matter where you get your coffee from? It all tastes just about the same anyway, and why pay extra money to get a bunch of little stamps on it?" It matters because coffee is a complex thing; not only in terms of flavor, but in terms of politics as well. You can bet brands like Folgers, Starbucks, and Dunkin' Donuts have decimated large areas of rainforest to clear space to exclusively grow fields and fields of coffee. I understand the concept of supply and demand, but clearing huge areas to grow coffee is detrimental to both that eco-system and, much less important in the grand scheme of things, quality of the bean. Before these large brands emerged, all coffee was shade grown, as that was how the plant evolved over time. Genetics have since allowed for new hybrid plants to be grown that are more tolerant of sunlight and have a higher yield of coffee beans. To top it all off, these new hybrids became dependent on pesticides and chemical fertilizers to grow to their potential. Now we have a trifecta of environmental devastation: habitat clearing, loss of biodiversity, and contaminated soil.

So there's why I support shade grown coffee. The reason I support fair trade is pretty simple: a higher share of the dollar I spend on my much-needed caffeine fix goes to the farmer and the community at the source, where that money is much needed. Much of the world's coffee is grown in regions where poverty is rampant, and large corporations such as Nestle, Sara Lee, and Kraft are buying huge amounts of coffee with no regard for hard-working people struggling to make a living producing sustainable coffee.

Last but certainly not least, is the organic label, which I will not even delve into. We all know why supporting organic practices is a more ecologically suitable option.

One of my recent favorite quotes is from Michael Pollan who says, "You can vote with your fork three times a day." Well, I think you might as well make it four, and vote with your coffee. Support brands that adhere to shade grown, organic, and fair trade standards. Now, I make my coffee with a french press, which not only tastes significantly better than drip coffee, but does not generate paper waste in the form of used coffee filters. I also began buying my coffee in bulk and putting it right in a vacuum container. The Stevens Point Co-Op has a myriad of different blends in bulk, and are ecstatic to see people bring in their own containers. We can all do something to reduce our impact, and researching what you can do to help can be a rewarding experience and make you feel like you're making a difference.