Finding the Most Sustainably Grown Coffee
Remember that as a consumer, you have choices, and your choices really can make a difference-even on a global scale. Remember also that your consumer choices as a parent set an example for your children; the environmental and health-wise consumer choices of your generation will affect generations to come. So, when you next take a sip of your, shade-grown, fair trade certified and certified organic coffee, sip deeply, reflect proudly on your choice, and enjoy!
What do some of the most popular coffee roasting and retail chains offer?
Starbucks: According to their website, they offer organic, shade-grown and fair trade coffees. However, they don’t appear to offer all three in one package of beans. Examples of product: Organic Shade Grown Mexico; Café Estima Blend Fair Trade Certified; Serena Organic: http://www.starbucks.com/ourcoffees/menuboard.asp?category%5Fname=Coffee+Menu+Board
Dunkin’ Donuts: At least from their website, it doesn’t appear that they offer organic or shade-grown coffees. However, they do offer 100% fair trade certified espresso, cappuccinos and lattes: https://www.dunkindonuts.com/aboutus/credentials/
Tim Hortons: At least from their website, it doesn’t appear that they offer any organic, fair trade, or shade-grown coffees: http://www.timhortons.com/en/menu/coffe-beverages.html
Peet’s Coffee & Tea: According to their website, they offer a Fair Trade Blend and a Gaia Organic Blend. However, it does not appear they offer a blend that is 100% organic, fair trade and shade-grown: http://www.peets.com/shop/coffee_blends.asp
Seattle’s Best Coffee: Their website appears to offer coffee beans that are organic, fair trade and shade grown. Examples include: Organic Blend; Organic Seattle’s Best Blend; Organic Twilight Swiss Water Decaf; Fair Trade Certified Organic French Roast; Organic Sumatra; and Organic Breakfast Blend. See http://www.seattlesbest.com/products/category.aspx?categoryID=1
Newman’s Own Organics and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters: According to their website, Newman’s Own Organics has partnered with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. The Newman’s Own Organics brand offers six fair trade organic coffee brands (it’s not clear from the website whether these are also shade-grown coffees, although organic beans tend to be more sustainably grown): Newman’s Special Blend; Newman’s Special Decaf; Nell’s Breakfast Blend; Newman’s French Roast; Café Almond Biscotti; and Columbian Especial: http://www.newmansownorganics.com/food_coffee.html
Green Mountain Coffee also offers their own fair trade organic blends (it’s not clear from the website whether these are also shade-grown coffees, although organic beans tend to be more sustainably grown): Fair Trade Organic House Blend; Fair Trade Organic PBS Blend; Organic Breakfast Blend; Organic Breakfast Blend Decaf; Organic Espresso Blend; Organic French Roast; Organic French Roast Decaf; Ethiopian Yirgacheffe; and Heifer Hope Blend: http://www.greenmountaincoffee.com/navCategory.aspx?Name=FairTradeOrganic&DeptName=OurCoffees
Some perhaps lesser known but VERY worthy roasters who offer ONLY 100% organic, fair trade, and shade-grown coffee:
Dean’s Beans: Offers only 100% organic, kosher, fair trade and shade grown coffee: http://www.deansbeans.com/
Grounds for Change: Offers fair trade organic coffee that is grown in shaded conditions (and specializes in 100% fair trade coffee): http://www.groundsforchange.com/
Higher Ground Roasters: Roasting only certified fair trade, organic, and shade grown coffees: http://www.highergroundroasters.com
Information used in this article was also found at the following sources, which you can visit if you want to find out more about this topic:
http://www.coffeeresearch.org/market/usa.htm (providing coffee consumption statistics)
http://www.ncausa.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=39 (providing a quarterly statistical report on the U.S. coffee market)
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Coffee/thoughtpaper.pdf (Criteria Working Group Thought Paper (of the First Sustainable Coffee Congress) compiled by Russell Greenberg of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center)
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Coffee/Bird_Friendly/default.cfm (list of sources of “Bird Friendly” coffees)
http://www.ams.usda.gov/nop/Consumers/brochure.html (U.S. Department of Agriculture’s brochure entitled, Organic Food Standards and Labels: The Facts)
http://www.nrdc.org/health/farming/ccc/chap4.asp (Natural Resource Defense Council’s report entitled, Coffee, Conservation, and Commerce in the Western Hemisphere. How Individuals and Institutions Can Promote Ecologically Sound Farming and Forest Management in Northern Latin America, IV. Environmental Dimensions of Coffee Production)
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