September
2000
Before
You Take Your Next Sip...
By Rachel Cernansky
|
|
|
Ever wonder where your coffee comes from? It’s
not as perky a tale as you might think. Read up on the real story
behind
the beans.
According to Co-op America (www.coopamerica.org),
a non-profit socially responsible consumer organization: "Coffee
is grown in more than 80 countries on over 26 million acres worldwide.
It is the second most valuable item of international trade—second
only to oil. Americans drink an average of 450 million cups of coffee
every day."
Within the conventional coffee market, numerous problems are overlooked
as coffee buyers on every level, from roaster to consumer, search for
the cheapest price they can find. But low costs for the consumer translate
into lower wages for the grower. Coffee pickers, among them children,
work long hours for low wages, receive no health care or benefits, and
are exposed to toxic chemicals in the fields. Educational opportunities
and labor regulations are also severely lacking. In search of the best
deal, consumers buying directly from wholesalers instead of cooperatives
encourage the exploitation of workers.
The environmental effects of typical coffee growing present an entire
set of problems all their own. "Technification" of coffee
growing involves cutting down or thinning valuable shade trees for
higher-yield
coffee varieties that require lots of sun. This destroys wildlife habitats
and often calls for more pesticides and chemicals. Deforestation of
tropical mountainsides results in habitat destruction, diminishing
biological
diversity, erosion and water pollution.
You can help prevent such problems from escalating and improve present
conditions by keeping in mind a few things when buying your beans.
First,
look for organic, bird-friendly or shade grown coffee. Shade grown
means that the coffee is grown under a canopy of trees as opposed to
clear
cut fields, thereby preserving forests, allowing for birds and other
wildlife to remain in their natural habitat, and eliminating the need
for toxic chemicals. It enables farmers to preserve the soil and live
sustainably off their land, as they are sustaining plants that not
only
protect the coffee itself, but can be utilized to produce other cash
crops. Second, be on the look-out for coffee from a farmers’ or
fair trade cooperative. Fair trade insures that farmers are provided
a solid income, not just the "market value" of the bean itself.
Coffee growers who supply the majority of the coffee market are forced
to clear their lands in what are often false hopes of greater production.
They are exploited and are not paid enough to live above poverty level.
Fair trade prevents this and provides farmers with an opportunity to
utilize their land in a more efficient, sustainable, and environmentally-friendly
manner. Companies can of course arrange for fair trading with their
own suppliers, however, TransFair USA—a non-profit monitoring organization—officially
certifies that participating traders are following fair trade guidelines
(see www.transfairusa.org).
A note to decaf drinkers: there are several processes that remove the
caffeine from the bean, the most common of which uses chemicals that
can be harmful to your health as well as to the environment. The Swiss
water process, however, is chemical-free and therefore poses neither
health risks nor environmental toxicity. A new process that utilizes
liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) is being introduced by some companies; it
is certified organic, and claims to be environmentally-friendly, while
also retaining more of the flavor.
With the help of Co-op America we did some research into companies
that offer organic, shade grown, and fairly traded coffee. You’ll be
pleasantly surprised that their average price per pound is comparable
with (if not cheaper than!) beans found at your local store; and they
deliver right to your door. So, while enjoying your morning cup, you
can be assured that you’ve chosen a coffee that’s as cruelty-free
as you can get.
Cafe Campesino (229) 924-2468; 302 W. Lamar St., Americus, GA
31709; www.cafecampesino.com.
Source for sustainably grown, fairly traded, completely organic coffee.
Concerned with issues surrounding fair trade and working to maintain
the relationship between the retail roaster and the small farmer. They
focus on supporting the lives of the growers, not exploiting them. Decaf:
Swiss water process. Available via Internet, mail order. Average price,
$9.95 per pound. Also visit: www.cooperativecoffees.com for a network
of other cooperative roasting companies.
Equal Exchange (781) 830-0303; 251 Revere St., Canton, MA 02021;
www.equalexchange.com.
A worker owned cooperative that buys directly from coffee producers,
often from co-ops and other democratically run groups. Apparently the
only U.S. coffee buyer that conforms to the code of the International
Federation of Alternative Traders. One hundred percent fair trade, and
80 percent of their coffee is organic, all of which is shade-grown.
The non-organic varieties, however, are not guaranteed shade-grown.
Decaf: liquid CO2 process. Available by Internet, mail order, and at
various spots in NYC by the cup and by the pound. Average price, $8-9
per pound.
Thanksgiving Coffee Co. (800) 648-6491; P.O. Box 1918, Fort Bragg,
CA 95437; www.thanksgivingcoffee.com.
The company’s intention is to "create strategic philanthropic
alliances" and return money to the communities in which the coffee
was grown. They sell a large assortment of coffee varieties, including
organic, shade grown, and fair trade. They are quite pro-active in
the
environmental and social justice movements. Visit their website for
ordering information and to learn about their activism.
Headwaters International (888) 324-7872; 2105 First Ave. S.,
Minneapolis, MN 55404; www.peacecoffee.com.
Fair-trade company that sells a line of organic coffee and buys only
shade-grown coffee. Supports farmers’ cooperatives and helps producers
gain more control over their natural resources. Decaf: Swiss-water
process.
Available by Internet, mail order, and for local Minneapolis residents,
orders are delivered on bicycle. Average price, $9.50 per pound.
And
What About Starbucks?
In a recent press release, Starbucks, the coffee industry’s
corporate giant, stated: "From its earliest days, a central tenet
of Starbucks business culture has been to contribute positively to our
communities and our environment." Hearing this, one might think
that Starbucks would have been the first company to shift to shade-grown—maybe
even organic—coffee using fair trade practices. Yet it took mounds
of pressure from concerned citizens before the company finally took
notice. In April 1998, Starbucks published their Framework for Action,
outlining the company’s intention to improve the conditions of
the workers who grow the coffee, and of the environment in which it
is grown. Last year they began promoting a limited edition of organic
Mexican coffee—the single offering in their newly established ‘sustainable
coffee category.’ This category was developed in response to a
new goal: to have at least one coffee that is either organic, shade-grown,
or fair trade available throughout the year.
Why Starbucks cannot have all three available at one time or why they
don’t purchase all their coffee through fair trade, shade-grown
practices is a mystery. A public relations associate was unable to answer
my questions, and could not explain why the Mexican coffee is "limited"
and who limits it. In addition, when asked how much of their product
comes from sustainable resources (since they claim to make an effort
to sell these in at least part of their coffee line), information was
not disclosed—due to "competitive reasons."
For a company whose "guiding principles" include "contributing
positively to our communities and environment," why does Starbucks
wait until threatened by a loss of conscientious consumers before taking
actions that would be in step with their own guiding principles? —R.C.
