Dear “Earth Talk”: What are the
environmental impacts of our voracious appetite for coffee? — Augie
Dent, Capitola, Calif.
According to the Specialty Coffee Association,
Americans consume some 300 million cups of coffee every day. Globally,
coffee is second only to oil in terms of dollars traded, and it leaves a
tremendous social and ecological footprint, particularly in regions of the
world that also host some of the planet’s greatest, and most
threatened, biodiversity.
Before the 1960s, most coffee was grown under
the shade canopies of other plants in conditions not unlike those of
natural tropical forests. These traditional coffee plantations harbored a
wide range of plant diversity and therefore provided valuable habitat for
large numbers of migratory birds and other wildlife. The abundant flora and
fauna also helped keep pests in check while providing a wide range of
natural nutrients for the soil.
But over the last four decades, the growing
popularity of coffee began to dictate the need for greater production, and
coffee growers started clearing their land so that they could grow
higher-yield coffee that thrives in direct sunlight. Though financially
productive, this sun-grown coffee takes a heavy toll on the environment, on
wildlife, and on workers’ health by eliminating the surrounding
biodiversity and requiring heavy use of toxic fertilizers, pesticides, and
insecticides.
Among others, the Starbucks chain of coffee shops has
been a recent innovator in trying to turn the situation around. In 1998 the
company formed a partnership with Conservation International, a leading
environmental nonprofit, to encourage the sustainable production of
shade-grown coffee while ensuring that small farmers and agricultural
co-ops earn living wages for their labors, a concept known as “fair
trade.” Starbucks‚ Organic Shade Grown Mexico, Decaf Shade
Grown Mexico, and Conservation Colombia coffees are all grown in an
ecologically sound manner that protects the surrounding natural environment
and respects the economic needs of farmers.
Shade-grown brands are also becoming more widely
available to those more inclined to brew their coffee at home. The
Smithsonian’s National Zoo Web site features a handy listing of
“bird-friendly” coffee retailers (that is, bean sellers
committed to shade-grown coffee only), searchable by ZIP code. The
organization Rainforest Alliance, which also works to get the word out
about coffee’s big footprint, certifies several brands. And the Web
site Coffee Review lists Green Mountain, Kaldi’s, Thanksgiving
Coffee, New Harvest, Kaffe, Café Campesino, and Coffee Tea Etc. as
coffees that top the list in terms of pairing excellent taste with
environmentally responsible growing practices. Many of these brands are
available at organic-food stores and at natural-foods supermarkets such as
Whole Foods and Wild Oats.
For more information: Starbucks,
www.starbucks.com; Conservation International, www.conservation.org; Coffee
Review, www.coffeereview.com; Smithsonian National Zoo
“Bird-Friendly” Coffee Finder,
www.nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationandScience/MigratoryBirds/Coffee/;
Rainforest Alliance, www.rainforest-alliance.org.
Send questions to “Earth Talk” in care of E/The Environmental Magazine,
P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; or e-mail earthtalk@emagazine.com.
This article appears in Apr 14-20, 2005.
