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Have you ever wondered how “green” and sustainable your cup of coffee is? If yes, which type of coffee beans do you choose – organic, shade-grown or fair trade? Read on to learn all that true eco-enthusiastic coffee fans should know about the different certifications…

Organic coffee

When buying organic, you decide on coffee that is grown without pesticides, herbicides and artificial fertilizers. This is beneficial not only to your health (as the coffee beans do not contain any chemicals), but also to the environment since the soil and water are not contaminated with artificial substances. In order to be sold as organic, the coffee has to be processed under special conditions without chemicals in an organic mill.

Shade-grown coffee

Shade-grown coffee is grown in a traditional, environmentally friendly way from farms with thick layers of trees and bushes. Unfortunately, as demand for coffee grew, a new, higher-productivity approach was introduced to coffee farming. The system, introduced in 1970s, is called sun cultivation since coffee is grown in rows under the sun with little or no forest canopy.  It has become popular because the growing process is more rapid and gives higher yields, however it has several disadvantages:

-          it requires the increased use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides, which can contaminate land and water; however, when growing under the shade, there is less risk of pathogen infection and the leaves that drop from the shade are a natural fertilizer;

-          it has led to deforestation of many areas of coffee cultivation, which is disastrous for some animal species like songbirds, howler monkeys, iguanas, ocelots, and pumas;

-          the taste of coffee is worse; although the yields are higher, shade-grown beans are of a lower quality since a longer ripening time contributes to complex flavor.

This is why many eco-conscious consumers prefer the traditionally grown coffee. As shade coffee farms in general use little or no chemical fertilizers, the shade grown coffee is often also certified as organic.

Fair Trade coffee

Even though the price for a cup of coffee seems high, many farmers that grow the beans live in extreme poverty. It is due to the fact that most of the costs that add up to the price of coffee are generated by the middlemen. Fair Trade organizations help producers in developing countries cut out middlemen, and obtain better trading conditions, so that they are not forced to compromise the quality of their products and work hygiene or turn to child labor to earn for living.

Written by PennySaverUSA. If you would like to have a cup of organic, shade-grown or fair trade coffee and looking for an interesting place in your area, visit us online to find a comprehensive list of cafes in the USA.

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