COFFEE

Thanks to the freedom offerred by living in a capitalist country, many Americans have the opportunity to purchase organically grown coffee. Aside from a superb flavor, and the health benefits of a diet free from pesticide residues, the earth benefits as well.

Some coffee facts-

• Coffee originated in Ethiopia.
• Coffee bushes natural environment is to grow under the forest canopy and naturally grown coffee is shade grown coffee.
• Coffee drinkers in the United States consume over 25% of the coffee sold worldwide.
• Coffee is the second largest traded commodity in the world.
• 1 pound of roasted coffee is the yearly production of 1 coffee bush.
• Coffee prices are at their lowest in 30 years. This has lead some farmers to forgoe harvesting their coffee because harvest cost exceeds selling price.

Organic coffee facts-

• Early 1970's US grants fostered production of non shade grown coffee which had a higher production but required more pesticides and fertilizer due to the lack of natural nutrients from the leaf litter of shade trees.
• Pine, Oak, and other tall shade trees used in naturally grown plantations attract wide varieties of birds which prey upon coffee pests thereby reducing or eliminating the need for pesticides and protecting the soil from overheating which is detrimental to soil quality.
• The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center finds shade grown coffee supports more than 150 species of birds (many migratory), this number is exceeded only by undisturbed tropical rain forests and is 20 times the number found in sun grown coffee fields. Shade grown coffee stands also provide a home for other creatures and endangered species including 600 species of spiders and insects.
• 90% of fresh water coastal estuaries flow from regions fed by coffee slopes, this water flows to the sea, hence the importance of curbing chemical use.
• 700,000 acres of forested land in Mexico's main coffee growing region were destroyed between 1993 and 2000 to grow more sun grown coffee.
• Researchers have found some growers of sun grown coffee using 1 pound of chemicals for every pound of coffee produced.


Some organic coffee links-

Cafe-Mam shade grown organic coffee