Why You Should Buy Why You Should Buy Organic CoffeeOrganic Coffee

By: Matt Fluck and Akiko MackBy: Matt Fluck and Akiko Mack

Organic CoffeeOrganic Coffee Organic coffeeOrganic coffee is that which is is that which is

cultivated and/or processed cultivated and/or processed without the use of chemicals of without the use of chemicals of any sort including insecticides, any sort including insecticides, artificial coloring or flavoring artificial coloring or flavoring and additives. and additives.

Coffee beans are seeds from Coffee beans are seeds from berries that grow on shade-berries that grow on shade-loving understory bushes. loving understory bushes. These bushes need the shade of These bushes need the shade of mature trees, the same trees mature trees, the same trees that provide habitat and food that provide habitat and food for many birds and insects.for many birds and insects.

Coffee plantations have been Coffee plantations have been called “one of the most called “one of the most sustainable and sustainable and environmentally benign environmentally benign agroecosystems in Central agroecosystems in Central America.”America.”

Traditional Coffee Plantation

Benefits of Shade-Grown CoffeeBenefits of Shade-Grown Coffee

Shade trees Shade trees • protect the understory coffee protect the understory coffee

plants from rain and sunplants from rain and sun• help maintain soil qualityhelp maintain soil quality• reduce the need for weedingreduce the need for weeding• aid in pest control. aid in pest control. • Organic matter from the shade Organic matter from the shade

trees also provides a natural trees also provides a natural mulch, which reduces the need mulch, which reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, reduces for chemical fertilizers, reduces erosion, contributes important erosion, contributes important nutrients to the soil, and nutrients to the soil, and prevents metal toxicities.prevents metal toxicities.

Photo Showing a Traditional Coffee Plantation where shade coffee is grown. The picture shows small coffee shrubs underneath a forest of trees.

Sun- Tolerant Coffee ProducersSun- Tolerant Coffee Producers Starting as early as the 1970’s, coffee growers began breeding Starting as early as the 1970’s, coffee growers began breeding

plants that prospered in the plants that prospered in the full-sunfull-sun, rather than the shade. , rather than the shade. With sun-tolerant coffee bushes, growers could remove trees, With sun-tolerant coffee bushes, growers could remove trees,

slightly increasing the profitable area of their fields and the slightly increasing the profitable area of their fields and the yield of each plant.yield of each plant.

Sun-tolerant coffee plants require a steady diet of agricultural Sun-tolerant coffee plants require a steady diet of agricultural chemicals. chemicals.

FertilizerFertilizer- there is no leaf-litter to enrich the soil- there is no leaf-litter to enrich the soil

HerbicidesHerbicides- due to sun exposure, weeds invade the fields- due to sun exposure, weeds invade the fields

FungicidesFungicides- also important to stop growth of fungi- also important to stop growth of fungi

These chemicals affect the health of plantation workers and These chemicals affect the health of plantation workers and the health of the wildlife that live in the plantation.the health of the wildlife that live in the plantation.

Migratory Birds and CoffeeMigratory Birds and Coffee Traditional coffee plantations can be thought of as Traditional coffee plantations can be thought of as

modified forest habitats. modified forest habitats. In the midst of altered and shrinking habitat in both In the midst of altered and shrinking habitat in both

North and Latin America, migratory birds have found North and Latin America, migratory birds have found a sanctuary in the forest-like environment of a sanctuary in the forest-like environment of traditional coffee plantations traditional coffee plantations

The studies that have been conducted have found The studies that have been conducted have found that the diversity of migratory birds plummets when that the diversity of migratory birds plummets when coffee is converted from shade to sun. coffee is converted from shade to sun.

A leading team of bird surveyors around Mexico and A leading team of bird surveyors around Mexico and the Caribbean Basin, found that the Caribbean Basin, found that cacao cacao and coffee and coffee plantations supported the largest numbers of forest-plantations supported the largest numbers of forest-dependent migratory birds of any agricultural dependent migratory birds of any agricultural habitats. habitats.

In the regions most heavily used by migratory birds, In the regions most heavily used by migratory birds, coffee plantation "forests" cover 2.7 million coffee plantation "forests" cover 2.7 million hectares, or almost half of the permanent cropland. hectares, or almost half of the permanent cropland. This provides critical woodland habitat in mid- This provides critical woodland habitat in mid-elevation areas where most large reserves have elevation areas where most large reserves have been destroyed. been destroyed.

Common Migratory Bird Species

American Redstart

Yellow-throated Warbler

Blue-headed Vireo

Black-throated Green Warbler

Why Care?Why Care? The Decline of Migratory Birds The Decline of Migratory Birds

Migratory birds play a major role in the health andMigratory birds play a major role in the health andfunctioning of ecosystems:functioning of ecosystems:• as consumers of insects (especially those that defoliate as consumers of insects (especially those that defoliate

trees)trees)• dispersers of seedsdispersers of seeds• as pollinators of flowers. as pollinators of flowers. • They are also of considerable value to regional economies. They are also of considerable value to regional economies.

When forest birds eat insects, the result is greater tree growth When forest birds eat insects, the result is greater tree growth and a longer period between insect outbreaks - services that and a longer period between insect outbreaks - services that may be worth as much as $5000 per year for each square may be worth as much as $5000 per year for each square mile of forest land. mile of forest land.

• Millions of people watch birds as a hobby and many of them Millions of people watch birds as a hobby and many of them flock to areas where birds concentrate, where they spend flock to areas where birds concentrate, where they spend millions of dollars on ecotourism.millions of dollars on ecotourism.

Major Coffee CompaniesMajor Coffee Companies

Starbucks:Starbucks: agreed to offer agreed to offer certified organic coffee in their certified organic coffee in their 2,700 outlets only four days before 2,700 outlets only four days before planned demonstrations. (Even so, planned demonstrations. (Even so, the outlet still buys fewer than 1 the outlet still buys fewer than 1 million pounds of this type of million pounds of this type of coffee, a mere 1% of the coffee it coffee, a mere 1% of the coffee it buys annually.)buys annually.)

Maxwell House, Folgers Maxwell House, Folgers & Nestle:& Nestle:together they represent about half together they represent about half of U.S. coffee sales, but the of U.S. coffee sales, but the executives of the company have executives of the company have not taken actions towards not taken actions towards purchasing organic, shade-grown purchasing organic, shade-grown coffee.coffee.

Some Organic Coffee CompaniesSome Organic Coffee Companies

SourcesSources

http://macserv.murdoch.edu.au/HK/research_interests/projehttp://macserv.murdoch.edu.au/HK/research_interests/projects/east_timor/pictures/big_pics/slidects/east_timor/pictures/big_pics/slide

http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0072452706/http://highered.mcgrawhill.com/sites/0072452706/student_view0/chapter/student_view0/chapter/additional_case_studies.html#organicadditional_case_studies.html#organic

http://natzoo.si.edu/conservationandscience/http://natzoo.si.edu/conservationandscience/migratorybirds/fact_sheets/default.cfm?fxsht=1migratorybirds/fact_sheets/default.cfm?fxsht=1

http://www/watershedradio.org/may2001/051101migra.htmhttp://www/watershedradio.org/may2001/051101migra.htm http://www.gcrio.org/CONSEQUENCES/vol3no1/http://www.gcrio.org/CONSEQUENCES/vol3no1/

songbirds.htmlsongbirds.html http://www.counterculturecoffee.com/http://www.counterculturecoffee.com/

sanctuary_info.htm#art1sanctuary_info.htm#art1 http://www.fordfound.org/publications/recent.articles/docs/http://www.fordfound.org/publications/recent.articles/docs/

Solution_57-62.pdfSolution_57-62.pdf