Coffee Mug
from
"Chase's Calendar of Events".
What is in that morning cup of coffee?
A morning cup of coffee used to be so reliable and simple: boiling water, instant coffee, creamer. To find out why that morning cup of coffee suddenly tasted so different, so acidic, monthlynotesstaff quickly "wiki-researched" coffee and creamers.
Coffee:
Like many other products on US grocery shelves and coffee shops, coffee too now carries additional labels. Organic coffee refers to coffee beans grown without artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides.
In 2006, 67,000 metric tons of organic coffee was sold from a total of 6,900,000 metric tons of coffee beans sold worldwide. During the "Green Revolution" in the 1970s and 1980s, $80 million was sent to Latin American plantations by the US Agency for International Development.
75% of 'organic' coffee is grown in Latin America, in Peru (South America), Mexico (Central America), and Ethiopia (Africa).
'Organic' is one of 3 certifications of "organic coffee". In the US, 'organic' means the coffee beans are (1)grown on land without synthetic pesticides or other prohibited substances for 3 years, (2)sufficient buffer exists between organic and the nearest traditional crop, and (3)sustainable crop rotation plans exist to prevent erosion, depletion of soil nutrients, and pest control. The goal of organic agriculture is to stimulate the natural development of disease control and pest control.
'Shade-grown' is another category of organic coffee. To increase coffee production in the early 1970s, 'sun' plantations were developed. Coffee beans grown in the sun are smaller and easier to harvest than 'shade-grown' coffee beans.
'Shade-grown' coffee preserves trees and forests not plowed down for 'sun' farms. Preserving forests should help reduce soil erosion and preserve the natural habitat for birds and other species. Birds eat insects crawling on coffee plants, a natural form of pest control. Another goal of 'shade-grown' coffee farms was to reduce the 20% decline in migratory bird populations of redstarts, black-throated green warblers and yellow-throated and solitary vireos noted in 2006, believed to be due to loss of forestation with 'sun' farms.
'Shade-grown' coffee is fertilized by decomposing leaves and bird droppings. Another environmental issue is water. More water may be available to 'shade-grown' coffee plants. About 140 litres of water is required to produce 1 cup of coffee. This is a problem in Ethiopia, Africa, where there is a water shortage.
The 3rd category of 'organic coffee', 'fair trade coffee', is an economic issue. Small farms could not compete with large 'sun' farms. The 'Fair trade coffee' label requires coffee pickers to be paid $1.26 per pound of coffee beans, instead of $3.00 per day for 100 pounds of coffee beans.
Despite sales of 'organic' coffee to more affluent socially or environmentally concerned consumers, 10% of coffee bean farms have reverted to conventional production because of price competition.
Read the next blog "Caveat Emptor: May the Buyer Beware: 10.Creamer or Lightener" on http://monthlynotesthirteen.blogspot.com on www.google.com.
Email mkrause54@yahoo.com or mkrause381@gmail.com to comment or request copies of this or other blogs posted by mary for monthlynotesstaff on http://monthlynotsthirteen.blogspot.com (http://monthlynotes.blogspot.com through http://monthlynotestwenty.blogspot.com) on www.google.com.
Graphic: Coffee mug, Chase's Calendar of Events.
Reference: www.wikipedia.com
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