Re: [Maine-birds] Re: Sometimes Blunt is Good

Sharon, I hear you on the money part!  But after doing a lot of research, I decided that I couldn't justify spending less and knowing that I was essentially being subsidized by bad things like destroying habitat or ripping off the local farmers.  So now I drink less coffee - I buy about 1½ pounds a month instead of 3 pounds - and I only make and drink coffee when I really will enjoy it - no more mindless drinking while on the computer, instead I sip it on the deck and watch the hummingbirds.  That might not work for everyone, but I actually enjoy it more, spend the same amount, and feel good about increasing the market for a responsibly produced product.

That last part is really important: if a sizable proportion of birders buy coffee that is shade grown (support the birds!), organic (support the life on earth and the soil!), fair trade (support the growers!), then we really help increase the market for that.  Every year I see more brands - and thus more growers - offering these options.  While the price hasn't gone down much, it hasn't gone up either, and the quality is at least as good as the comparably priced coffee.  The roaster in the college town where I work now uses only shade-grown beans for all but two or three of its 20-odd varieties (including decaf!), partly because a lot of us told them it was important to us - and partly because they decided the quality was higher in most cases.

These are hard, hard choices when many of us have lost income in the past few years and didn't start out rich!  But you might be able to find a way to make it work - and if even 50% of people on bird lists were able to do the same, it would make a huge difference.   The Arbor Foundation claims that every cup of shade grown coffee saves 2.3 square feet of rainforest - which means in the last three years, I personally have saved over 12,000 sq feet of forest!

Finally, while there is much to be said for the Trader Joe coffee (it has great flavor, it pays the growers fairly, it's organic), it is not shade grown - so let's start writing to Trader Joe's and telling them we want them to switch!  Even Starbucks is offering organic shade grown coffee now (although it isn't fair trade) - which means the shade grown message is gaining real momentum & Trader Joe's needs to get the message.

Best -

                             Alicia, who mostly lurks, in upstate NY

On 6/8/2012 9:18 AM, Sharon F. wrote:

The shade grown is a great idea-it would help if someone could direct me to the lower cost options-a very limited budget does not leave room for 10.00/lb. coffee. I realize the benefits and would much rather use shade grown; as to buying coffee out that happens about 3 times a year!  Thanks, Sharon F.

> From: therefromhere168@gmail.com
> To: maine-birds@googlegroups.com
> Subject: [Maine-birds] Re: Sometimes Blunt is Good
> Date: Fri, 8 Jun 2012 09:07:47 -0400
>
> Giving up Starbucks' overpriced swill is not a sacrifice in my opinion.
> I've been drinking Wicked Joe's Organic Fair Trade Sumatra coffee (available
> at the Natural Living Center in Bangor) for almost 2 years now, and it
> tastes better than any other coffee I've had (including my previous brew of
> choice, Green Mountain). And yes, if you make it yourself it's cheaper
> than the lower-quality store-brewed alternatives.
>
> Sean Smith
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Bill Blauvelt" <bil.blauvelt@gmail.com>
> Sent: Friday, June 08, 2012 7:07 AM
> To: <awmjr@magocsi.org>
> Cc: "Maine Birds" <maine-birds@googlegroups.com>
> Subject: Re: [Maine-birds] Sometimes Blunt is Good
>
> > Ok. Derek got me on this one. I will never buy coffee again that is not
> > shade grown. Fortunately, I had already sworn off cheap beef.
> >
> > Bill
> >
> > Sent from my iPad
> >
> > On Jun 7, 2012, at 11:59 AM, Alex Magocsi <awmjr@magocsi.org> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> Halleluiah, Derek!
> >>
> >>
> >> "Let me put it (overly) bluntly: If you're sipping cheap, sun-grown
> >> coffee on your way to buy a fast-food hamburger, you might as well just
> >> shoot that oriole that's at your feeders. I know I'll get grief for that
> >> analogy, but the rate of deforestation to fuel our cheap caffeine
> >> addiction is just that destructive."
> >>
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