Rattling the Coffee Cup

Ideally, all coffee should be "triple certified"--shade grown, fair-trade, and organic.

The natural habitat of coffee plants is in the shade, under the canopy of the rain forest. But, a few decades ago, coffee farmers found that they could grow coffee a lot faster if they cleared away the lovely canopy and grew coffee in the sun. Removed from its natural condition, the coffee plant needed chemical help, and, as a result, was doused with pesticides. Studies have found up to 97% fewer bird species on sun coffee farms than on shady ones.

Coffee that is fair-trade certified has been grown by adults, not children. Many large companies use child slaves in the harvesting of coffee beans. These children work twelve to fourteen-hour days with no pay, little food and sleep, and frequent beatings. Each time you purchase a fair-trade item, you are telling the suppliers that you want to buy these items because you are a conscious shopper.

If you don't have time to do anything but pick up a bag of coffee and throw it into your shopping cart, just look for the organic seal and carry on. If it's organic, it was probably grown in the shade, free of harmful pesticides, fertilizers, and herbicides, which means it's bird-friendly and people-safe too. Most food stores carry at least one, if not several brands. My favourite bargain brand is President's Choice Organics, available at No Frills and Loblaws.