Wake Up! The True Grind On Fair Trade Coffee
By Jillian Polaski
Filed Under The Big Picture | 9 Comments
With 54% of America drinking coffee on a daily basis and 25% being “occasional” coffee drinkers, we can safely say that approximately 80% of the population is very familiar with sipping a cup of joe. Second only to oil, coffee is the most traded commodity in the world, with the United States alone consuming one-fifth of total global production.
Yet, as demand for this roasted bean rises, value is sharply declining. In August 2001, the price of coffee fell below fifty cents per pound, although the prices in coffee houses and grocery stores remained constant. This means a sponging of excess profits by all parts of the coffee industry except the farmers in poverty-stricken countries such as Ethiopia that grow some of the most high-quality beans in the world. This is not an unusual story in the coffee industry.
Before opening The Cup espresso cafe in Boulder, Colorado, owners Chris and Wendy Ball began doing research on the different varieties of coffee and were appalled to uncover the conditions that many farmers are forced to work under. In defiance, they decided to sell only Fair Trade certified organic coffee. “We wanted to make sure that the business we chose to do was not being done on the backs of slave labor,” says Chris. The walls of their funky and modern cafe, rather than being lined with salable art, are lined with pictures of coffee farmers and their families engaging all stages of bean production. “Putting faces to these people is super important,” Chris says.
Due to coffee being an internationally traded commodity, its price is dictated by many of the same market factors involved in the sale and production of oil. The people who farm the coffee have no access to the markets and this leads to huge price instability. When a farmer begins planting their crops, prices might be, for example, $3.00 a pound, but by harvest time it could have dropped to $1.00. Of that price, the farmer generally does not see enough to meet their costs of production, much less to feed a family. Part of the problem is the roller-coaster of supply and demand. Coffee is a delicate crop that can be destroyed at any stage of the process, from planting and harvesting to roasting and brewing. It is prey to natural disasters (common in most tropical growing climates) and a hurricane or tsunami can easily wipe out an entire annual crop. When this happens, the price of coffee soars, farmers see an opportunity and begin planting coffee, which leads to an over supply when all the plants recover, and the price plummets even further.
In addition to the stress of widely fluctuating market prices, coffee farmers also have to worry about Coyotes. No furry animal, these money-hungry middlemen pass through and demand that farmers sell their harvests to them at a set, sub-standard price. Because farms are generally far removed from their marketplaces and the farmers usually have an immediate need for money to buy food and pay their expenses, they are left with no choice but to sell. “It’s a brutal system that stacks itself against the people at the very bottom,” Chris explains.
Fair Trade policy (created by Transfair USA and monitored by the Fair Trade Labeling Organization and third-party organization FLO-CERT) attempts to alleviate many of these problems by establishing a set price per pound for coffee. This allows market fluctuations over the course of the harvest to be smoothed out by guaranteeing farmers a living wage. Fair Trade farmers are currently paid $1.26 per pound of coffee. If, however, the market price goes higher than that, the farmer is paid the market price plus five cents, or eleven cents if the coffee is organically grown.
In addition, Fair Trade policy guarantees free financing to farmers so that they won’t feel pressure to sell their crops at a low price because of momentary hardships. Technical assistance is also provided so time can be taken to improve the quality of their beans and therefore garner the higher prices per pound that specialty coffee sells for. Finally, it gives farmers access to international markets and allows them to participate in international debate. “It gives the people a voice and allows them to have some power over their own lives,” Chris says.
Fair Trade coffee is not, however, without its problems, and one of the main issues it currently faces is green-washing. Big corporations have figured out that Fair Trade coffee sells, and consumers are more than willing to shell out more money in support of the humane treatment of farmers. Many coffee houses in the EU and North America advertise that they carry Fair Trade coffee, but only sell it in whole bean packages on the shelves; they don’t brew it. Or, worse, companies will pay the Fair Trade price for a pound of coffee, but won’t adhere to the other policies of Fair Trade, yet still label that coffee as fairly traded.
“Corruption is one of the largest scapegoats that people say they use as a reason not to buy Fair Trade coffee,” Chris explains. “I acknowledge that there are some problems with it but my answer is, at least it is trying. You can’t wait for the silver bullet to start shooting at the problems that are out there. You have to use the tools that you have available to you right now to make a difference.”
It is a chain of responsibility- from the certified organizations to ensure all companies that use their labels are meeting strict regulations to the consumer remaining informed about these issues. Corruption is a problem that consumers have to pay an increasing amount of attention to. The best thing to do is to ask the right questions at a local coffee retailer. If a coffee shop has organic, Fair Trade certified coffee on their shelves but they aren’t brewing it, ask them to. If it is labeled as “fairly traded” but does not have a certification- it is probably not an accurate representation of what goes on behind closed-doors. For Fair Trade to succeed, it means a holistic integration of economic, social and environmental responsibility on everyone’s part.
- Get informed on the current state of fair trade policy by un-biased organizations such as Oxfam
- Search for retailers near you that are dedicated to supporting the fair trade movement by only serving certified coffee
The terms “shade-grown” and “organic” seek to further enhance the social and environmental quality of coffee growing environments. Organic production has it’s own certification that places harsh limitations on chemical pesticide and fertilizer use. If coffee is “shade-grown” it means that farmers are able to grow other crops (like bananas) amongst their coffee plants, therefore providing them with additional income.
Posted on September 29, 2008 |
Google Earth Gone Green
By Jenna Kirkman
Filed Under Green Living, The Big Picture | 1 Comment
Google Earth lets you zoom through three-dimensional Appalachian mountains, map out your dream vacation in Tahiti, or “fly” to a high-resolution satellite image of your very own home. The newest version comes equipped with close-up street views, 3D buildings, and stargazing abilities, but it is more than just fun and games – Google Earth is becoming one of the most important eco-tools of our time.
Already, Google Earth 4.3 comes with a Global Awareness feature that calls attention to eco-attractions like Fair Trade Certified Farms, Greenpeace Climate Control Areas, and Unicef Water and Sanitation Projects. Other businesses have been teaming up with Google Earth to provide add-on downloads in Keyhole Markup Language (KML) format in order to showcase international issues.
Basically, these KMLs enhance your view and global knowledge by painting a layer of interactive data and information over the Google Earth globe. Popular add-ons include: Disappearing Forests, Green Buildings, and EDGE Endangered Mammals. The Climate Change in Our World application, created by Google and Met Office Hadley Centre, not only shows current temperature stats, but also projects possible warming trends from now until November 2099.
Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has joined Google to create two add-ons that help American businesses, communities, and the general public track the main source of environmental evil – pollution.
In the first add-on, the EPA pinpoints locations from the United States Emissions File, which divides pollution into seven major point-source sectors; Cement Facilities, Chemical Manufacturing, Electric Generating Units (EGU), Natural Gas Pipelines, Oil and Gas Production, Petroleum Refineries, and Pulp and Paper Industries.
On the map, sectors are color-coded and can be clicked to reveal the company’s name, location, and a summary graphing total emissions from six common pollutants; carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, and sulfur dioxide. Pretty cool.
Even cooler, though, is the EPA’s second add-on, Air Now, which shows you the current Air Quality Index (AQI) for certain areas of the United States, updated every hour, and forecasts 
tomorrow’s AQI, too. An area’s AQI predicts how the air quality will affect your health, and is based on a color-coded scale from 0 – 500, with 0 (green) being completely safe, and 500 (red) the most hazardous.
The UK Air Quality Archive has a similar Air Pollution add-on, and the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) has produced a similar emissions application that maps pollution in Canada and Mexico in addition to the US, but a worldwide air pollution and emissions add-on is yet to be found.
Still, Google Earth’s revolutionary display of global data and statistics, and its ability to connect cultures in a creative new way, has made details about air pollution and emissions easily accessible and of interest to everyone.
Individuals who are searching for a vacation destination or a new home will steer clear of heavy pollution. As a result, new real estate and tourist attractions will be built in lower-risk areas. Businesses will move or implement new branches within less polluted communities, which will motivate these regions to sustain their green reputation. And most importantly, these trends will help inspire communities and businesses in heavily polluted areas to lower emissions and clean up their act.
Want to check out Google Earth for yourself?
- Read over the User Guide, and download the free version of Google Earth.
- Browse Google Earth 4.3’s already awesome features located in the bottom left navigation window, or search for downloadable KMLs that spark your interest.
- Visit Google Earth Outreach to find businesses, non-profits, and individuals who want to share a global message, or to seek help in creating your own KML.
Posted on September 26, 2008 |
Humbled By The Wisdom In Nature
By Erin Gallagher
Filed Under eCo TV | Leave a Comment
Janine Benyus teaches us about the science of biomimicry by explaining that learning about the natural world is one thing, but learning from the natural world is where we need to get to. It’s about cultivating respect for our fellow inhabitants of this planet because “the answers to the questions we have are all around us, we just need to “change the lenses with which we choose to see the world”.
This video is an enrichment to our “Top 5 Green Technology Breakthroughs” article. Enjoy!
Posted on September 24, 2008 |
Green Teens on Planet Earth
By Jenna Kirkman
Filed Under Arts & Culture, The Big Picture | 1 Comment
Too often, teenagers are seen in an ageist light as the lazy, self-centered, and irresponsible future of our world. It should be exactly the opposite.
A recent survey conducted by Greenpeace and the online teen hangout, Habbo questioned nearly 50,000 teens from 18 different countries on their environmental opinon. Less than 50 percent said their parents express a general concern for the environment, yet, 74 percent agreed that they consider global warming to be a serious problem. Sixty-four percent also said they believe the climate crisis can be solved by people working together; and these green-minded teens are ready to do something about it.
The teenage environmental movement is inspired by celebrities like Miley Cyrus, who sings the eco-pop tune Wake Up America, as well as the cast of The Secret Life of an American Teenager, who promote environmentalist views and film on a set made from recycled wood and materials. And this year the Teen Choice Awards used recycled bottles to make a “blue carpet” that is planed to be reused each year.
Teens aren’t just following their favorite superstars, though. They are joining, and founding environmental groups and demonstrating the leadership skills that will prove crucial to the future of our world.
Do Something emphasizes respect, trust, and belief in the power of teen activism. The online community features inspirational videos from celebrities like the Jonas Brothers and Rihanna, and encourages teens to share, read, and learn about human rights, poverty, animal welfare, teen sexuality and violence, and much, much more.
Do Something is also a helpful way to jump-start teen entrepreneurs and their ideas, like the recent group of eco-teens: Team K4A (made up of Kaitlyn, Keegan, Katherine, Kimber, and the lonely “A”, Albert). These five gathered information about hybrid cars, CO2 emissions, and other ways to achieve a more sustainable lifestyle in their Washington community and then used Do Something to help spread the word about their website.
Founded by Jane Goodall and 16 inspired students in 1991, Roots and Shoots connects thousands of international kids, teens, and college students who want to make a positive difference for people, animals, and the environment. The organization helps empower youth by promoting local campaigns, programs, and volunteer work in areas that focus on each member’s individual strengths.
One of the most impressive is 13-year-old Peter A.’s group: the Green Eagles, from Silver Spring, Maryland. The Eagles have not only implemented sustainable gardening and composting projects within their community, but they have also raised over one thousand dollars in donations for the Jane Goodall Institute. This school year, Peter’s plans include lobbying for healthier school lunches and selling energy-efficient light bulbs at fund-raising events.
Founded as early as 1982 by environmentalist, Shimon Schwarzschild, Action for Nature focuses on “encouraging young people to take personal action to nurture and protect a healthy environment on which all life depends”. In addition to tips and resources, the website holds the annual International Young Eco-Hero Awards which highlights impactful youths from across the globe.
The 2008 winners include 14-year-old Alexander Lin of the United States, who set up a program to help end e-waste exports from America to developing countries; 16-year-old Linus Wafula of Kenya, who created the Mazingara Safi Campaign in his poor, heavily polluted Nairobi community to help gather and properly dispose of toxic waste and trash; and 16-year-old Vania Santosa of Indonesia, the “dirtiest country in the world”, who implemented a system of recycling, composting, and publicly educating her East Java community about environmental harm.
Other organizations and teen info sources include the Global Youth Action Network (GYAN), Teens for Planet Earth, the Student Conservation Association (SCA), the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC), and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Your Environment, Your Choice teen website and High School Environmental Center.
With encouragement and support, our global youth can take responsibility as leaders for a healthy, sustainable future. We need to educate the global community about what these young people are doing for the Earth and learn how to view the potential they hold as an invaluable resource.
Posted on September 22, 2008 |
The Top 5 Green Technology Breakthroughs
By Pippa Sorley
Filed Under The Big Picture | 12 Comments
With predictions of our economic collapse, global warming and climactic disasters riddling global discussion, it can seem hard to maintain a positive attitude. The reverberating chant that bellowed through the halls of the Republican National Convention two weeks ago: “DRILL, BABY, DRILL!” certainly didn’t help, leaving many of us feeling hopeless.
Don’t despair yet! There’s good news when it comes to what is known as “green technology”. As we speak, alternative energy projects in a plethora of arenas are transforming research and development centers around the world. The Green Revolution has begun, and it will prove to not only boost our economy, but also holds the potential to save the planet from human destruction.
According to the market research firm CleanTech Group, renewable energy start-ups received $2 billion in venture capital funding in the second quarter of 2008 alone; a 58% increase from its previous year. Today clean technology accounts for 20% of all venture capital funding. This will provide us with thousands of new jobs, economic security, competitiveness in the global marketplace, and, well, hope for a more environmentally responsible future.
So what types of revolutionary green technologies can we look out for? Here is a glimpse into the Top 5 green technological breakthroughs from the past few years that we think will positively impact the way we live:
- DYNAMIC BUILDINGS
- TUBURCLE BLADES
- MICRO-ALGAE
- WAVE & TIDAL POWER
- SOLAR-THERMAL ENERGY
Introduction To Biomimicry
Biologists and scientists such as Janine Benyus discovered years ago that perhaps “man-made” technology isn’t so smart after all. The concept of biomimicry suggests that modern innovators follow the designs that nature has developed to withstand the test of geologic time. If natural designs are superior to anything that us humans have come up with, so why not “mimic nature” in the development of all our modern technologies?
The idea seemed too simple for many engineers and designers, but the theory is catching on. Two modern examples of Biomimicry-based designs include wind turbine blades that have been designed to use the same design as humpback whale fins, and skyscrapers that mimic the movable, dynamic architecture of a tree.
MOVING SKYSCRAPERS
From creating man-made islands visible from space to ski resorts in the middle of the desert, the city of Dubai continues to defy convention. This time however, they’re turning to nature to inspire a whole new type of architecture: dynamic towers.
According to the city’s architecture firm, the new skyscrapers will have 80 floors and stand 1,380 feet tall. Each floor will rotate and move independently (and slowly enough to keep residents from getting motion sickness). Not limited to rotational movement- inhabitants will also be able to extend their own balconies outward so they can soak up the sun - and the constantly changing views!
The movement of the modulated floors will create a building that resembles something out of a sci-fi film; something that should defy the laws of physics. Depending on the time of day and how it reflects light, the variation of shape can make the tower look like the craziest LEGO creation a kid could come up with. The most exciting facet of the new building in motion is its environmental friendliness. According to renowned Italian architect Dr. David Fisher, “the Dynamic Tower is the first building designed to be self-powered, with the ability to generate electricity for itself, as well as for nearby buildings. It achieves this feat with 79 wind turbines, making it a true green power plant.”
The structure will mimic that of a tree. The building’s stable core resembles a thick trunk that runs from the ground up, with the floors acting like branches and leaves that shadow the rhythms of nature. Dr. Fisher states, “Today’s life is dynamic, so the space we are living in should be dynamic as well, adjustable to our needs that change to our concept of design and to our mood. [Our] buildings will follow the rhythms of nature, they will change direction and shape from spring to summer, from sunrise to sunset, and adjust themselves to the weather, these buildings will be alive.”
TUBERCLE BLADES
Inspired by the agility and speed of whales, designs that integrate biomimicry with a host of mechanical components are being built based on the science of fluid dynamics. Wind turbines, fans, pumps and compressors are just a few examples of everyday items that can break through the limitations of conventional technologies by mimicking the design of the whale flipper.
Dr. Frank E. Fish studied the unusual bumps (tubercles) on the leading edge of humpback whale flipper and discovered that they create what he dubbed a “tubercle effect” on surrounding fluid: delaying stall, increasing lift and decreasing drag. This discovery allowed a portal of understanding into the grace and ease by which these huge mammals glide through the ocean. By adding precisely formed versions of those bumps to blades or rotors, his designs have proven to easily overcome the scientific limitations once deemed unavoidable by engineers and scientists.
The possibilities are endless, from more efficient wind and hydroelectric turbines, municipal water systems, farm irrigation, ventilation systems to efficient aircraft wing design, this simple tweak to the shape of blades could dramatically improve thousands of modern technologies.
MICRO ALGAE
Slimy-looking pond scum could save our planet? As we come to terms with the major drawbacks of harvesting crops to fuel our cars, it is essential that we find new renewable fuels that won’t compete with food crops such as soy or corn. Micro-algae could be the answer. This super-organism grows prolifically in areas not suitable for traditional crops and can store massive amounts of oils and starches necessary to make biodiesel or ethanol. Micro-algae has garnered considerable attention lately, since it can produce 30-100 times the oil yield of soybeans on the same acreage, while it’s biomass remnants can be reused as cattle feed supplement or fermented into ethanol.
One of the main obstacles to industrial production of biodiesel from algae is the organism’s reliance on photosynthesis for energy to consume CO2 and produce oils. Solazyme, a San Francisco-based startup, has been working for the past five years on deriving biofuel from algae without sunlight. They are using sugar. Algae are not entirely dependent on sunlight for growth, in fact, they are 1000 times more efficient at producing oils from sugar compared to growth by sunlight. Although the process is still in development, Solazyme’s claim may prove to have revolutionary merit.
SOLAR-THERMAL
Solar power is a well known entity. Although few of us are aware of the embodied energy that is required to design, manufacture and distribute traditional photovoltaic cells to our rooftops, most of us know that it is easily accessible and relatively simple to convert a home or business from electric to solar power.
There’s a new solar game in town and it’s known as solar thermal. Although it may sound like a new type of underwear, solar thermal is a renewable energy that is often referred to as the “other” solar power. Unlike photovoltaic cells that directly converts sunlight into energy, solar thermal uses mirrors to focus sunlight on a liquid that turns into steam and powers a turbine. This key difference means that solar thermal does not rely on direct sunlight to produce energy, and the relatively simple process can store energy for several hours after sundown. Solar thermal plants can also rely on other fuels such as natural gas when it’s dark or cloudy. So, there’s hope for those of us who live in Vancouver, Seattle, London or Stockholm!
OCEAN POWER
Sweden, Scotland and recently the Pacific Northwest of the US have developed energy technology powered by the force of the sea. The technology utilizes the forces of waves and tidal pull to generate electrical energy which is fed straight into national power grids. Wave and tidal power produces zero emissions and leaves no harmful waste. While estimates for solar power in many parts of the world is 1,000 hours a year and for wind power is 2,200 hours a year, it is estimated that wave and tidal power will be available for up to 4,000 hours a year.
The challenge remains: harnessing energy from heaving waves, severe weather, crushing currents and the corrosive power of salt water can seriously thrash expensive equipment. Yet the potential benefits seriously outweigh the drawbacks; the majority of researchers believe that tapping power from our oceans could supply a third of our energy supplies.
While we still have fossil fuels to burn, why not channel them into designing technologies that will allow us to live without the destructive oil habit in a regenerative, clean, energy conserving way?
Voraciously intrigued?
- Check out the Biomimicry Institute to keep up with nature-inspired technological advancements
Posted on September 19, 2008 |
Eating Fresh Papaya In Sweden:The Locavore Movement Needs Legs To Stand On
By Erin Gallagher
Filed Under Conscious Commerce, The Big Picture | 2 Comments
Along with the words cougar, cloudware, mumblecore and upcycling, locavore made the new Oxford American Dictionary’s list of new words last year. For those playing the home game, a locavore is a person who chooses to only eat food that is grown locally.
Restaurants everywhere are adding locally grown, organic dishes to their menus, farmers markets have spouted up in many cities across the world and in 2007, American schools in over 35 states presented students with locally grown produce for lunch in their cafeterias. It has been decided: eating foods grown within a 100-mile radius of your kitchen is a sure-fire way to ensure that spiking gas prices have less impact on your wallet and allows you tighter control over how many pounds of pesticides you ingest. Great. So grab a trowel, some native plants, create an edible forest in your neighborhood and responsibly choose produce you do not grow from (organic) farms in the region. Continue reading Eating Fresh Papaya In Sweden:The Locavore Movement Needs Legs To Stand On…
Posted on September 12, 2008 |
The Adventures Of Yung Yeti
By Erin Gallagher
Filed Under eCo TV | 2 Comments
Posted on September 10, 2008 |
Greening The Shack: It’s No Mystery (And It Doesn’t Need To Zap Your Cash)
By Andy Mazal
Filed Under Green Living | 1 Comment
The first step when considering any size of green home makeover is to identify the “low-hanging fruit”-those things which are weighing down on the efficiency of your home that can easily, quickly and inexpensively be improved to have a considerable impact. Here we identify two of the easiest, lowest-cost, highest-impact improvements you can make, and also provide a suggestion for a tool that you can employ yourself to identify some of the other energy-hogging culprits in the place you live. In all cases, we have one eye keenly focused on maximizing the “bang for your buck.”
Continue reading Greening The Shack: It’s No Mystery (And It Doesn’t Need To Zap Your Cash)…
Posted on September 8, 2008 |
The Healthiest Egg: Designing Chickens Into Your Urban Lifestyle
By Erin Gallagher
Filed Under eCo TV | 1 Comment
We found these British Blokes online who call themselves “Giving It A Go” and are bent on creating an edible backyard and putting permacultural principles into action. Some may say that this feat would be extremely difficult if not impossible to accomplish in an urban setting where temperatures can get extremely low and the sun makes only a few guest appearances, but these guys are proving that to be a myth and we think they deserve a massive “jolly good job well done” pat on the back.
In many permaculture designs, a domesticated bird species is used to speed up the process of making food scraps into soil nutrients. This portion of the video series illustrates how to build a chicken coop in a tiny backyard space. The first is a time-lapsed overview of the construction process and the second is a walk-through of the design.
Enjoy!
If you are really keen to know more about chickens in your backyard and how they can be an essential component in your sustainable home design
- eCo Times will be publishing an article on this in the next few weeks, so check back
- If you are wanting to know more about the permacultural design concept, start with our Permaculture 101 article
- Read an article on Urban Hens by the BBC
- Look at what “Urban Chickens” organizations is doing to promote chickens in your backyard
Posted on September 5, 2008 |
A Thick Green Line: Exposing “Green” Events
By Scott Badenoch, Jr.
Filed Under The Big Picture | Leave a Comment
Boasted to be the “greenest political convention in history”, the Democratic National Convention rolled into Denver, Colorado this past week. The press surrounding the DNC displayed what was a valiant, yet apparently controversial attempt at environmentally responsible practices. Continue reading A Thick Green Line: Exposing “Green” Events…
Posted on September 3, 2008 |
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