Organic Coffee: Saving The World One Cup at a Time

What is organic coffee? How is it different from regular coffee? Is the price worth it?

These may be some of the questions that cross your mind when you hear or read the words “organic coffee”.

Well, here are some things you should know about organic coffee.

Organic coffee is not really a “new” thing. Organic coffee farming actually is the original way of growing coffee.

Think of it as part of the trend of going back to the “old” ways. People are beginning to realize that maybe the “old” methods and traditional ways are better than the “new” and modern methods.

But why is it called “organic coffee”?

Organic coffee is called “organic” because it is grown using methods that have very little environmental impact.

This means that organic coffee production causes very little harm to nature.

This is part of the huge appeal of organic coffee. During the past years, people have become more aware of the damage they cause to the environment, partly because of massive media exposure and partly because people themselves can already feel some environmental changes.

People now try to do their part, including drinking organic coffee, to save the world.

But how does organic coffee farming differ from ordinary coffee production?

In ordinary production, farmers need to clear a huge area of land. They cut down trees and other shade-providing plants. They do this because more sunlight means more coffee beans.

This means that our ever-decreasing forestry will be diminished by even more. Migratory birds will have no resting places and thus, their chances of survival lessen.

However, in organic coffee production, the farmers don’t cut down the trees. They allow the coffee plants to grow in the shade. That’s why organic coffee is sometimes called “shade-grown” coffee.

To truly understand the benefit of organic coffee production, we must bear in mind that coffee is mostly produced in tropical areas like Brazil, countries that contain the most vegetation and forests. Thus, in using conventional methods of producing coffee, we put these precious resources at risk.

And we all know how important trees are.

Organic coffee production also decreases the usage of toxic chemicals as fertilizers and pesticides. They instead make use of systems to replenish the soil and maintain its fertility.

The result is a better tasting and higher quality coffee.

However, to be sold as organic coffee in the United States, certain standards must be met in production. These standards are set by the Department of Agriculture.

These standards include:

*That the land where organic coffee is grown should not have been exposed to any prohibited chemicals in three years

*That a sufficient buffer has to exist between the organic coffee and the nearest crop.

*A sustainable plan must be made to combat pests, rotate crops, and to prevent soil erosion.

These are just some of the rules and standards imposed by the United States in order to certify organic coffee.

What about your decaf needs? No problem. There is, after all, a special method prescribed to decaffeinate organic coffee.

This method is called swiss water. It uses only water to remove caffeine from organic coffee.

Organic coffee isn’t only for drinking, its superior quality is chosen by confectioners to make coffee-based treats. So you don’t really have to have a cup in order to enjoy organic coffee.

So, there you have it, some of your worries might be alleviated by these facts. If, however, you continue to remain skeptical about organic coffee, learn more about it.

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