What's a Consumer to Brew?
by Debra Solomon
One goal of the first Sustainable Coffee Congress was the development of a label or other marking that identifies coffee as "shade coffee" or "bird-friendly coffee." But until conservation-minded coffee becomes commonplace, there are some subtle signs consumers can look for when they are choosing their favorite roast.
Most specialty coffees, including Quartermaine Coffee Roasters of Rockville, Maryland, would probably qualify as "bird-friendly." These superior quality coffees are usually grown at higher elevations, where they encounter an increased risk of frost. Growers therefore have a greater need for a protective canopy over the coffee plants and retain more trees around the coffee plants. Because higher elevations also have fewer pests, growers rarely use pesticides. As a result, birds can feed on insects that, though not harmful to the coffee plants, would have been killed by pesticides. Most organic coffees, including Allegro Coffee, which can be found at Fresh Fields and other local grocery stores, are usually bird-friendly as well.
It may not be as simple as "sun" coffee versus "shade" coffee, however. There are gradations between complete sun and complete shade, as well as environmentally conscious producers who occasionally need to use pesticides. Some experts have proposed a star system, where growers receive one, two, or more stars depending on their use of pesticides, amount of shade, and other environmental factors.
One system, though not perfect, is already in effect. According to the people at Quartermaine Coffee Roasters, since better, more expensive varieties of coffee are usually grown at higher elevations, the more expensive the coffee you buy, the greater the likelihood that it comes from higher elevations and was grown in greater shade.
(ZooGoer 25(4) 1996. Copyright 1996 Debra Solomon. All rights reserved.)
