Why You Need To Support Fair Trade Coffee More Than Ever

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The consumption of coffee is rising in the US as it is gaining popularity. We consume a lot of coffee. Some of us cannot even make it through a day without a few cups of coffee. In fact Americans are responsible for one fifth of the world's coffee consumption. So we are the main economic supporter of the coffee industry.

Most Americans would have little idea how the coffee we drink is produced, harvested and shipped to us. We are just thankful that coffee is readily available over the counter whenever we want it.

The Fair Trade coffee movement aims to change all that. As better informed consumers, we are now told of the exploits of some coffee importers. We now realized that many of these coffee workers or farmers who toil tirelessly in the fields are not getting a fair price for their produce.

These farmers are often are getting paid less for their coffee than it cost them to produce and maintain their coffee farms. This will mean that these farmers and their families will never be able to break out of poverty and debt. The Fair Trade coffee movement will make certain that most coffee farmers can get a decent price for their harvest and make a living off it.

Coffee prices can be volatile and when the prices fell very low, many farmers will not be able to support their families and farm lands. Thus the Fair Trade coffee movement is needed more than ever by these farmers. When coffee prices fall, it does not mean that the average consumer will ever enjoy cheaper coffee. Instead, the prices remain just as high. This means that coffee companies are making more profits. However it will mean poverty and hunger for many of these coffee farmers.

The Fair Trade Certified coffee is being introduced in the US to ensure that the coffee was produced under fair labor conditions and a reasonable price was paid for the coffee. This money paid will go into helping the health care, education, ecological stewardship, and financial independence. It will also provide the much needed financing and credit, technological assistance in shifting to better methods of farming and other research purposes.

Help to make all these possible by buying coffee only from Fair Trade Certified coffee companies. This can not only help ensure the quality of coffee and constant supply but also let you sleep better when you know no one is starving so that you can have your cup of coffee.

For more information on coffee, coffee grinders and Fair Trade coffee , please visit Coffee Drinking Tips and Reviews

Fair Trade coffee Coffee Drinking Tips and Reviews

Gourmet Coffee Habit Costing Consumers as Much as $1,500 Yearly

A recent Washington Post article discussed Seattle law students spending money from their student loans for Starbucks coffee across the street from the Seattle University School of Law. Gourmet coffee consumers rarely consider the cost of their daily coffee in terms of the expense to brew premium whole bean coffee at home (50 cents to 75 cents) with prices of a pound of gourmet coffee beans versus a two or three cup a day ($4.50 to $6.00) coffee drinking habit when purchased at premium coffee houses.

An online calculator has been posted for those interested in calculating their caffeine expenses at: http://www.hughchou.org/calc/coffee.cgi That borrowed money takes years to repay and many students don't do the math to see that study time with 2-3 cups of coffee at Starbucks over 4 years can cost them significant sums - as much as $4500 in principle, interest and fees on their student loan - over the course of their education. She points out that students are spending education loans on luxuries like latte instead of necessities like a loaf of bread. Erika Lim, director of career services at the law school has launched a campaign to reduce coffee consumption by students attending the university on student loan money.

But smart gourmet coffee consumers have long known that premium coffee brewed at home costs just 12 cents or so per cup, depending on preferences for coffee strength. Gourmet Coffee drinkers have become accustomed to paying $2 or more per cup for fresh brewed coffees at Premium coffee houses - and many sources are predicting those prices may increase to as much as $4 per cup soon due to expected increases in green coffee prices.

A pound of gourmet beans! Starbucks recommends double that amount for stronger coffees at 2 tablespoons per 6 ounce cup. Many coffee producers recommend starting with 1 tablespoon of fresh ground gourmet coffee beans per standard 6 ounce cup of water.

So if you have expensive tastes and want a 12 ounce mug of the rarest and most expensive coffee on the planet, you still need only pay what some premium coffee houses charge for a latte ($3.50) for that rare privilege. So if you have expensive tastes and want a 12 ounce mug of the rarest and most expensive coffee sold, the exotic Kopi Luwak, at $175 per pound, is still less than $1.75 per 6 ounce cup when brewed at home! Even the rarest and most expensive coffee sold, the exotic Kopi Luwak, at $175 per pound, is still less than $1.75 per 6 ounce cup when brewed at home! Prices of premium gourmet coffee beans range between $10 and $18 per pound, making a cup of home-brewed gourmet coffee, made fresh to your liking, cost only between .10 cents and .25 cents per cup or between $1.00 and $2.00 per pot of coffee!

When consumers learn that they can purchase gourmet whole bean coffee for between $10 to $18 per pound, then fresh grind and brew at home for significantly less than gourmet coffee companies charge, many see home brewing premium gourmet coffee as luxurious treat. Purchasing a thermos or a large travel mug to take coffee with them from home makes drinking rich, fresh roasted coffee a possibility for about one-seventh the cost of buying that coffee from expensive and crowded coffee shops.

Many so-called premium coffee houses keep their coffee heated on warmers after brewing, but this practice causes the flavor to turn bitter after less than an hour of warming. It is actually more likely you will get a rich flavorful cup of coffee from an insulated thermos or insulated type pump containers. Reheating coffee can destroy the flavor of good gourmet coffee - just as quickly as extensive warming.

Coffee purists prefer to make individual cups with a coffee press, fresh grinding beans for each cup and drinking the entire amount brewed before it turns cold to get the maximum enjoyment from their beans. Microwave a good cup of coffee that has gone cold and you'll see how much better it is freshly brewed. Using good clean, fresh water is essential since coffee is 99% water and bad tasting tap water can quickly ruin even the best fresh ground beans.

You can enjoy great gourmet coffee more and pay less for the privilege by starting with whole beans and grinding them yourself with a $20 coffee grinder. Make only what you can drink or carry with you in a nice thermos or travel mug instead of reheating coffee later. Use good tasting water and keep your brewing equipment clean to prevent the rancid bitterness that can come from previous grounds in crevices.

You can brew at home with fine gourmet coffee beans, fresh ground and brewed in a French press coffee maker, carry a fancy thermos of great coffee to work or school and enjoy the best coffee available for far less money than you would spend at crowded and expensive premium coffee house.

© Copyright 2005 http://www.TastesofTheWorld.net

"If you are happy tell a friend if you are not tell us" Rare Gourmet Coffee is their business so they make shopping with them risk free. Written by Mike Banks Valentine for Tastes of The World coffee company, focusing on specialty gourmet coffees which are not readily available in the United States.

What's In a Cup of Coffee?

If coffee prices continue to follow their upward trend, on a weekly basis you may end up paying as much for your cup of coffee as you do to fill-up your automobile's gasoline tank. An innocent four dollars spent a day at your favorite coffee shop amounts to $960+ annually.

In the end, you have to ask yourself if having nothing to show for it is worth drinking that money away.

If only we made a concerted effort to curtail our daily spending, we could invest in something that offers a tangible benefit - not just now but something for future generations to enjoy. Rarely do we think about our daily spending habits and how quite literally we are throwing money right down the drain.

Your name in stone, how's that for tangible? If you are lucky, you are a multimillionaire that makes generous donations to organizations that name buildings after you!

Well…there is a substantially less expensive way for your name and face to live on for posterity - it's called an heirloom portrait.

Whether your investment in a heirloom portrait is for the boardroom or the stairwell in your home, future generations will see, will remember, and will enjoy your image - a confirmation of your existence in the world.

While some portraits might be formal in nature, they may also be environmental (natural surroundings as opposed to a studio backdrop) and reflect your occupation or hobby. Generally these portraits are three-quarter or from the waist up and are framed.

Put down that cup of coffee and call your photographer today! So what are you waiting for? Additionally, there are different paper substrates available for giclee printing such an archival fine art matte or canvas. Watercolor or oil painting effects can be applied to photographic images to make it truly unique. Depending on your taste a heirloom portrait can be black and white, sepia, or color.

Coffee Prices Going Up

More people are drinking coffee it seems. Unlike the price of fuel where we are worried about the War in Iran that is soon to be or the Civil Rest in Nigeria and disruption in production, the issues with coffee is more about increased demand on the supply and demand equation. Unlike the price of Coffee is going up and again it is the typical issue of supply and demand. Well folks it looks like the price of Coffee is going up and again it is the typical issue of supply and demand.

Additionally droughts have plagued some of the coffee crops as well. Just like Hurricane Katrina and Rita caused issues with production and refining and hampering of supplies, coffee too takes a hit when Central America is flooded from Hurricanes and Tropical Storms. But there are other problematic things, which are driving up the price of coffee; for instance the weather.

Think on this in 2006. In English for you and I, well that means higher coffee prices at the market of course. In 2006 and 2007 there maybe more production than before but it has barely kept up with demand and no significant global surplus is on the horizon. Before the weather issues the International Coffee Organization had predicted a global surplus in coffee, although they are not saying that anymore, not since the weather has taken its tool.

why the coffee market itself is a very competitive sector

Since coffee is by far the most popular drinks of our times, without any known rival so far, it goes without saying that the coffee market itself is a very competitive sector. With the huge number of coffee brands, companies have to come up not with just good prices, but with quality guarantees to prove that their coffee is well-flavored and tasty. Statistics show that there is only one commerce domain more active than coffee market and it is that of oil; consequently one can hardly imagine the extent of the transactions and the number of figures for the profits that result from the coffee market.

From time to time, crisis periods appear on the coffee market, related to poor bean quality, the creation of stocks or oversupplies, not to mention the very low coffee prices. All these elements threaten to affect the lives of those who depend on coffee cultivation for a living, the coffee farmers or producers. Furthermore, pollution has a heavy word to say in the evolution of the coffee-growing areas where entire ecosystems could be endangered; while the coffee consumer is actually unaware of the strive that is going on behind the morning coffee he or she prepares.

In global economy, the coffee market is among the fewest domains where small producers dominate trade commodities; statistics show that more than 75% of the world's coffee production comes from little farms that are entirely independent in terms of harvesting and supplying. Every time, coffee prices drop, there are farmers who come to abandon their coffee fields, moving to different sectors of activity. Such changes on the coffee market leads to instability within many communities as well as to shifts in the evolution of national economies since a part of the investments in the sector are lost.

Though the demand on the coffee market usually remains stable, there are times when fluctuations occur here as well. However, even during the times when the coffee prices drop, there is no relevant price reduction for the coffee products on the market due to the same little fluctuation in the demand. If people need just as much coffee as before, why would anyone try to make it cheaper: businesses profit from this constancy in the field and have profit changes unaffected by such fluctuations. Such transactions profitable only for some parts of the trading process are not suspected by the small farmers who have no idea about the coffee price in London or Sydney.

change the world by changing your morning routine

Did you know that you can be an agent for positive change by making a few small changes to your morning coffee routine?

Research from the National Coffee Association (NCA) indicates that more than 100-million cups of coffee are brewed each day in homes and offices across America. In fact, coffee is second only to oil as one of the most actively traded commodities in the world. When you consider the resources it takes to get coffee from the plant to your mug, it makes sense that – just as automobiles are "going green" – there’s room for eco-friendly improvements when it comes to coffee.

Keurig, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., is one of the companies working to provide socially- and environmentally-conscious coffee options. This is great news since about 6% of all coffee brewed in offices in the U.S. is brewed using Keurig coffee makers ! If you're one of these millions of people, here are some quick and easy ways you can help our planet:

Help Farmers

Make a difference in the lives of farmers around the world by purchasing Fair Trade Certified(TM) organic Keurig K-Cup coffees. All too often coffee prices are set by intermediaries who lower the price per pound of coffee paid to farmers then raise the price per pound for sellers. Under Fair Trade, the middleman is cut out, and farmers receive a fixed minimum price per pound. This means that farmers can count on earning a set minimum price per pound of coffee produced. Buyers of Fair Trade certified coffee help these coffee growers utilize better growing practices, and earn enough money to sustain their families and way of life.

Reduce Waste

Instead of using a new Keurig K-Cup each time you want a cup of coffee, switch to "My K-Cup" Reusable Filters. Reusable filters reduce waste as you can fill, brew, rinse and reuse the filter over and over. The Keurig single-cup filter allows for more personal customization as you choose the type of coffee, the quantity and the grind. Since there is no paper filter or K-Cup to throw away, waste is minimal. When you’re done, simply hand-rinse your reusable filter or pop it into the dishwasher.

Support a Worthy Cause

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters offers Keurig K-Cup(R) Portion Packs from Newman's Own(R) Organics. Not only are these coffees Fair Trade Certified(TM), a portion of the proceeds go toward funding both companies' shared philanthropic goals. In fact, Paul Newman donates 100% of his after-tax proceeds to charitable causes!

When you purchase any of Newman’s Own(R) Organics, the proceeds support Coffee Kids(TM) in its mission to help coffee-growing families in Oaxaca, Mexico. The non-profit organization works to improve the quality of people's lives by building more sustainable communities through an innovative agricultural program.

There are currently seven selections in Newman's Own(R) Organics line of Fair Trade Certified(TM) organic coffees: Newman's Special Blend, Newman's French Roast, Newman's Special Decaf, Café Almond Biscotti, Nell's Breakfast Blend, Colombian Especial, and Vanilla Caramel. These coffees do some good while tasting great!

It's clear that the path to making a positive change in the world starts with small changes in your everyday life. You too can make a difference, one cup of coffee at a time.

About CoffeeCow

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