Why You Need To Support Fair Trade Coffee More Than Ever

252e

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

Coffee Tips (and the Elimination Thereof)

Rather, it's the tip cup that bothers me... I have recently become frustrated with something at doughnut establishments, and I'm not referring to the scones, although -- seriously -- just think about the writing possibilities if I were.

But for the sake of this column, I need to be oblivious to all of the other ones in order to keep some sort of focus, so bear with me here... To begin, I do realize that doughnut (or donut, take your pick) shops aren't the only places with these cups.

Yogi: That's right, I am.

Smokey: Me too

Blood and jelly are the same color and I realize that... The thing is, I always end up tipping because it's become an obligation rather than a choice. Is it the way the employees stretch to grab the lemon-filled that is so challenging, or is coffee pouring more of an art than I thought it was? At any rate, my first question is what we are tipping when we contribute extra change, sometimes even dollar bills, into the doughnut tip cup.

Still, this tip cup could have its advantages. For example, doughnut establishments could use the money to fund research in the creation of new doughnuts. Personally, I'd like to know that my extra 15 cents per day was putting some college intern hard to work in order to find out if sprinkles really do taste better when they're multi-colored, or to see if crème mixed with pickle juice is such a bad idea after all. And then, when this research is complete (and thorough), I want to see my name somewhere on the official document...

Doughnut Shop Owner: Wait a minute, wait a minute -- you are getting way too carried away.

Greg: So are you. And it's about time someone stood up for the doughnut consumers of America.

Owner: That's ironic, considering most of them sit down.

Greg: True. But that's besides the point. I will only stop writing when you tell me why the tip cup is there.

Owner: I will, but I need you to keep this is a secret, okay?

Greg: Sounds good to me.

Owner: You see, we need advice -- like, really serious advice. And so we put that tip cup there hoping that we'd get it, and unfortunately people are missing the point.

Greg: Oh, I see. Well, I have some advice for you, sir.

Owner: Thank you, what is it?

Greg: Well, it'll cost you 50 cents...

But I digress.

coffee bean processing and roasting 101

This pit, containing up to 2.5 percent caffeine, is a major export for several countries. Technically speaking the bean is the pit, similar to the pit found in a cherry or apricot, but with two half oval shapes facing each other. The coffee plant produces a red or purple fruit, but people are less interested in that than they are in the actual coffee bean. Unripe and bad beans will float to the top, while the good beans will sink to he bottom. The green bean is then put through a process of sorting, done by immersing the bean in water. The coffee bean is cultivated and is green. This is how most coffee is processed. The beans are then thoroughly rinsed with water to get rid of the microbes. Pulp that is left on the beans is removed by letting them sit in a pool full of microbes for several days. Once the sorting has been done, the beans are washed and fermented. The oldest and most traditional ways of processing coffee is the dry method. The beans, once harvested, are laid out in thin layers on tables to dry out in the sun. This takes significantly longer to do, up to two weeks. To prevent mildew, the beans need to be moved around a lot. This dry processed coffee is in high demand, but because it is so much more labor intensive, only a few regions do it. Ethiopia produces the most, followed by Brazil and Yemen. Once processed, green coffee beans can be stored for up to a year. If kept in a cool, clean and dry place, there is no reason for it to go bad before the year is up. Almost all of the coffee that consumers across the world buy has already been roasted, though it is possible to buy green coffee and roast it themselves at home. The coffee bean is then roasted.

This pit, containing up to 2.5 percent caffeine, is a major export for several countries. Technically speaking the bean is the pit, similar to the pit found in a cherry or apricot, but with two half oval shapes facing each other. The coffee plant produces a red or purple fruit, but people are less interested in that than they are in the actual coffee bean.Unripe and bad beans will float to the top, while the good beans will sink to he bottom. The green bean is then put through a process of sorting, done by immersing the bean in water. The coffee bean is cultivated and is green.This is how most coffee is processed. The beans are then thoroughly rinsed with water to get rid of the microbes. Pulp that is left on the beans is removed by letting them sit in a pool full of microbes for several days. Once the sorting has been done, the beans are washed and fermented.Almost all of the coffee that consumers across the world buy has already been roasted, though it is possible to buy green coffee and roast it themselves at home. The coffee bean is then roasted.