Sustainable Food Purchasing: Coffee and Tea
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Coffee, a staple beverage in most restaurants, rings up $70 billion in sales each year. To keep up with demand, some growers have turned to methods of mass production that use excess chemicals and pesticides, pollute waterways, and harm wildlife habitat. Fortunately, more sustainable means of cultivating coffee beans exists.
To ensure that your coffee supply is environmentally sound, here’s what dining managers can do to help:
- Buy from credible suppliers. Several certification systems exist and vary in criteria, from bird-friendly to fair trade. Select those like Rainforest Alliance Certified that help ensure sustainable farm management, conservation of natural habitat, and responsible pest control.
- Go organic. Although participation in credible programs like Rainforest Alliance Certified should be your first priority, you can further strengthen your purchases by buying coffee with an organic label. The cultivation of organic coffee does less harm to the environment than other beans because farmers must reduce or avoid synthetic pesticides and rotate crops to sustain or replenish natural soil fertility.
Posted: 27-Jan-2009; Updated: 19-Jun-2009
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