Drink ethically

Somewhere, deep within the thriving heart of the world’s rain forests, a symphony is playing. A chorus of exotic birds and wild insects keep time with the swaying branches of the mightiest trees. Vibrant flowers explode with color against the intense greens. Beauty untouched by the hands of humanity thrives. Though this is changing.

As the global market for coffee continues to exponentially grow, so does the amount of rainforest land used for farms. With the focus solely rooted in cost-cutting, most of these farms clear out the natural growth in order to produce cheaper beans. Empty lots in place of what was once flourishing forestland stretch on for acres. This has major repercussions for native ecosystems.

Beneath the canopy resides more than half of the world’s known species, meaning any modifications leads to massive losses. However, beneath the canopy also lies the perfect natural environment for the cultivation of coffee plants. Beans grown beneath the shade of the existing trees, otherwise known as shade-grown, must become the market-standard. The power is in the hands of the consumer to only support coffee brands that have been certified as sustainable and shade-grown. Drink ethically!

Olivia Wiebe

Spokane