Village Coffee Cafe Blog » organic Coffee http://www.villagecoffeecafe.com/blog Beyond the Usual Grind Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:13:49 +0000 en hourly 1 The Coffee Guy The Coffee Guy Beyond the Usual Grind No No Give Yourself And Others The Gift Of Coffee Sustainability http://www.villagecoffeecafe.com/blog/how-green-is-your-coffee-shop/ http://www.villagecoffeecafe.com/blog/how-green-is-your-coffee-shop/#comments Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:43:13 +0000 The Coffee Guy http://www.villagecoffeecafe.com/blog/?p=92 For those of us who stop at a local shop for our morning or afternoon "To Go" cup of coffee or espresso or whatever you choose to order, there's a whole lot of cups being used and thrown away. I found a site with some great suggestions. My thanks to the Planet Green folks over at Discovery.com for the following list of tips.

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]]> For those of us who stop at a local shop for our morning or afternoon "To Go" cup of coffee or espresso or whatever you choose to order, there's a whole lot of cups being used and thrown away. I found a site with some great suggestions. My thanks to the Planet Green folks over at Discovery.com for the following list of tips.

Top Green Coffee & Tea Tips

  1. The local brew
    Seek out the coffee and tea that have traveled the least distance to reach you and also aim at supporting local, independent farms, cafés, and roasters.
  2. Mug Shots
    Go ahead, find that perfect mug and make the investment. Not only is a reusable mug more pleasurable to sip out of than a paper cup, but it will replace an untold number of disposable cups, plastic sippy tops, “java jackets,” and other disposable paraphernalia. If you've got a thing for paper cups and Greek art, try a more durable "We Are Happy to Serve You", the handy-work of TreeHugger founder Graham Hill. Make a quick tally of how many disposable coffee or tea cups you use in a month…yeah, it’s probably a lot.
  3. Organic
    Coffee and tea that bear organic certification are more eco-friendly because they are grown and processed without toxic chemicals, are cultivated and harvested in ways that protect sensitive ecosystems, and spare workers from exposure to harmful pesticides and herbicides. Shade grown coffee is another important category that preserves habitats for migratory birds on coffee farms, also letting beans mature more slowly and creating richer flavors.
  4. Fair Trade
    Not only does certified fair trade coffee and tea help ensure living wages and safe working conditions for farmers, but TransFair and Rainforest Alliance both include rigorous environmental standards in their certification criteria.
  5. Home brew
    The local café is great. It’s got your friends, good food, free wireless. But if you think you can be greener in your own kitchen, give it a try. When you do it at home you know where the beans and leaves are coming from and also where they go when they’re spent. Plus, you can’t forget your mug, you can choose organic milk, and never toss out another paper sugar packet. Try a bit of quick math on the cost savings of making your morning cup-o-joe at home.
  6. Loosen up
    Tea bags and coffee filters can be useful but are mostly unnecessary. Great coffee can be made at home with a reusable filter or a stovetop espresso maker. A quality tea infuser can last a lifetime and replace an untold number of (questionably compostable) tea bags. If you do use filters and bags, look for biodegradable and unbleached ones.
  7. Milk and sugar
    Most people put one thing or another in their hot beverage of choice. Don’t foul up your organic, fair trade, bird friendly, solar roasted brew with chemical and hormone-laden milk and sugar from a little paper packet. If you don’t do the cow thing, look for organic rice, soy, or almond milk to yin up your yang. In the US, TransFair also certifies sugar, so even your sugar can be fair trade. (Maple syrup in coffee is another well-kept secret.)
  8. "Press" the issue
    If the local coffee shop you love doesn’t carry coffee and tea that meet your standards, start asking politely. Starbucks has a universal policy under which they will brew a French press of fair trade coffee for anyone who asks.
  9. Compost the roast
    Tea leaves and especially coffee grounds make outstanding compost. Coffee’s high nitrogen content has made it a fertilizer of choice since days of yore. Composting leaves and grounds helps keep organic waste out of landfills, makes great soil, and keeps waste baskets dry. If you don’t have a heap to toss it on, just spread coffee grounds on the top of your plants’ soil.
  10. Gift the good stuff
    Organic coffee and tea make superb gifts for friends and coworkers, as well as effective peace offerings for estranged family members and ex-lovers. It’s also a great way to get people appreciating the many benefits of a “greener” coffee or tea habit.
Again my thanks to the people over at Planet green
Not the usual grind,
A tip of the mug to photographers Evangelos Vlasopoulos for the coffee cup with beans and to Ali Farid for the use of the photos

Cafe Britt Fair Trade coffee

]]> http://www.villagecoffeecafe.com/blog/how-green-is-your-coffee-shop/feed/ 0 Organic Fair Trade Sumatra Gayoland Coffee http://www.villagecoffeecafe.com/blog/200/ http://www.villagecoffeecafe.com/blog/200/#comments Thu, 06 Nov 2008 08:57:49 +0000 The Coffee Guy http://www.villagecoffeecafe.com/blog/?p=200 Sumatra Gayoland Coffee - Organic and Fair Trade When you are looking for a rich full bodied coffee that is also organic and fair trade, take a look at Sumatra Coffee.

Sumatra is one of the islands in Indonesia is the sixth largest island in the world. Long an ideal place for growing coffee it has had coffee growers using organic methods for many years. Some time ago Forestrade an organization which markets organic foodstuffs gathered together the organic coffee growers in the northern part of Sumatra.

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]]> Sumatra Gayoland Coffee - Organic and Fair Trade When you are looking for a rich full bodied coffee that is also organic and fair trade, take a look at Sumatra Coffee.

Sumatra is one of the islands in Indonesia is the sixth largest island in the world. Long an ideal place for growing coffee it has had coffee growers using organic methods for many years. Some time ago Forestrade an organization which markets organic foodstuffs gathered together the organic coffee growers in the northern part of Sumatra.

Forestrade helped the growers develop standards so their organic coffee beans would be widely accepted throughout the world. The northern area is also known as Gayoland or Mandheling after the tribes who lived in the area. The Sumatra Gayoland Coffee brand has become well know for their specialty coffee.

Gayoland coffee has a sweet almost fruit like flavor. But its boldness will let it be a great finish to a grilled steak or venison.

If you are drinking a full bodied red, then this coffee will finish the meal with style. It's bold yet smooth and its flavor won't get lost. Pair with a great cigar to finish the evening.

Hand roasted by Finger Lakes Coffee in Upstate New York, Sumatra Gayoland Coffee is sure to please.

Not the usual grind,

]]> http://www.villagecoffeecafe.com/blog/200/feed/ 0 Solar Roasted Fair Trade Organic Coffee http://www.villagecoffeecafe.com/blog/solar-roasted-fair-trade-coffee/ http://www.villagecoffeecafe.com/blog/solar-roasted-fair-trade-coffee/#comments Mon, 07 Apr 2008 23:02:01 +0000 The Coffee Guy http://villagecoffeecafe.com/blog/5/ solar-powered-coffee.jpg

 

As much as I am a coffee lover, I also strongly believe in conserving the earth's resources wisely. Now two brothers in Pueblo, Colorado had linked both together. Using 100% carbon neutral techniques, the Hartkops sell Fair Trade and organic coffees in their Pueblo shop and online.

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As much as I am a coffee lover, I also strongly believe in conserving the earth's resources wisely. Now two brothers in Pueblo, Colorado had linked both together. Using 100% carbon neutral techniques, the Hartkops sell Fair Trade and organic coffees in their Pueblo shop and online.

The Hartkops brothers David and Michael have combined interests and skills to deliver: Solar Roasted Coffee.  Using over 70 solar panels they heated air to over 900 degrees farenheit.  They then transfer the superheated air to a coffee roaster where they roast the coffee to perfection.  The beans are Fair Trade and organic.  You can find out more by going to www.solarroast.com/

When there isn't enough sun to power the roaster the Hartkops buy carbon offset credits from other solar energy providers.

 I'm looking forward to my first cup of solar roasted coffee.

 

Not the usual grind,

the-coffee-guy-signature_1.jpg

 

Tip of the coffee mug (er, hat) to Sean Hauser of KRDO.com

Photo of solar panel by Agata Urbaniak
Photo of red mug by Teerapong boongird

 

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