April - Ban Non-Organic Coffee

 This month I have decided to take on the issue of coffee. So many people drink their much needed pick-me-up without questioning what they are even drinking. I was curious about this fact, so I did some research and was surprised at what I found. But before I even address the evils of non-certified organic coffee, don't even get me started on the waste created by all those disposable cups! Plus the reusable cups sold by both Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts are unsafe, since their lining is usually uncovered plastic which can leach into the hot drinks. 

How is non-organic coffee bad? 

1. All the pesticides applied on large commercial farms not only poisons the targeted animal, but anything that might eat these pests, resulting in ecological damages. 
2. We don't know what the farmer's and worker's conditions are like. 
3. The now sold GMO Frankenbeans might be in anything not labeled "USDA certified organic". 
4. Farmers aren't paid fair wages, and are at the mercy of the market. When the market is very low they could be getting only a few cents a day! 
5. We don't know what pesticides are used. For all we know it could be something banned in your country for it's toxicity.

So what are some of these common coffee pests and what pesticides are commonly used on them? 

1. The cherry/berry borer-the female beetle bores inside a developing coffee cherry and lays about 15 eggs. The larvae then feed on the coffee cherry from the inside. They are pretty much impossible to control with insecticides as they spend most of their life in the cherry.                                                 Pesticides Used-Endosulfan-(Endosulfan is now banned globally), Chlorpyrifos, Diazinon, and Cypermethrin. 
2. Coffee Leaf Miner-The larvae from the moths riddles the coffee leaves with holes reducing the plants ability to photosynthesize.                                                                                                                   Pesticides Used-Chlorpyrifos, Disulfoton, and Methyl Parathion (a.k.a. ethyl parathion and parathion) 
3. Coffee Rust-a fungus that covers leaves in yellow spots. It reduces photosynthesis and can affect future coffee growth.                                                                                                                           Pesticides Used-Triadimefon 

What are the health affects on humans, animals, and the environment from these pesticides? 

1. Endosulfan-It was banned globally in 2011 yet some websites still sell it! It may take years to completely break down, due to the fact that it does not dissolve in water (but it does degrade) and sticks to soil particles. Endosulfan is ranked up with DDT for it's environmental toxicity and bioaccumulation. It is toxic to mammals, birds, and fish. It causes liver and kidney damage among other health concerns. Colombia has considered Endosulfan worse than the coffee cherry borer. In 1994 Colombia reported over 100 poisonings and three deaths attributed to Endosulfan. 
2. Chlorpyrifos- Was banned for most household uses by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2000. It is a contact poison, Chlorpyrifos has caused many human deaths and is linked to birth defects. It ia extremely toxic to birds, freshwater and marine organisms, bees, and other wildlife, it also bioaccumulates. 
3. Diazinon- Not very toxic to mammals unless inhaled, but extremely toxic to the wildlife and beneficial insects, and acutely toxic to birds. In the U.S. it is still commonly applied on turfgrass. It has caused the second highest level of bird mortality of any pesticide. 
4. Disulfoton- Restricted in the U.S, due to its high toxicity to mammals by all routes of exposure, it is also highly toxic to birds and fish. Secondary exposure occurs after birds eat the insects who ate the residue-laden leaves. These insects are easier to catch since they are near death from the pesticide. High levels of toxins can be attained in this way resulting in a high number of bird deaths. It is applied in granular form which poses a threat of runoff and the contamination of other crops if the coffee is planted on a slope, which it often is. It degrades or is changed by plants into harmful compounds which are very persistent in the environment. Ranked in class 1a, extremely toxic. 
5. Methyl Parathion (a.k.a. ethyl parathion, or just parathion)- One of the most toxic pesticides, it is highly restricted in the U.S. it's very toxic to birds when it's ingested through skin exposure. It is also very toxic to animals and fish it is persistent in soil and will bioaccumulate. Areas sprayed with this chemical should not be entered for 48 hours. It is banned in Indonesia and restricted in Colombia, though it is reported that methyl parathion is not used safely in South America. Ranked in class 1a, extremely toxic. 
6. Triadimefon- Copper based fungicide used against the coffee rust. It is only slightly toxic to birds and little is known about the health affects on humans, though it is suspected to cause reproductive problems with chronic exposure. The major concern is copper accumulation in the soil, which can impact biochemical and biological processes in the soil. 
7. Cypermethrin- Generally low toxicity to birds, but ingestion of contaminated insects causes young birds to die. Extremely toxic to fish or other aquatic organisms, and should not be applied any place where it can run into a body of water. 

And even though roasting the coffee beans generally eliminates the pesticides, if you're drinking decaffeinated coffee chances are you're drinking poison! 

How is decaf poisonous? 

There are six different processes to decaffeinate coffee, only two are actually safe and don't involve chemicals. 

1. The Roselius Process- No longer used due to the health concerns about Benzene which was used in the process. 
2. Swiss Water Process- Safe method of decaffeination involving the soaking of the coffee beans in green coffee extract to eliminate the caffeine content. 
3. Direct Method- Beans are first steamed for 30 min. than repeatedly rinsed with either dichloromethane or ethyl acetate for 10 hours. The coffee beans are than steamed again for another 10 hours. Coffees that are treated with ethyl acetate are sometimes referred to as Naturally processed because ethyl acetate can be derived from fruits and vegetables, but in the decaffeination of coffee the ethyl acetate is synthetic.  
4. Indirect Method- Beans are soaked in liquid and treated with dichloromethane or ethyl acetate. 
5. CO2 Process- Coffee beans are pre-steamed and put in a pressure chamber immersed in supercritical carbon dioxide. After a thorough soaking (about 10 hours) pressure is returned to normal and the CO2 with attached caffeine evaporates. 
6. Triglyceride Process- First green coffee beans are soaked in hot water to bring the caffeine to the surface of the beans. The beans are then transferred to another container and immersed in coffee oils. After several hours of high temperatures the oils extract the caffeine, but not the flavor, from the coffee beans.  

So if barely any pesticides make it in my cup of coffee, what's the big deal? 

1. The farmers who work on the farms or factories with the pesticides or chemicals, suffer from severe health issues. 
2. The chemicals applied to the coffee trees have the potential to travel up the food chain to us. 
3. The harmful chemical used on the farm or in factories have to be dumped somewhere, and might eventually end up in our water or food supply. 

What are some coffee brands that are best avoided? 

• Starbucks 
• Dunkin' Donuts 
• Folgers 
• Coffee-Mate 
• Taster's Choice
• Maxwell House
• Nescafe 
• Nesspresso 
• Georgia Coffee
• Illy Issimo 
• Alterra Coffee Roasters 
• Gevalia 
• Jacobs 
• Kenco 
• Onko 
• Tassimo 
• Carte Noir 
• Grand Mere  

And what brands are ok? 

• Thanksgiving Coffee Company 
• Audubon Shade Grown Coffee 
• Birds and Beans 
• Golden Valley Farms 
• Caffe Ibis  

And now for the levels and your assignments for the month, assess your level and try your best to stick with the recommendations for that level. 

Level One- No one told you there was such a problem with coffee, but you really don't want to give up your drive in coffee habits. Here are some ideas for you: 

1. Watch Living With Coffee, a fair trade documentary. 
2. Limit yourself to only three trips a week to Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts. 
3. Try to buy a bag or two of USDA certified organic, fair trade coffee. 

Level Two- You know only organic coffee is actually ok for you, but can't resist a cup of coffee on the go. Here are some ideas for you: 

1. Watch Living With Coffee, a fair trade documentary. 
2. Your challenge is to only go into Starbucks or Dunkin' Donuts two times at the most this month. 
3. If you don't already have bird friendly, shade-grown, Organic coffee buy a bag or two. 
4. Watch Shade-Grown Coffee

Level Three- You wouldn't be caught dead in one of those commercial coffee shops! Here are some ideas for you: 

1. Watch Living With Coffee, a fair trade documentary.
2. Not all small coffee shops carry organic environmentally friendly coffees. Your challenge is to ask 3 or 4 small coffee shops to sell USDA, fair trade, and/or bird friendly coffee brands. 

Level Four- This is all old news to you, and a ingrained part of your life! Here are some ideas for you: 

1. Talk to at least three people this month while you're in a coffee shop, about non-organic coffee. 
2. Check out what farms are dynamically certified at Demeter Association. 
3. Please share my blog with 10 people. It would be much appreciated! : )  

Resources 

• http://www.coffeehabitat.com/2006/12/pesticides_used_1/ 
• http://www.coffeehabitat.com/2006/12/pesticides_used_2/ 
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decaffeination 
• http://www.coffeehabitat.com/2010/03/certified-birdfriendly-coffee/