Starbucks Passion

Challenging Climate Change - Organic Shade Grown Mexico

In keeping with one of my favourite aspects of Starbucks’ corporate mandate, this post is dedicated to examining Starbucks’ climate change CSR initiative. But more specifically, I want to talk about Organic Shade Grown Mexico coffee.

Not only is Shade Grown Mexico one of Starbucks’ finest coffees, it’s also certified organic by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. This is a big deal because they don’t just hand out Organic certified labels. Organic coffee needs to follow rigorous guidelines in order to be certified. Making an organic bean means that the coffee growing process has to be monitored very closely and no details can be overlooked. And when all Starbucks stores carry Organic Shade Grown Mexico, it shows Starbucks’ dedication to selling an environmentally-friendly, organic product…without compromise.

Starbucks partners with Conservation International to produce this coffee, which epitomizes their endless commitment to the environment. Starbucks and CI work with coffee farmers to protect the tropical forests in their coffee growing regions – especially in Chiapas, Mexico. These tropical forests absorb carbon dioxide, helping combat climate change. Carbon dioxide depletes the ozone layer and contributes to climate change. “Did you know the burning and clearing of forests contributes approximately 16 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and fuels climate change?” (http://www.conservation.org/learn/climate/Pages/overview.aspx)  By protecting these carbon-absorbing forests, Starbucks is doing their part to challenge and slow down climate change.

How does Starbucks prevent deforestation in the Chiapas region? Well, it’s simple. By creating a need for the shade grown bean, Starbucks is keeping the forests ‘in business.’ Money is king and when Starbucks invests so much into a product, they are single-handedly saving these forests from deforestation. “For every acre of tropical forest we protect, we can keep up to 100 tons of carbon dioxide out of the air.” (Organic Shade Grown Mexico package)

Also, we can’t overlook the support Starbucks and CI give to these shade grown coffee farmers. These farmers represent a niche coffee growing population and because of their contracts with Starbucks, they are able to support their families and well, save the planet. Business sense never had such an environmental-friendly focus. Sure, many of Starbucks’ CSR initiatives help the environment, but this one is exceptional; helping farmers help the planet.

Finally, I think it’s appropriate to talk about the coffee itself for a second. It’s medium-bodied and crisp with citrusy and nutty undertones. It’s delicious. Starbucks says it can be paired with fruit, like bananas and blueberries. Or choose citrus fruits to expose its acidity. Simply put, it’s a great coffee. Thankfully, when a coffee is so delicious, demand for it spikes and when demand spikes, supply needs to follow suit. It’s simple economics that results in the continued production of this environmentally-friendly coffee.  The more we buy, the more they make, allowing for continued tropical forest protection. A win-win on all fronts.

So buy a bag and do your part for the environment.