The Pandemic - an Opportunity to Rethink Our Way of Life
A look back at 2020, and looking forward to thriving and supporting local businesses…
For those who are prone to anxiety attacks, there was no better fodder than the daily news of doom, gloom, and uncertainty that was being churned out by media during the early spring of last year. But even that would not have been enough to cause the great toilet paper shortage of 2020, when people went on such a mad buying spree as to leave others perplexed and paperless.
If you were one of those who already had ample supplies, it was the only comic relief that made us reflect on the psychology of panic. It’s not as if it was a cholera pandemic after all, and people were not suddenly going to the bathroom so much more then before, even if we did spend more time than ever sequestered in our homes.
Following that, things didn’t look up much really. But, the pandemic has definitely forced us to rethink our priorities, to be thankful for what we do have, and to appreciate the simpler things in life – family, relationships in general, and the human connection.
The lock-down munchies
It has also forced us to rethink our shopping and eating habits. For instance, for those who live in a big city, in the before times we might have made a couple of trips a week to a supermarket for non-consumables and basics like milk and bread, while we got by with fast-food or ate out at up-scale restaurants for the rest of the week.
During the first months of 2020, when the lockdown was more extreme, places like pizza restaurants saw a surge in business because they already had the infrastructure to cope with it. But there were many city businesses who didn’t adapt and sadly closed down.
In the beginning, city dwellers were caught out trying to think of what to eat without having to buy ingredients and learning how to cook, so they did the next best thing – eat a lot of take-out. But people soon adapted to the new normal by realizing that living on take-out is not financially viable in the long run. And the lockdown kept being extended.
So they got to cookin’.
Bulk items like flour, sugar, spices and canned goods flew off the shelves. Supermarkets had people taking selfies with the backdrop of empty shelves to document the severity of the situation.
Patience and preserves
In rural areas, the situation was not much different. Canning, as in preserving fruits and vegetables in jars, must have reached a peak because there was not a jar in sight to be bought. Even now, it’s hard to find glass jars for preserving food, which brings up the issue of prepping.
We wouldn’t be wrong if we hoped for the best, but who’s to say that things won’t get worse before they get better? Even if we don’t experience more lockdowns, a major recession is not unlikely given government overspending and even the suspension of imports from major trade-partners. This is not to scare you. We’re still optimistic for the future. It’s just that preparing for all possibilities isn’t that crazy anymore. The question is how to do it sustainably.
During an extreme lockdown when non-essential businesses are closed, it may be tempting to go to the nearest big box store or hypermarket to stock up on certain goods. That might be a good idea when it comes to things such as paper, sanitary products, and cleaning products that are manufactured in huge quantities by large factories, but there are many consumables that would be best bought closer to home. This is invaluable for small-scale farms and businesses that rely on local traffic to keep them going.
It’s well worth searching for those suppliers that sell direct to the public and are within a relatively short distance of home. They’re the ones you want to have a good relationship with during harder times. Plus, by supporting them now, you may well earn yourself a prioritized customer status with them later when they become overwhelmed with demand, especially in a future where the imports that big box stores rely on are no longer an option.
Think local
Here is a list of places that are worth having on your side, regardless of what the future holds:
Dairy farms - for dairy products such milk, cheese, butter, yoghurt, kefir, but also eggs, honey, and locally made jellies etc.
Farms that sell grass-fed meats such as beef, pork, chicken, lamb, bison, turkey, including cured meats that have a much longer shelf-life
Fruit orchards - will usually have a direct to public store where they sell more than just fruit; so one might find baked goods, preserves, eggs, honey, etc.
Flour mills - these guys usually sell direct online and offer more than just wheat flour
Bakeries - for real breads and all things delicious
Coffee roasters
Cottage industry artisans that sell hand-made soaps, ointments, and other products that are crafted without toxic chemicals
Farmer’s markets of course are a great place to source and get to know suppliers of all of the above.
Wood suppliers of split and weathered wood for wood-stoves
Lumber yards and building material suppliers
Local hardware stores for emergency supplies like light bulbs, batteries, etc.
And if you are one of the thousands of ex-city dwellers who has recently relocated to the country as part of the urban exodus and you’re thinking of starting a business, here are some additional ideas to those above for what might come in demand in a more locally focused world:
Organic permaculture supply store to aid self-sufficiency & suburban farming
Butcher/small-scale meat processing facility where people can take their livestock to be butchered (Think of how many people would love to keep a pig or chickens for food, and now think of how many would like the thought of actually slaughtering them for food - now you get the picture.)
Crafting workshop to teach knitting, sewing, weaving, felt-making, etc. in person and online
Dress-maker & tailor shop where people can have clothes made to measure, or mended
Shoe-maker – for shoe-repair as well as custom creations
Yarn and fabric supply store
Sawmill to produce local finished lumber
Furniture maker without the designer prices
Blacksmith for all things metal that we often take for granted
Glassmith & pottery for essential, plastic-free homewares
Grain supply depot to stock and sell various grains & seeds
Industrial composting to feed all those new vegetable gardens
And anything we currently purely rely on importing really.
It’s not just during hard times that shopping local matters. It’s these smaller industries that are truly essential and need to be kept afloat for the sake of our economy and to sustain community wellbeing.
Check back soon for our list of all the local suppliers we’ve found in our area.
Got any other suggestions? Comment below.
Let’s get trashed
Trash, garbage, rubbish, refuse, call it what you will, it means something we don’t want any more and have the compulsion to throw away so as not to have to deal with it. The recyclable stuff, we hope, makes it to a processing place that solves the issue for us in an environmentally friendly way, and relieves our collective consciences. The other stuff that is biodegradable and decays relatively fast, we trust, will be dumped where it can break down, away from our noses and feed the soil.
At BetterWorld, we’ve set ourselves the goal of creating a business that doesn’t contribute to landfill. We only supply goods in reusable, biodegradable or recyclable packaging so as to make it easier for our customers to do the right thing.
So, what really happens with the contents of recycle bins, as well as the other bins filled with everything else that we want to forget about? The answer to this is not as simple as one might hope. But first, a little background on where we stand.
What on Earth?
In history, you may come across terms like the bronze age, the golden age, the age of enlightenment, so you might be compelled to ponder what name would best suit the age we’re living in now. Well, it doesn’t take much thought to figure out the prevalence of one particular material that would lend its name to our times: plastic. Yes, we’re in the ‘golden’ age of plastics.
Never has any material been so ubiquitous in our daily use as plastics. And it’s getting to the point where the macro is becoming micro. Plastic has now been found even in our blood, in the form of nano particles. Since plastic is not something that animals or humans have had to deal with before, unsurprisingly it can wreak havoc with our hormones and produce mutations that translate into epigenetic inheritance of obesity from one generation to the next, as well as reproductive diseases. There are plenty of studies that pertain to the fact that we, as humans, are not built to be ingesting or breathing (yes, breathing) in the stuff.
But here we will discuss the looming mountains of non-biodegradable garbage that we are generating, with no clear-cut solution in sight. The reason for most of our garbage not being biodegradable is plastic - which is made from crude oil, natural gas and coal derivatives, all of which are non-renewable resources, and which are combined into hardy and noxious plastics that can take up to 500 years to decay.
Will recycling save us?
Multinational companies that produce plastic or the materials to make it, are not interested in slowing down, because that’s how they make their money.
Garbage disposal companies collect, sort, sell or burn it, so they’re not in the business of creating environmentally friendly alternatives. At best, they sell the sorted stuff to companies that process it for further use.
Us, consumers, have been conditioned to use plastic products to the point that we need to think hard before we can unlearn the habits of storing everything in plastic, or what is even harder, try to buy anything that doesn’t come in plastic, apart from fresh produce. There are plenty of people who are worried about what we are doing to the planet, but until it becomes an economic problem, it’s hard to make the big guys hear.
But we cannot let cynicism and hopelessness dictate the future. We must do what we can, at least so as not to contribute to the problem.
Know your numbers
So, what is plastic? Petrochemical plants convert compounds derived from oil and gas - such as ethane, propane, butane, and methane - into chemicals like ethylene, propylene, butadiene, and methanol.
These chemicals are then used to make various types of plastics, industrial chemicals, agricultural pesticides.
While we all know what ‘plastic’ means in general, when it comes down to the way that we dispose of our plastics, it’s not so simple. It’s a game of numbers. According to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) the numbers shown inside those triangular arrows we are all familiar with was developed by the Society of Plastics Industry. Each number refers to different types of resins used in making plastic products and containers that have different characteristics. This numbering system also denotes whether a particular type is biodegradable or recyclable. The DEC lists the following types of plastic, and a short explanation about how each type may be recycled.
1 - PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) is used in the production of soft drink bottles, peanut butter jars. PET can be recycled into fiberfill for sleeping bags, carpet fibers, rope, pillows.
2 - HDPE (High-density polyethylene) is found in milk jugs, detergent and shampoo bottles. HDPE can be recycled into non-food bottles and recycling bins.
3 - V (Polyvinyl chloride) PVC is used in personal care products and other household goods. PVC can be recycled into drainage and irrigation pipes.
4 - LDPE (Low-density polyethylene) is used in bubble wrap, shrink wrap and bread bags. LDPE can be recycled into furniture and flooring.
5 - PP (Polypropylene) is used in dairy products tubs. PP can be recycled into brooms, brushes and garden rakes.
6 - PS (Polystyrene) is unique in that it comes in many different forms. It can be found as both a rigid, clear plastic as well as a foamed material where the plastic has been “expanded” by air into a foam. Polystyrene is also used in other different forms for construction and building projects.
Expanded Polystyrene foam is commonly found in disposable food containers used for prepared food and beverages such as takeout containers, cups, plates, bowls and trays as well as loose fill packaging materials (packing peanuts) and trays used for packaged raw meat, fish and eggs.
Currently, the majority of local recycling programs for residential areas do not accept this material for recycling because it can be difficult to sort, can decrease the value of other recyclables through contamination, and is not economically viable.
7 - Other - This category is a Mixture of various plastics
Plastic bags are a type of film plastic and film plastics should NOT be put in household recycling bins. They must be clean and not have any receipts in them after which they should only be put in special film plastics recycling bins that stores must provide customers by law, in a visible, easily accessible location. According to the DEC, if film plastics collection containers are not available in a regulated store, the DEC advises to email recycling@dec.ny.gov or call (518) 402-8706 (they will need the store name and address). Acceptable Film Plastics for Return to Retail Film Plastic Recycling include grocery bags, retail bags with string ties removed, stretch/shrink wrap, zip top food storage bags, bubble wrap, air pillows found inside shipping packages (must be deflated), furniture and electronic wrap, etc.
As far as the numbers designated to each type of plastic, the DEC also points out that even when packaging or products have these symbols stamped on them, it does not necessarily mean the item is recyclable in our local recycling program. For that, we are told that we must check our local recycling coordinator to find out what types of plastic containers are accepted.
So at BetterWord, that’s what we did. We asked Recycling Coordinator at Orange County Division of Environmental Facilities and Services Ermin Siljkovic about the challenges that the recycling business has been facing through the Covid 19 lockdown.
Challenges
Siljkovic said that “over the better part of 2020, we have seen a steep drop in participation from commercial sources due to the lockdown and a glut of material coming from households, especially mixed paper and cardboard due to the increase in online purchases. There is also the potential of increased contamination of recycling with the sudden prevalence of PPE (masks, gloves, etc.) in the solid waste stream”.
Orange County has three operating transfer stations and, according to Siljkovic, “on a busy day, up to four or five trailers of Single Stream Recyclables get sent to Albany and one to two trailers of Mixed Paper.” Single-stream recycling refers to a system that doesn’t require consumers to do any sorting. All recyclable items (paper fibers, plastics, metals, and other containers) are placed in the same bin and mixed in the collection truck. These materials are later sorted out at a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF).
BUT recyclable garbage is only recyclable if it is clean. More on that later.
And one might ask, what happens to plastics that don’t have the recycling symbol on them?
“The Plastics Resin Code has little bearing on determining whether something is recyclable or not. While #s 1 and 2 may more than likely be a bottle or jug that can be accepted as recycling, #6 and #7 may be Polystyrene or a “compostable” plastic that is not accepted. The basic rule of thumb we should follow for plastic is that it must be a rigid plastic container and not be foam, film, or a straw,” writes Siljkovic. He advises that residents should check out the Single Stream Recycling Guide.
When it comes to the number 6 type plastic, PS (Polystyrene), it is not currently accepted for recycling by the majority of local recycling programs for residents “because it can be difficult to sort, can decrease the value of other recyclables through contamination, and is not economically viable,” writes Siljkovic, adding that “the inevitable end point for Polystyrene is in a landfill or incinerator.”
Polystyrene is particularly tricky because in the environment it breaks down into small pieces that can be ingested by animals, clogging their digestive system. Polystyrene foam and other plastics that are ingested by marine animals may also bioaccumulate up the food chain.
Incineration - is there anything good about it?
According to a National Geographic article, incineration plants can emit toxic pollutants such as dioxins, acid gases, and heavy metals - none of which are easy substances for our human lungs to cope with. And even though there are special filters to capture noxious compounds, this implies compliance with the latest technology so as to ensure proper filtration. Countries that are already lacking environmental laws, or strict enforcement, may try to save money on emissions controls. The article also points out the incineration also produces a constant stream of greenhouse gases. “In 2016, U.S. waste incinerators released the equivalent of 12 million tons of carbon dioxide, more than half of which came from plastics.”
Also, do we want to support an economic model which uses non-renewable fossil fuels that already pollute the natural environment when used to produce plastics, that we use one time only, before we burn and produce even more toxic waste in that process? This is what is happening right now. Realistically speaking, even if plastics stop being produced right now, we would still need years of cleaning up to get rid of all the waste in our landfills and water ways.
The promise of compostable cups
Feeding into our preference for disposable products, there is a movement of sorts that seeks to make disposable containers that are at least compostable, if not destined for multiple use. When something is compostable it means that it can be used as compost when it decays. But, at the risk of sounding like a total killjoy, compostable cups are … not that compostable. In theory, yes, they are. But what people don’t realize is that these kinds of cups take years to break down and throwing them out in landfill doesn’t solve the problem.
According to the article “The compostable cup conundrum”, in practice, compostable cups break down in an industrial-scale composting facility with actively managed piles of compost under controlled conditions, and fed a diet of digestive microbes. If such conditions are met, polylactic acid (PLA) which is a material processed from the starch of plants such as corn, sugar cane and sugar beet used to manufacture compostable cups will break down in less than two months.
Another scenario would be if someone chooses to compost them in their backyard compost heap, in which case “it could easily take more than a year”.
However, the deal breaker is that if these kinds of cups are accidentally sent to a landfill and buried, it could take over a century for them to break down. Not at all what a conscientious consumer wants to know when they choose to use compostable cups. To further exacerbate the complications, if PLA cups go into a plastics recycling bin, they will contaminate the recycling process. Conversely, if plastic cups that should be recycled go into containers that are headed to the composting facilities, they contaminate that process too. The answer is more education so that well-meaning consumers can actually ‘do good’, as well as more facilities that break down compostable materials.
Where does US garbage go?
But back to recycling. The looming conclusion here is that in the most optimistic scenario, where everyone cleans their recyclable plastic containers, stores them away from water with the caps off, the percentage that is recycled is still very small. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2018, municipal solid waste (MSW) plastics comprised 35.7 million tons in the United States, which represents 12.2 percent of municipal solid waste (MSW). The total amount of plastics combusted 2018 was 5.6 million tons, landfills received 27 million tons of plastic, and only a little over 3 million tons was actually recycled. A graph of Plastic waste management spanning decades starting from the 1960 to 2018 shows a grim picture. In the 1960’s 390,000 tons of plastic waste was landfilled - data regarding recycling or combustion amounts is not available. So, our plastic waste has grown to be over 90 times more since the 1960’s.
According to an extensive article published in The Guardian a team of reporters in 11 countries found that in 2018 the equivalent of 68,000 shipping containers of American plastic recycling were exported from the US to developing countries. These countries are not the kind that have stellar environmental records - places such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Laos, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya and Senegal already face problems in dealing with their own waste due to poor regulations and mismanagement. Exports of plastic waste to Turkey also increased exponentially after 2017 when China restricted imports of plastic waste from the US. The move was followed by Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand that also banned imports of plastic waste from the US.
The Guardian article also points out that even in the best-case scenario, the plastics recycling business is not that lucrative because virgin plastic that is higher quality, and therefore preferable by manufacturers, costs only marginally more per ton ($900 to $1,000) than recycled plastic ($800).
In a nut shell, there is no easy way to either recycle or get rid of plastic waste. Even if we ship it abroad, it ends up wreaking havoc with people’s health, the food chain, the environment, and ultimately, it just comes back through our food supply, if not other bad karma. What goes around, really does come around.
Is ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ still the way to go?
So, what can we do to reduce the burden on our towns’ and cities’ public works departments and ultimately, our planet? The simple answer is: a lot more than we think.
Just as fast as one household’s garbage can increase due to buying certain products in stores and online, it can also decrease if we compost our vegetables scraps and don’t let our food contaminate the small amount of recyclable plastic that, we hope, gets recycled.
Here are some more things that can easily become good habits if we want to try:
Use cups that are for multiple uses instead of single-use
Wrap and store our foods in paper and glass, opting out of using cling wrap and plastic containers
Wash recyclable plastic containers so that they can actually be recycled
Opt out of plastic or paper shopping bags - use cloth and wash them now and then
There are also loose organizations such as Repair Cafe Hudson Valley that seeks to share traditional repair know-how and skills with people interested in keeping household items such as mechanical, electrical and other stuff in working condition for longer.
Clothing is a major contributor to landfill refuse. The rise of fast fashion is a Goliath of a subject to tackle and for that reason, best left for later. Suffice to say, fast fashion is something that needs to slow down. Siljkovic advises participating in take back programs for clothing and textiles, which helps reduce the volume in curbside refuse receptacles. Residents should familiarize themselves with drop-off locations for acceptable clothing and textiles that can be found at Re-Clothe NY.
When it comes to recycling though, both Siljkovic and the Director of Public Works at City of Port Jervis, Jack Farr, warn against getting overzealous with what is recyclable. Farr wrote to Better World, that the biggest issue is “the thought that everything is recyclable which it is not.”
Ultimately, hoping that something is recyclable, not checking whether it truly is, could actually contaminate the whole batch of items that are potentially recyclable, resulting in everything being dumped in landfill. The reason is that an item that is wrongly thought to be recyclable is dumped in the recycling bin, may not be able to be processed at the local MRF, it could potentially damage their equipment, or require extra staff to presort items in an effort to avoid such damage. And when recycling is no longer economically feasible, some local governments may choose to end their recycling programs. This is clearly not what anyone intends to happen when throwing out such items in the recycling bin, but due to a lack of information, it is the harsh reality of what actually happens. So due diligence is key.
Siljkovic concurs with Farr: “When in doubt throw it out … the phenomenon of “wishcycling” or using the recycling bin as a second trash bin is a great contributing factor to the recent recycling crisis”. The takeaway is to simply check that the number on the back of each container to see if it can be recycled, and make sure to clean it of any food residue before throwing it into the recycle bin.
What is even more preferable though, as a long-term solution to the tons of non-recyclable waste with which we’re suffocating our living environment, is changing our habits of using disposable products or materials. When we as consumers speak with our dollars, big business will start to listen. It’s just the nature of business.
The attitude of ‘out of sight, out of mind’ is not serving us well as a country, and as a planet. We are all individuals with our own will-power to affect change. We can start small - start with ourselves and don’t give up.
For a list of recyclable refuse. www.orangecountygov.com
Coffee: The Good, the Organic, and the Microlot
What are you really saying when you let your dollar do the talking?
It’s early morning. I’m checking my social media feeds, casting a furtive glance out the window, contemplating, prioritizing, compartmentalizing my daily responsibilities, just so that I can feel a little bit in control of the onslaught of events. All this, while I’m holding a cup of hot roasty, toasty goodness that invades my senses and hits the spot.
Why I’m drinking these particular coffee beans barely registers in my morning routine, but I’m nearing empty and will soon find myself reading packets on the supermarket shelf, or the online blurbs from a few recommended roasters. The one thing that I do notice as I reach for the beans each morning is that I feel better in myself when I’m reminded that I’ve made good choices.
Familiar labels help, like “Fair Trade” and “Rainforest Alliance”. They both evoke images of happy farmers and tropical paradises. “Certified organic” too, ‘cause I want to be sure I’m not drinking remnants of nasty chemicals. But, what about Bird Friendly, Carbon Neutral, and Direct Trade? Should I know what they are? And why is shade-grown coffee a thing now?
To answer all these questions in detail would mean writing a book or a dedicated website. But that’s been done. A little bit of research goes a long way. Just search “ethical coffee” and you’ll find a rabbit hole that will eventually point you to a decision, in terms of where to spend your hard-earned coin and what you’re supporting when you do.
What the Labels Mean
Each label does have its limitations worth also exploring, but here’s an overview to make quick sense of what’s what:
Fair Trade is primarily concerned with alleviating poverty through fair prices and is designed to minimize exploitation of coffee farming communities.
Rainforest Alliance (ie. the one with the green frog) is not an exclusively environmental certification, in addition to helping protect forests and maintain responsible land management, it also addresses community relations and fair treatment of workers.
Direct Trade is not an official certification, but rather serves to denote a direct relationship between the buyer and the producer, cutting out the traditional middleman traders, as well as the organizations that control certifications. To make up for the lack of official certifications, roasters will usually seek to be more transparent in the way they do business, so that consumers can be assured of their good business practices.
Shade-grown is a descriptor used by roasters, rather than a certification, and it does not address labor standards or fair prices. It refers to coffee trees that are grown the traditional way, under the forest canopy.
Another environmental choice: carbon-neutral coffee means ensuring a balance between emitting carbon and absorbing carbon from the atmosphere, so that there are net zero emissions. But since there are no internationally recognized standards for determining carbon neutrality, businesses must be transparent enough to back up claims of being carbon neutral with solid data.
However, none of the above imply organically farmed beans.
One label that does address organic growing practices, as well as caring for the growers, is Smithsonian Bird Friendly. As the name suggests, their focus is on preserving bird habitats, but one could argue that if in doubt, this would actually be the most sure-fire certification to go for as a consumer, because it covers all the bases. It is the only certification that is 100% organic and shade-grown guaranteed, while ensuring fair trade practices as well as premium prices paid to producer groups. The Bird Friendly certification is not as popular, or well known as “organic”, mainly due to the ambiguous name that gives consumers the impression that it’s just good for the birds, not the people as well.
To Be or Not to Be Organic
The organic certification is arguably one of the two most easily recognizable by consumers, but does not make for a clear-cut decision. For a coffee to be certified organic it means that it must be grown without the use of prohibited substances such as most synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers, on land that has not been tainted with these substances for at least three years. That’s all good. However, the burden of obtaining the certification is on the producer, and this is not always a financial possibility.
Evan Howe is Director of Coffee at Passenger Coffee, one of America’s conscious coffee suppliers. Howe recently spoke to BetterWorld about the intricacies of sourcing coffee.
According to Howe, “in many parts of the world, it is completely untenable to produce coffee in a fully organic way. And in many, many parts of the world, a small producer is choosing between organic certification, or having no crop”. It takes years to develop compliance with international standards and to enrich the soil through production methods that can sustain coffee crops without the use of agrochemicals. So clearly, coffee producers need to be supported on their way to achieving those standards.
The thing is, coffee that lacks the “USDA Organic” certification has not necessarily been grown with chemicals. A crop may well be organically grown, just without the official recognition, and so it cannot be sold as such, and producers cannot get the same kind of prices for their crop as they would if they had the label.
Howe would like to see certifications such as “USDA Organic” to be funded by the consumer world, so that the pressure is not on the producer, when they’re already losing money just trying to produce good coffee.
As far as our health and the environment are concerned, it seems the natural approach is to err on the side of organically grown products, whether it has the label or not. It’s just that transparency in the farming practices and supply chain is all the more critical without it.
Without being overly simplistic, at BetterWorld we prefer organic as the safest choice to ensure that we are not introducing toxins into our diets, but do recognize that sustainability may require a process. Producers who take credible steps in the right direction should be supported.
When it comes down to us consumers, the onus is on us to support sustainable farming practices with our dollars. And if not organic, we should at least choose coffee that was grown in a way that shows awareness and respect for the natural environment, community and education, or a move towards more sustainable practices.
The Microlot Mentality
Apart from organic, buyers really get excited about microlot coffee with special flavor profiles which can be marketed as such to consumers, and therefore fetch higher prices. Microlot is not a scientific term, rather, it is used to identify coffee that comes from trees that are usually found within larger estates, but due to special conditions, produce coffee that has special flavor characteristics. These beans are processed separately and differently from the rest of the crop, and in limited quantities.
But the problem lies in the fact that in most cases, these beans only represent a relatively small percentage of the coffee grown by a particular producer.
According to Howe, “it’s a tragic thing that a producer will often make an excellent profit on the minority of their harvest, and on the majority of their harvest they’ll lose money because those are the coffees … that specialty buyers are not drawn to.”
Passenger Coffee, which seeks to highlight the creme-de-la-creme of coffee beans, saw the need to establish Necessary Coffee in order to pay fairly and buy more of the crop that still scores high in terms of flavor profile, yet might fetch dramatically lower prices for lack of uniqueness, were it left to the bigger companies to scoop up.
Perhaps in the same way that the term microlot exists, there should also be coffee that is referred to as the ‘whole lot’ so as to underline the difference between the two ideas in a way that imposes a transparency of sorts on any coffee roaster.
Sustainability - What Does it Really Mean?
While not discounting the organic versus non-organic issue, at BetterWorld we decided that truly sustainable coffee should not only minimize harm to our health and the environment, but most importantly, must make a priority of being free of exploitation in all respects. That does mean treating the people right, but also that producers are not just having some of their crop cherry-picked and are able to sell all their harvest at a fair price. Companies that are transparent in their operations about their willingness to do this deserve support for obvious reasons.
Howe points out that what leads to truly sustainable coffee is longer term partnerships offering fixed prices to the growers, and showing up every year to buy their crop. This protects growers from yearly fluctuations of coffee prices, and allows buyers to negotiate certain standards that incorporate environmentally sustainable practices.
“It takes time to build something … viable and meaningful for all involved and so we need to clearly communicate what we need from a partnership like that … and we need to have as clear an understanding as possible regarding what a producer needs,” said Howe.
So, What’s the Takeaway?
What is the takeaway for us as consumers? How can we tell whether a producer whose exotic coffee beans we really enjoy, and for which we’re willing to pay a premium price, will earn a fair percentage to be able to feed his family and educate his kids? How can we tell that even though it lacks the “USDA Organic” label the producer is at least not using harmful agrochemicals and moving towards organic? In a nutshell, due diligence - we have to do a little bit of homework. Get to know your roaster. And when you can’t, lean on the certification labels that best fit your personal values.
Companies that take a holistic approach in how they do business are worth supporting because they are promoting a paradigm shift, which brings rewards to both consumers and producers alike. These are the suppliers we seek out.
So, while you might enjoy a special coffee with sweet tobacco and hazelnut notes, or one that just tastes like a good, reliable cup o’Joe, take some time to read about the company who made them available to you. Appreciate the grower who bears the brunt of coffee price fluctuations, in what equates to a mere few cents per pound for us consumers.
After all, coffee may only be one of life’s special indulgences to us, but it means everything to the life of a grower who might have a family to support, and whose neighbors are all involved in the processing of the beans. They’re all sipping their cups of cafe solo* wondering what kind of buyers will show up, whether their beans will be in vogue this season, and just how much of their crop they’ll get to sell at a good price. That should never be lost in translation.
What are your thoughts? Who are you drinking? Is there more to consider? Comment below.
*Cafe solo is what Spanish people call a shot of espresso.
Sources
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/faqs/what-does-rainforest-alliance-certified-mean
https://nationalzoo.si.edu/migratory-birds/bird-friendly-coffee
https://www.fairtrade.net/issue
https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/OrganicProductionandHandlingStandards.pdf
What is sustainable living? Our ethos
What does it mean to live in a healthy manner for all, without sacrificing modern comforts, dignity and aesthetics?
That’s the golden question. That’s what we plan to explore together with you. And as a place to start, this our sustainability ethos so far & how we apply it…
In short, It’s about how we choose to live together in this world and what we pass on to the future. A person should be able eat with us and be healthy, buy products from us they feel good about, support a more self-sufficient lifestyle with ease, and always be among friends.
1: Practical solutions, not more problems.
Keep it real. Keep it positive. Our focus is on results only for those who want them, with no added stress for anyone, just oodles of encouragement and optimism.
We’re not about converting everyone to complete homesteading. We prefer to simply find ways of enhancing existing lifestyles in ways that make sense. Our approach is to take gradual, practical steps toward greatness.
2: Do no harm…
…to yourself:
When it comes to food, everything we stock is made from natural ingredients that nourish, not kill you slowly. And for household products, it’s about avoiding anything that may compromise a healthy living environment. We have a vested interest in keeping our customers alive and well after all.
…to your fellow man:
This is more about how the product is made and who we are supporting, and is often a forgotten step in the sustainability equation. We figure it makes little sense to source a product from overseas if it is available locally, where we can meet the families behind each product and get to know their values. It makes a lot less sense to buy from countries where our products are taxed by terrorists, are known to support slave labor, and/or are blatantly destroying the earth. So we only buy from positive origins that support a sustainable humanity.
…to the world we live in:
Of course, what good is a sustainable humanity if we end up poisoning the world we live in? Our take on this is more about making individual efforts to improve rather than the politicized environmental rhetoric though (we’re no fans of increasing government control). We very much believe the earth is to be respected and kept clean. Period. That’s a no-brainer. For us, this impacts our packaging policies more than anything. We’re taking a bold stance: no landfill. We source compostable materials where we can and require our suppliers to package their goods in recyclable materials at the very least.
It’s not all about packaging though. Less reliance on disposable goods and a renaissance of lasting product quality is our aim. We also empower anyone and everyone to live more self-sufficiently. Living off the land and using more renewable resources just makes a whole lot of sense to us.
We believe it is possible for humanity to live in harmony with nature and we’ll do our part to make that happen.
3: Open, practical education.
If we’re to make lasting change, we need to share knowledge of what works. Peeling back beyond popular understandings to what actually makes a difference in practice is what’s key. We’re all coming at this from different perspectives and circumstances, so knowing if there are better choices that are within our reach - without slowing growth & progress - is how we can all move forward.
We aim to create a collective hub of learning for everyone. Because only when empowered with the right information is consumer-driven change made all the more possible. We’re not here to sell you products, we’re here to discover what’s possible when we all have access to the tools we need. A big part of this is our workshops and bookstore, where you’ll find a growing knowledge base of self-sufficient living, with a focus on titles that help us become better people & positive role models for future generations.
4: Community gratitude.
We are social creatures and we are strongest when connected, not living in isolation. And nothing brings us together like contributing to something bigger than ourselves… each other.
We believe the best foundation to build from starts with appreciating what we’ve got. We find when we come from that perspective we’re more likely to pitch in and give back when our community needs us. So expect a welcoming social space from us, with loads of community get-togethers, and a strong emphasis on supporting local industry & initiatives, as a celebration of what our community has to offer.
We’re all about helping each other grow in an environment of inexhaustible compassion, honesty & support.
So that’s our take on it, but what does sustainability mean to you?
Support a free world with true sustainability
A big part of buying sustainably means paying attention to product origins and global supply chains. We’ve done the necessary groundwork with our entire range for your peace of mind and conscience.
We are pro-humanity.
Every product in our store has been sourced responsibly. We buy local when we can, and only from free countries when we can’t, but never from dictatorships.
As proud patriots and humanitarians, we stock our shelves according to our values. Products made in countries without true freedom are not sustainable sources, no matter how they say they are produced. Ensuring ethically sourced materials just isn’t possible under corrupt regimes.
So support local industry with us. Select from our full range of patriot products for all things made in America, but still shop with confidence with anything in store from beyond our shores too.