Using their bean, sustainably

Coffee is a hot commodity.

After petroleum, it's the second-most traded product in the world.

Yet, while everyone knows about oil consumption's ill effects on the environment, consumers are only beginning to realize the repercussions of the approximately 110 billion cups of coffee Americans drink each year.

What exactly makes an Earth-friendly cup of joe? Is it Starbucks' coffee-cup sleeve of 10 percent recycled fiber? Can you pat yourself on the back if your java joint recycles?

With "corporate" coffee places closing the gap on sustainable-practicing independents, it's not so simple to tell. Although projecting an environmentally friendly image is almost a requirement these days, the actual steps taken by coffee purveyors large and small vary dramatically. Everything from a bean's birthplace to how a store saves energy has an impact on how it rates.

Leanne Krueger-Braneky, executive director of the Sustainable Business Network of Philadelphia, suggested that a customer's first concern should be the percentage of a shop's coffee that is "fair trade."

To be fair-trade certified, coffee must be bought from a democratically organized co-op of farmers, and grown and harvested according to strict rules that require environmental sustainability, fair labor conditions, and a minimum floor price for the beans. Supporters say that promoting farmers with ethical and environmental practices means that, with each fair-trade purchase, consumers are contributing to sustainability and positive economic change in poor, coffee-growing communities.

The Independents Coffee Cooperative, a group of Philadelphia-based coffee shops, was founded in 2003 to promote fair trade and sustainability among its members and in the community at large.

Yonas Kebede, the owner of West Philadelphia's Kaffa Crossing and vice president of the co-op, has been serving exclusively fair-trade coffee since opening in 2004. "It's a win-win scenario," said Kebede. "You get a good product, and you give people help."

Many consumers first heard about fair trade from Starbucks - North America's largest buyer of fair-trade coffee, purchasing 20 million pounds in 2007.

Dunkin' Donuts, another major coffee chain, has served fair-trade coffee in all of its espresso-based drinks since 2003. The company would not say what percentage of its drip coffee is produced sustainably.

In spite of these efforts, TransFair USA - the nonprofit that certifies fair-trade products sold in this country - estimates that in 2007, fair-trade coffee constituted only 6.1 percent of the specialty coffee market in the United States. Starbucks' fair-trade coffee represents 5 percent of its total bean purchase.

This shows, independent shops say, that fair trade might be merely a token gesture for big chains.

"Is the difference in philosophy?" asked Angela Vendetti, co-owner of Mugshots CoffeeHouse & Cafe in Fairmount, a co-op member that is 100 percent fair trade. "Like, is that really your business philosophy, or is it just product diversification?"

Yet as Taylor Clark wrote in Starbucked, the growth of Starbucks seems - paradoxically - to increase business for mom-and-pop shops. Starbucks' well-funded, high-profile fair-trade education campaigns may actually be driving savvy consumers to seek out green-friendly independents.

"We're an agricultural company at heart," said Jim Hanna, director of environmental affairs at Starbucks. "As climates change, the potential impact on our ability to procure coffee is going to be significant, so we need to reduce our carbon footprint."

There isn't enough certified fair-trade coffee produced in the world to supply all of Starbucks' more than 15,000 stores, but the company has worked with a third party to certify 65 percent of its coffee under its own set of sustainability guidelines known as Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices.

Some fair-trade advocates contend that Starbucks could drive demand for more sustainably produced coffee by buying up the existing supply, but Starbucks says that its steadily increasing purchase of fair-trade coffee is "keeping pace with consumer demand."

In terms of sustainability, fair-trade certification is important, but it's only one part of the story. Consumers need to look at the big picture.

"Usually you can tell" if a coffee shop is using sustainable practices, said Vendetti, "because it's like, 'Oh, well, we have fair-trade coffee, but no, we don't recycle in our office, and no, we don't use renewable energy, and no, we don't care about the packaging.' "

"It's the little things," said David Arrell, the owner of Good Karma Cafe. "They add up."

For Good Karma Cafe, located in Fitler Square, these little things include a floor tiled with recycled materials, tabletops made from plant waste, corn-based cups for iced coffee, energy-efficient fluorescent lights, and a toilet designed to conserve water.

Mugshots uses 100 percent wind energy, composts all vegetable waste and coffee grounds, uses biodegradable material in its to-go containers, and buys local products whenever possible. Both Good Karma and Mugshots also used salvaged materials during construction.

"It's part of our whole philosophy, which is why it spans every part of our business," said Vendetti. "Every decision we make, we think about the impact that it will have on the environment."

Of course, making responsible environmental decisions can be good for business too.

"Starbucks knows that their green politics help them sell more coffee," said Bryant Simon, a Temple University professor who is working on a book about Starbucks. "It makes customers feel like they're helping. You can have what you want, which is this cup of coffee, and you still get to help out."

Starbucks also has energy-efficient fluorescent lighting in its stores, gives a 10-cent discount to customers using commuter mugs, and estimates that about 73 percent of its stores located where recycling is available were recycling in 2007, a number the company wants to increase.

"We really see this as the basis for why we do business as a company," said Hanna.

Dunkin' Donuts does not have data on recycling because its store owners are franchisees who make decisions independently. Dunkin' uses non-biodegradable foam for medium and large hot cups, but is "aggressively researching" alternatives.

"While we're not where we want to be," said a spokesman, Andrew Mastrangelo, "we are making measurable progress."

Both local shops and chains are making strides, but most independent shops say there is still room for improvement all around. "You just don't feel it's enough," said Kebede of Independents Coffee Cooperative. "I feel we need to do more."

Many owners of independent coffee shops applaud the larger corporations that are moving toward fair trade and sustainability.

"We don't want to be the only people doing it, for sure," Vendetti said. "But I encourage consumers to really take a look at what it is that they're supporting."