Selecting organic coffee can be one of the easiest ways we can have a positive impact on our world. Though this might seem like a small gesture, all significant change begins with one individual standing up for what they believe in. While we cannot solve all problems simultaneously in this vast universe, we can start making positive strides through what we consume ourselves, products purchased and energy usage.

What Are the Differences between Organic and Conventional Coffee Farms? Conventional farms rely heavily on synthetic chemicals to grow their crops, which may seep into nearby bodies of water and contaminate local ecosystems. Organic farming eliminates this harmful use of toxic chemicals while at the same time safeguarding both environmental and farmer health.

To qualify as organic, products must contain less than 5% synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fungicides and be grown on land that has not been treated with these same chemicals within three years prior to harvest. Furthermore, organic coffee typically costs more than its conventionally-grown counterpart.

Organic coffee beans are grown using natural methods that work in harmony with their environment, such as compost and other approved organic substances instead of chemical fertilizers to nourish and protect their plants. Furthermore, no herbicides or insecticides that could contaminate nearby waterways with poisonous residue are applied when cultivating organic coffee beans.

Organic coffee farms that grow shade-grown coffee have the added advantage of protecting surrounding forest habitat, which attracts native wildlife to live among and near coffee plantations areas, thus minimizing soil erosion while enriching local ecosystems with animal droppings that feed back into the ground. Furthermore, this forested landscape acts as a buffer against climate change while keeping unique regional ecosystems alive.

Organic farming can have significant benefits for the environment as a whole by reducing carbon emissions. Studies have revealed that large (conventional) coffee farms contribute up to 80% of greenhouse gas emissions while organic coffee grown under existing trees significantly decreases these carbon dioxide levels.