Many consumers who choose organic coffee do so in part to reduce the use of pesticides in their drink; however, choosing such coffee also has wider ramifications that range from supporting environmental sustainability and fair labor practices to supporting fair wage standards.

This article looks at all the ways organic coffee consumption can benefit both health and the environment, and how one cup can make a difference.

Why Is Organic Coffee Available? Organic coffee is grown without using synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides – instead it relies on natural methods such as compost and soil amendments; natural gas flame weeding treatments; having animals consume the weeds directly or manual removal to be grown organically. Furthermore, its growing practices aim at reducing both water consumption and energy costs for its cultivation.

Organic farmers who opt out of chemical use on their farms are helping maintain healthy ecosystems and the protection of biodiversity worldwide. Furthermore, their production methods are more ethical and humane; while also avoiding chemical products on their land. Furthermore, these farmers ensure their employees are treated fairly and paid accordingly.

Contrastingly, traditional sun-grown farms rely heavily on chemicals and pesticides to maximise yields – these have serious repercussions for the surrounding environment, such as deforestation, groundwater pollution and loss of migratory bird populations.

Use of such chemicals can also have adverse impacts on local communities in and around coffee growing regions, with farmers, their families, and workers becoming exposed to potentially toxic residues from these chemicals.

Organic certifications such as organic, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and Bird Friendly provide producers and roasters with assurances that the product they are selling is truly sustainable and green. Yet some argue that with all these certifications appearing, consumers may become disengaged from sustainability issues as new labels and certifications come out, further confusing them about sustainability issues.

No one can dispute the escalation in popularity of organic and other greener coffee alternatives as consumers opt to support regenerative agriculture practices. With climate change dominating news headlines and an emerging generation of environmentally conscious consumers entering the marketplace, demand for greener products should only continue to increase. Organic farming or regenerative agriculture practices is not going anywhere and industry players need to recognise its significance in their market strategy.