Coffee news and miscellany

I’ve been keeping up with many important developments in the world of sustainable coffee. Here are the ones you should be reading: Regarding coffee certifications: An open letter to UTZ and Rainforest Alliance (The Ecologist).  I am not the only one concerned with watered-down sustainability standards in general, Rainforest Alliance in particular, and especially what…

A short round-up of coffee news. Keurig is finally designing a more eco-friendly K-cup, Washington Post. I have written many times about K-Cups: the excess waste, when the company said they were recyclable but they really weren’t, as well as the high cost and better alternatives.  This article announces the same old story: by 2020…

An update on growing coffee at home in a northern climate.

A round-up of the many stories and news items about the impact of coffee leaf rust, and commentary on long-term consequences.

Covering the period while the blog was on hiatus, including updates on water and coffee, illegal coffee growing in Indonesia, toads, and borer research.

Some news out of Vietnam. Nearly all the coffee Vietnam grows is robusta. They are planning to expand arabica production to 40,000 ha by 2020.  The country is already expanding robusta production, which covers more than a half million hectares. It seems inevitable this may lead to loss of more forests. Which will exacerbate adaptations…

Recent coffee news on climate change impacts and adaptation in various nations, and thoughts on Fair Trade evaluations

Another update on coffee growing at home. Now with cacao!

I previously reported on the Rainforest Alliance Cupping for Quality award that was presented at the Specialty Coffee Association of America’s (SCAA) annual trade show in Portland, Oregon late last month. There were several other awards relating to sustainability handed out at the SCAA meeting, and here are a few of them. Rainforest Alliance Change…

News about coffee sustainability in Vietnam, corporate coffee scores with over-ripe cherries, Wal-Mart leaps into single-serve, a car company buys part of a coffee company, and assorted Starbucks tidbits.