Organic coffee varieties are usually sold with following labels:

• Organic Shade Grown Coffee: grown in natural or artificial shade
• Organic Bird Friendly Coffee: does not harm environment
• Organic Gourmet Coffee: has a particular flavour & taste
• Organic Kona Coffee: grown in Kona region of Hawaii
• Organic Fair Trade Coffee: sold through Fair Trade Organizations
• Organic Decaf Coffee: decaffeinated

Organic tea varieties can be found with the following labels:

Organic Black Tea: organically grown and fermented tea                              Organic Green Tea: non-fermented organic tea with following varieties

• Organic Gyokurocha: leaves picked from the tip of branches
• Organic Sencha: bigger leaves picked from the middle of branches
• Organic Bancha: tender twigs & bigger leaves tea plant
• Organic Matcha: dust of organic Gyokurocha or/and organic Sencha
• Organic Houjicha: organic green tea & powdered/roasted organic cereals.
• Organic Genmaicha: organic green tea & powdered/roasted organic brown rice
• Organic Decaf Black/Green Tea: Decaffeinated Organic Black or Green Tea

There are lots of decaffeinated coffees and teas to deal with caffeine, and as well, the presence of chemical residues and pesticides can be avoided with organic coffee and tea. Coffee Joe says both organic coffee and tea can be recognized as being the unsung heroes for helping to build a healthy society, a cleaner environment, and fostering an increasing awareness towards an eco-friendly earth on the global markets and economies.

CJ wants to give you a little piece of advice – if you are buying coffee or tea, try organic coffee and tea. The sooner you start, the better off everyone of us will be.

What about iced coffee? CJ researched the web, consulted his beverage books, bar ingredients, and came up with the following recipes:

Iced Coffee With a Twist

Photo by Joanne Choi

1)      Brew a pot of strong organic coffee (dark roasts are best)

2)      Store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

3)      When it has cooled, pour some into ice cube trays and freeze.

4)      When the coffee ice cubes are ready, pour the cold coffee over.

5)      Add organic mocha chocolate sprinkles on top.

6)      Serve in a tall, frosted glass

Or try this one:

Iced Cafe Au Lait

Photo by K.G. Toh

1)      Brew a cup of strong organic coffee (dark roasts are best)

2)      One cup chilled skim milk

3)      1 tablespoon nondairy whipped topping

4)      Pinch of ground cinnamon

5)      1/2 teaspoon vanilla

6)      Combine vanilla and milk with coffee. Pour the mixture over ice, and top with whipped topping and a pinch of ground cinnamon. Serves 2.

Enjoy and let Coffee Joe know if these organic coffee recipes tickle your taste buds.

________________________________________________________

Coffee Joe Says: “When we drink coffee, ideas march in like the army”  ~Honore de Balzac~

________________________________________________________

After the scare of the recent recession, consumers are looking for comfort, whether in their food or their beverage. It’s value, simplicity, home – a return to basics, with anything organic leading the way.

“Consumers still see coffee as an integral part of their everyday lives,” said Robert F. Nelson, President and CEO of the National Coffee Association.  “Even if economic conditions cause some to alter their coffee choices, they are nonetheless continuing to enjoy coffee at levels very much on par with recent years.”

However, CJ says that more adults are making their coffee at home. The retail coffee market grew 6% in 2008 and is increasing each year. Small coffee roasters are benefiting and so are the consumers.

Convenience has given way to the pocket-book mentality. It’s about time – more people should be concerned with the environment, how their food is grown, and how organics are the wave of the future.

Jim Calhoun/Artist

1)      The Set Up – whether rods, reels or a tin boat, you need the tools to be successful. In fundraising, that means a good location, accountability and enthusiasm.

2)      The Strong Leader – without the strength that the leader gives, the flyfishing adventure would be a disaster. Your fundraiser needs strong direction and leadership.

3)      The Suitable Fly – pick the one that is adaptable for the area and lake. In raising funds, you need to choose the product that best reflects your cause – such as organic coffee, tea or cocoa.

4)      The Perfect Cast – pull the line slowly to start, then a quick finish. Volunteers are the backbone of fundraising – they usually have little experience in the beginning but with a little help, become your greatest asset.

5)      The Presentation – all flies are colourful, well made, and lure the trout to the surface. In fundraising, you need eycatching brochures, posters and promotion to ensure the donors come to you.

6)      The Prize – a silver trout is caught and released for sustainable fishing. Your fundraising public will come back time and time again if you follow the tale of the trout.

Coffee Joe is back at work, merrily posting away, and dreaming up new ideas for you. So, stay in the boat, relax and follow us upstream.

1)      Refuse to buy goods with surplus packaging.

2)       Re-use as long as possible; i.e. clothing, household goods.

3)       Barter or trade with neighbours, friends, or family to reduce clutter.

4)       Recycle garden matter; leaves, grass cuttings and prunings.

5)       Compost leftovers; vegetable ends, fruit peels, crushed egg shells.

6)       Compost tea leaves/bags (no tags, staples or strings), coffee grounds.

7)       Walk – don’t drive unless you have to.

8)       Turn the heat down in winter, wear an extra sweater.

9)       Use a fan instead of air conditioning.

10)   Buy local, fairly traded or organic.

11)   Check out solar energy.

12)   Grow your own garden.

13)   Eat at home.

14)   Less pollution if you avoid take-out or fast food.

CJ has a quote for the environment, climate change and carbon footprints:

“Why don’t we pay more attention to who the farmers are? We would never be as careless choosing an auto mechanic or babysitter as we are about who grows our food. All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.”

So, Coffee Joe wants to know – What is a carbon footprint?

According to the website,  it is the degree to which our everyday activities, even those as minor as drinking tea or coffee, can cause greenhouse gases to be produced, leading to climate change. Other activities would include our utilities, transportation, recreation, clothing, food, vacations – just your normal day to day living.

There are actually two parts to your carbon footprint.

1.   Primary: direct emissions of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels.

2.  Secondary: indirect carbon dioxide emissions starting with the      manufactured products we buy and use, right through to those products which end up in the landfill.

Here is another handy website for calculating your family’s carbon footprint. Give it a try and find out what you can do as a family. If each family does their part, the environment will improve more and more each year.

The future of the planet depends on organics, whether it’s the coffee, tea or daily products we need to survive. Here are three posts worth revisiting:

1)      Schools: Change the World

2)      Easy and Organic Fundraising

3)      Fundraising in a Recession

We need to change our ways now, immediately, to form a sustainable, global marketplace. No borders, no politics, just communication and healthy living for all. Children are the ones who will ultimately benefit in the future if we believe organic farming is the only acceptable method for growing our food. Tell them and show them where their food comes from, take them shopping, point out the local organic food and beverages, take them to a local coffee roaster, a local chicken farm – turn them onto organic living.

Our complacency and laziness has created an environment in crisis – everyone of us must get past denial and do their part.

According to a study published by Alive Magazine generally, normal coffee and tea provide energy, eliminate free radicals or oxidants, and boost immunity. However, because artificial fertilizers, pesticides, preservatives, or processing agents are not used on organic coffees or teas during their growing, processing or packaging, harmful compounds can’t enter your body. This protects you from the risks associated with long term consumption. Plus, good news! If you are concerned about caffeine in organic coffee or tea, decaff is your alternative choice.

Organic beverages are also helpful to the environment. As stated above, no harmful chemicals are used in their growing or processing, meaning there is no pollution, forest destruction, just an eco-friendly solution . Consider, too, in the long run organics are cheaper as the the price tag for all those fertilizers, pesticides, processing reagents and preservatives isn’t an issue.

Healthy living equals a healthy planet. Look beyond your doorstep.

When you order coffee or tea , do you think about what is or isn’t in your drink? Do you think about the person who handpicked the coffee beans, or tea leaves? When you pay high prices for these beverages, do you consider what portion is sent to the grower?

CJ cautions that if you don’t buy organic beverages, or at least Fairly Traded products, do you realize the extent of chemicals and pesticides that have been used to produce it?

Traditionally, organic farming is a poor reality. Through the years, the income falls and rises at a rate mostly beyond control. Coffee Joe want you to imagine if your own revenue wasn’t based on either hard work, your ethics, or even a good crop but on a whimsical, inanimate concept like a commodity market. You know someone is making good money, but it isn’t you.

He says this is where the co-operatives step in. Local businesses and organic farmers band together to form a bond that will benefit everyone. In the rest of the world, ethical companies, such as ours, have their own ways of dealing directly with the growers, offering better prices and helping whole communities.

Read labels, buy with a conscience. Your brew of choice will leave a better taste in your mouth.