As far as the Eco-friendly & Sustainability total package, Peace Coffee was my top pick. Not only is their coffee absolutely superb, but they are also 100% committed to saving our Environment, being a conscious & healthy workplace, and supporting their local community. They do this by implementing things like donating coffee to over 300 community events per year, and donating a portion of their sales to IATP, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, each year. I think this quote from their website, “A cultural, social and consumable revolution with grounds firmly fixed in, a Farmer Friendly, Fair Trade reality”, really encompasses what Peace Coffee are about. Their beans are not only Organic and Fair Trade, but they are Shade Grown, meaning the coffee plants are distributed equally beneath a protective canopy of trees. Coffee produced this way protects the local bird habitat, and protects the plants from ever having to be treated with chemicals. This is the best way to protect the environment and the wildlife from being damaged, which is what happens in full-sun and commercial coffee plantations. Peace coffee beans come from Cooperative Coffees (CC), which is a green bean imported cooperative that is made up of 21 Fair Trade coffee roasters located in Regions like Guatemala, Peru, Rwanda, and in the Chiapas Region of Mexico, like Café Mám. This Cooperative offers fair prices to producers, environmental Sustainability, pre-financing for technical support for cooperative producers, trade education and most importantly raising consumer consciousness!
One of the highlights of Peace Coffees is their commitment to delivering coffee in the greater Minneapolis area, without emitting sulfates and hydrocarbon emissions into the air we breath. Originally they delivered all of their coffees by bicycle, but because of their growth over the last few years they had to seek an alternative for deliveries outside the reach of their bikes. Their answer, Biodiesel. They now deliver their coffee in biodiesel high efficiency vans run on soil oil, therefore reducing carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, soot and carbon monoxide emissions. But no worries, they haven’t given up their cycling deliveries, instead they have doubled it. Their cyclists, Josh and Andy, log between 15 and 22 miles a day (equaling over 5,000 miles per year) delivering Peace Coffee’s and preventing tons of CO2 from being released into the atmosphere! Their mantra is “Pedal no Petrol”, hoping to inspire other companies to add bicycle deliveries to their business models. I am thoroughly impressed by this company, not only for their high quality, great tasting coffee’s, but their company’s commitment to people and the environment.
My favorite coffee’s are:
Guatemalan Light is a medium light roast with a full body and floral aroma. I enjoyed this coffee because of it’s clean up front taste, and rich chocolaty finish.
The Columbian Heavy Pedal is a more medium roast with a Complex Flavor and Aroma. I enjoyed this coffee before my morning run, as it has hints of berries and chocolate as well, and packed a smooth punch to get me off on my way.
Colombian Dark Roast was my husband’s favorite, offering a Medium Dark roast, with a perfect smooth balance of once again chocolate, and berry fruit.
Price: $$Regular Selection Coffee’s, 1 lb. $9.95
Water processed Decaf Selection Coffee’s, 1 lb. $11.45
$.35 charge is added for grinding per pound.
Log on here to find Peace Coffees in your area http://www.peacecoffee.com/find.htm
Now through August 1st, you can recieve 15% off your entire order (does not include shipping). Just type in the code is Eco08!