When you see that little green frog symbol on our coffee, it means the delicious coffee inside our commercially compostable pods is responsibly sourced by Rainforest Alliance Certified farms that follow guidelines of sustainability to ensure people and nature work together harmoniously.
So why should you choose Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee over the rest? Well for starters, the Rainforest Alliance is an international non-profit organization working at the intersection of business, agriculture and forests. They aim to create a better future for people and nature by making responsible business the new normal. When you buy products sporting the Rainforest Alliance seal, you are sharing in those same values. Let’s dig a little deeper into the 3 major reason to choose Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee.
1. The Environment
When you buy conventional coffee you have no guarantee that the production of the beans hasn't exploited the environment. Water pollution and deforestation may have all played a part in the production of your coffee. For us, that wasn't acceptable, which is why we decided to exclusively purchase our coffee from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. We aim to provide high-quality coffee without having to compromise on our environmental standards.
The Rainforest Alliance trains farmers to use growing methods on certified farms that help improve crop yields and income, while protecting the environment. Farmers must protect natural resources and the environment by using land, water, and energy carefully. They learn how to preserve forested and protected areas, which in turn helps support biodiversity of plants and animals. Farmers and farm workers are also trained to use climate-smart farming methods and to adapt to the effects of the climate crisis, such as droughts, flooding and erosion.
2. Promote Equality & Livelihood of People
Coffee farmers are not guaranteed any rights in most of the coffee farming regions and in some cases there are issues with privacy, safety, child labor, poverty, and sanitation in the worker's homes. Working conditions on the farm may not be much better. Safety equipment is not common, and workers are subject to all the elements. Despite this, many coffee workers are not guaranteed a livable wage. Another common issue in coffee production is gender inequality. Women have less access to resources than men, which means they are able to produce less coffee. We don't know about you, but we don't like the idea of our morning cup of Joe being responsible for this kind of inequality.
When you choose our Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee, you can be confident that you are supporting farmers that look after their workers, pay them a living wage and address issues of gender inequality. Rainforest Alliance does this by offering training to their farmers on worker wellbeing to help increase productivity and improve the income for their workers. They also bring together producers, companies, governments and nonprofit organizations to advance human rights in the landscapes where they work to transform business practices and governments policies and promote the rights of their partner communities. Although no certification program can provide a guarantee against human rights abuses, the Rainforest Alliance standard and assurance systems provide robust strategies for assessing and addressing child labor, forced labor, poor working conditions, low wages, gender inequality, and the violation of Indigenous land rights. By exclusively purchasing coffee from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms we know our beans and the farms workers are in good hands. For more information about how Rainforest Alliance partner with these communities and farmers visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.
3. Quality and Preservation of Coffee
There is a lot of debate over organic farming practices vs. sustainable agriculture. Organic Certifications can be expensive and are often times not affordable by smaller rural farmers. Also, Organic farming principles can result in crop rotations and additional land and water resources. Sustainable agriculture is more focused on not using up or destroying natural habitat or resources.
Rainforest Alliance Certified farmers are trained to use good agricultural practices that help improve crop yields and reduce costs, while using fewer artificial fertilizers and pesticides in order to prevent pollution and manage waste. They are also trained in preserving the soil and natural forests and habitats. So what does this have to do with quality coffee, you ask? Well, sustainably farmed coffee plants are typically surrounded by the natural vegetation in the environment. This creates diverse soil and added shade that allows the coffee to ripen more slowly creating a more flavorful roast. Isn’t it funny how mother nature’s original formula for coffee works in our favor?
Choose Rainforest Alliance Certified Coffee, Because Coffee Should Always Make You Smile!
We believe great coffee keeps both people and the planet in mind, which is why choosing to source our beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms was a no brainer for us. We believe people should feel good about the products they buy and the food they eat, and buying our coffee from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms coupled with our plant-based commercially compostable pods helps us further our mission to make people smile about coffee pods again! For more information about the Rainforest Alliance visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.