Coffee good enough for you and the Planet!

I love coffee! But I love really GOOD coffee...and I found a great coffee bean that is not only excellent tasting, but also environmentally friendly! Caffe Appassionato Organic Shade Grown Espresso Roast Whole Bean Coffee is by far my favorite coffee - I found it on Amazon.com while searching for items in their "subscribe and save" program. I have been buying organic, fair-trade and shade-grown coffee beans for a while, but wanted to find something a little less expensive - I buy a lot on Amazon.com, usually in small-bulk packages, to save money. When I found Caffe Appassionato, I thought I'd try it since it was only about $20 for 3 - 12oz bags. I have a basic expresso/cappuccino maker and a good bean grinder and made this coffee one morning and was very impressed! These beans produce a very rich, dark and smooth expresso with a strong but not too bitter taste. This coffee really wakes me up in the morning! I love it much more than the expensive top-chain coffee houses and I know that it is also Fair traded, certified organic by OCIA (Organic Crop Improvement Association International) and shade grown to protect migratory bird populations.

Why are shade grown coffee beans better for the environment? Well, we all know how popular coffee is to drink, but the beans are mostly grown in tropical, rainforest locations with sensitive eco-habitats. Some newer varieties of coffee require direct sunlight (and chemicals) to grow to optimum production levels, thus requiring trees and other vegetation to be removed from plantations, destroying the natural habitats. But the traditional varieties of coffee plants actually require the canopy of trees to filter sunlight. Since about 1996, the destruction of natural habitats, primarily of migratory birds, has sparked the movement towards going back to shade grown coffee plantations and more sustainable practices. Thankfully, companies such as Caffe Appassionato take pride in providing high quality, sustainably produced, organic coffee and the trend is growing.
To get this coffee at a better price than I have seen anywhere, go to Amazon.com - and don't forget to sign up for subscribe and save to save an additional 15%!

For this and many other great eco-friendly products, check out my Amazon.com Store