With a coffee shop in almost every building, U students should have no shortage of caffeine fixes to power them through finals. But with the plethora of choices, students concerned with sustainability may find it difficult to choose.
Fair trade coffee meets the labor, developmental and environmental standards of Fairtrade certification, which looks to improve the lives of poor farmers throughout the global economy. Many coffee locations on the U’s campus use coffee from companies with Fairtrade certification.
While buying from Fairtrade suppliers falls in line with the U’s effort to promote sustainability through food, those involved with sustainability on campus have to weigh the debated effectiveness of Fairtrade with the desire to promote a healthier environment and economy.
Jen Colby, sustainability coordinator in the U’s Sustainability Office, said she is aware of issues surrounding fair trade debate and thinks it is beneficial to have people thinking environmentally and globally.
“My perspective tends to be is that all of this is a continuum,” Colby said. “Not just a black or white kind of thing, so we’re all on a journey for fair trade practices.”
Many people who purchase Fairtrade certified coffee do it because it is seen as an ethical buying practice.
Jessica Arthurs, a sophomore in Middle Eastern studies, international studies and political science said she drinks coffee at least three times a day. Arthurs said, while she doesn’t actively think about buying sustainable coffee, she will go for the fair trade option if it is offered.
“I think we should all be drinking Fairtrade coffee and things like that,” Arthurs said. “It’s important to make sure the things we’re drinking, especially on a campus, are good products and are coming from good places.”
Despite being perceived as a way to drink coffee while remaining environmentally and ethically conscious, Fairtrade-certified coffee has been criticized as not being as ethical as it is perceived to be. Fairtrade has been accused of not making a noticeable and positive impact for the workers who grow the coffee beans.
Pro-Fairtrade researcher Alastair Smith said while some of the criticism against fair trade issues are valid and deserve attention, many are unfounded and lack the proper amount of factual evidence.
Kathleen Hunt, a graduate student and the sustainability coordinator for the U’s Dining Services, said by virtue of buying coffee, the U has to participate in the global economy and has to embrace these issues. The Dining Services and the venues it runs on campus receive their coffee from Caffe Ibis, a coffee-roasting company centered in Utah.
“Fair trade does have some of its pros and cons, which is incredibly difficult in our global system,” Hunt said. “In Utah, you can’t grow coffee. So whatever you do, you’re sort of bound to this global system.”
Hunt said the U has participated in the Real Food Challenge, a national organization which aims to shift university food budgets toward locally based, fair, humane and ecologically sound food sources. The organization also looks to engage students in the change. Its goal is to shift $1 billion in university funds by 2020 towards these food sources, which it calls “real food.”
Rather than following fair trade standards, Hunt said the U’s Dining Services follows “real food” criteria, which also includes considering fair wages for workers and organic and sustainable standards. Hunt said Dining Services does meet Real Food standards, but many coffee vendors at the U run independently of Dining Services.
Colby said the U hasn’t officially joined the Real Food Challenge yet. Colby said if students want to know more about the sustainability of the coffee they’re buying, they should contact the vendors and ask. Colby also said customer pressure for more sustainable coffee can really help push for more environmentally conscious vendors.
“A lot of customers have a lot of influence on that,” Colby said. “Asking for that can really be beneficial.”
Direct trade offers an alternative to students who still desire to buy coffee but do not agree with Fairtrade organizations. Direct trade works as a direct source for farmers, though the exact standards of the trade vary between products.
“Often direct trade are really big organizations who have the kind of money to invest in it,” Colby said. “Or they’re really small and they really want to know where their coffee is coming from.”
Direct trade addresses issues of Fairtrade such as premiums paid to farmers, the lack of tangible benefits to farmers and the limitations on individual farms who cannot afford to belong to a Fairtrade company. However, unlike fair trade coffee, there isn’t a third party certification.
Hunt said she hopes students think about where all their coffee is coming from.
“It would behoove [students] to think critically about food on campus,” Hunt said. “Whether you’re simply a student on campus or living in the dorms, you’re part of the community.”
Colby said students knowing where their coffee comes is part of being part of an informed member of being the campus community.
“We’re looking to create a culture of sustainability on campus,” she said.
[email protected]
@Ehmannky