The Dark Side of The Coffee Bean
Few things are as motivating in today’s world as the almighty dollar. Businesses are driven by the need to make more money than they did the day before. In that pursuit, some corporations make harmful cuts, produce waste without accountability, and shift the burden of their environmental impact onto others. As long as profit margins increase, what happens beyond their facility gates is often not their concern.
But their actions have real consequences—ones that ripple across borders and oceans.
Today, millions of people are being displaced by climate change. In Central America’s “Dry Corridor”—a region encompassing El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala—farmers can no longer grow enough food to support their families or businesses. Droughts have made the land unworkable. For many, migration is no longer a choice—it’s survival.
Meanwhile, corporations scramble to save a few cents per unit, regardless of the human toll.
Climate change is destabilizing lives and economies across the globe. Farmers are facing financial loss, declining crop yields, rising production costs, and mounting insecurity. “Climate scientists warn that by 2050, staple crops like coffee, tea, cocoa, and cotton could become so climate-stressed that their production in some regions may disappear entirely (1).” Literally—gone.
Let that sink in.
Now imagine a world without coffee. Got chills? Me too.
But this isn’t just about saving our morning caffeine fix—it’s about protecting the millions of lives behind it. The people who grow the beans. The communities that depend on this crop. And the ecosystems at risk of being wiped out in the name of cheap, convenient consumption.
How Fair Trade Can Help
Supporting fair trade is one of the most effective ways to take action. Fair trade gives farmers and workers more control over their lives and businesses. It ensures stable incomes, fair prices, and safe working conditions. Certified fair trade organizations also follow strict environmental standards, helping to fight deforestation, reduce chemical use, and promote sustainability at every level (2).
Fair trade farmers have input in global decisions, and that’s powerful. They are not just laborers—they’re leaders.
The Environmental Cost of Coffee
Coffee is in high demand and can be grown in two ways: shade-grown or sun-grown.
Shade-grown coffee offers major environmental benefits. It helps prevent soil erosion, conserves water, increases biodiversity, and reduces agricultural chemical runoff.
Sun-grown coffee, on the other hand, is often devastating (3). It requires heavy use of fertilizers and fungicides, making coffee one of the most chemically treated crops in the world. And most of the communities producing it are living in poverty—without proper equipment or protection. This poses serious health risks, and in too many cases, causes debilitating illnesses.
No one should go to work fearing for their health.
We Can Build a Better System
Fair trade is just the beginning. We need more programs that protect workers and their communities from exploitation and harm.
Take the coffee rust crisis of 2012–2013 in Central America, for example. Rising temperatures created the perfect breeding ground for this devastating fungus. Farmers were unprepared, and many lacked the knowledge or resources to stop it. Countries lost up to half their coffee crop and declared national emergencies (4). There’s no cure for rust—only prevention. And prevention is harder than ever as temperatures rise.
We primarily consume two types of coffee: Robusta, which is heat-tolerant and resilient but less flavorful, and Arabica, which is delicate, fungus-prone, and widely loved for its taste. Around 60% of the world’s coffee is Arabica (5).
But science offers hope. By crossbreeding Robusta’s durability with Arabica’s flavor, researchers have created more climate-resilient coffee plants. It’s one solution—but we need many more.
Organizations around the world are stepping up: helping small producers access global markets, funding sustainable agriculture, and building resilience into the coffee supply chain.
But this is a collective mission. You’re part of it, too.
Your Daily Choices Matter
Never believe your voice is too soft or your reach too small to matter. Your everyday habits shape industries. You are part of the demand—and demand drives production.
So yes, you can help reshape the future of coffee. Here's how:
Get more sleep. When you’re rested, you rely less on stimulants like coffee.
Drink less coffee. Even cutting back to one cup every few days helps reduce demand, emissions, and waste.
Support fair trade and shade-grown coffee. Look for certification logos or check our recommended brands below (6).
Donate the cost of your cup. Contribute to fair trade organizations instead of making another impulse purchase.
Ask critical questions. Is this coffee ethically sourced? Can I skip it today? How does this purchase impact someone else’s life?
These may seem like small steps. But they’re not. They’re the foundation of a better system. One built on sustainability, equity, and compassion.
I get it—changing a daily routine like coffee is hard. I’ve done it. But with commitment and intention, we can turn that personal challenge into meaningful climate action.
Because coffee is just one piece of a much bigger picture.
And if we can’t protect that, what else are we willing to lose?
Sources
https://www.fairtradeamerica.org/why-fairtrade/explore-the-issues/climate-change/
https://www.fairtradeamerica.org/why-fairtrade/explore-the-issues/climate-change/
https://www.foodispower.org/our-food-choices/coffee/
https://www.iadb.org/en/improvinglives/most-unexpected-effected-climate-change
https://www.iadb.org/en/improvinglives/most-unexpected-effected-climate-change
https://www.foodispower.org/our-food-choices/coffee/
