Green Your Diet: Shade Grown

One way to green your diet is to switch to Shade Grown coffee only. It is a giant step you can make towards a more environmentally friendly drink as well as supporting a great industry that needs to grow bigger. Coffee plantations that are grown without the shade of tree uses tons of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides to do the work that can all be done naturally.

I found a great explanation to share,

"Traditionally, all coffee was shade grown. Most varieties of coffee are naturally intolerant of direct sunlight, and prefer a canopy of sun-filtering shade trees. The trees not only protect the coffee from direct sun, they also mulch the soil with their fallen leaves which helps retain soil moisture. The nitrogen-fixing shade trees enhance the soil, and also provide habitat for birds. The birds in turn provide natural insect control with their constant foraging. This sustainable method of farming uses little or no chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides."

Quote: http://www.eartheasy.com/eat_shadegrown_coffee.htm

New hybrid coffee beans were made to grow best in direct sunlight, but the consequences are devastating. Look for that seal, it matters.

Find this coffee online buy Google-ing "Shade Grown Coffee" and start looking wherever you currently buy coffee, if they don't carry it, ASK for it to be there! Now you know why it's important, so share it!

(Image:www.hiltonpond.org/images)