Citizens of Berkeley, California, will vote in November on a referendum to ban all coffee that is not "organic, fair-trade and/or shade-grown." With one of the highest concentrations of coffeehouses in the country, Berkeley is a city that already knows what this means. "Organic" means coffee plants that haven't been exposed to pesticides or herbicides. "Fair-trade" refers to a movement in Europe that guarantees a minimum coffee price to small Third World farmers who operate within organized cooperatives. "Shade-grown" means the coffee is grown in a manner to protect rainforest canopies that are inhabited by migratory songbirds. When you have all three, you avoid a nasty visit from the dreaded Frappuccino Inspector General
August 10, 2002 6:16 AM
