Maiko: Is Your Coffee Fair Trade?

From Maiko, Earth Ministry's Intern

“Is your coffee Fair Trade?” This is the first question I ask whenever I go to a coffee shop where I have never been before. By doing this, I have found out that the coffee stands at Seattle University have only Fair Trade coffee. It has been almost a month since I gave up non-Fair Trade coffee. I sometimes had to get off the bus in front of Tully’s Coffee on the way to school even though my bus did not arrive at the school yet. But, oh… I could have bought coffee at the stands as I always did before this Lenten Season started. I did not know when they started selling the Fair Trade coffee, so I want to ask them later.

Recently, Tully’s Coffee changed their coffee to Certified Organic and Fair Trade. It really helps me a lot. Moreover, they use 100% compostable cup. The traditional paper cups use a non-renewable, non-compostable, and petroleum-based lining to prevent cups from leaking. But, Tully’s cups use a corn-based lining which makes them renewable and compostable. Now I am at Tully’s Coffee on University Avenue and I can see an ecological theme in the atmosphere. For example, there are trash cans for recycling with two divisions, glass only and no glass. They put a water pitcher on the corner so that we can have it for free. They have some pictures of beautiful scenery such as beaches and mountains. I hope there will be more coffee shops like Tully’s Coffee around us so that I can drink coffee anywhere I go and think green!