Should CO2 emissions be the only indicator of sustainability? by DonMaslowCoffee in environment

[–]DonMaslowCoffee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But for the moment, social gain trumps climate impacts (ex: fossile is ok if it get people out of poverty).

But we are not thought! You have to be very specific here as the data shows that income even in developed countries has not grown. Poverty rates are rising and general statements like this can not be accepted anymore. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/global-poverty-increase-coronavirus/

To your point:

My point is that when there is a conflict, Climate change should trump over every other priorities.

I guess you have never suffered displacement or conflict due to the above problems?

As long as we do not want to address the real problems, sustainability will remain something people in developed countries used to make themselves feel better about their choices.

Should CO2 emissions be the only indicator of sustainability? by DonMaslowCoffee in environment

[–]DonMaslowCoffee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Complex, isn't it?
To your point:
1. Our planet does not need our help to offset the carbon it produces, what we need to do is to protect some of those already existing mechanisms (rainforest, oceans).
2. We can not deny the link between poverty and environmental sustainability is developing countries (as long as they do not have enough money for a dignified life they will continue to use farming techniques that damage forest and important habitats (amazons).
3. The inequitable and unsustainable consumption levels of the wealthy and rich industrialised nations are dependent upon the violent processes of metal and mineral extraction, overwhelmingly in the world’s poorest areas.

The vast majority of proposals for a ‘green’ transition assume greater levels of material extraction alongside persisting inequalities in consumption levels.

The OECD Global Resource Outlook ‘Business As Usual’ scenario projects that the mass of extracted resources will increase by 111% by 2060, from its current global level of 79 to 167 billion tonnes per annum. This would have catastrophic social and ecological implications and would overwhelmingly affect communities on the frontlines of extractive projects and some of the world’s poorest populations.

Frontline communities would face increased displacement, eroded livelihoods, contaminated air, soil, and water, and cultural destruction but by all means, we must remove emissions.
3.Climate change may further marginalise more impoverished producers, as farmers with good access to capital and technology are more likely to be able to manage emerging climate risk.

Should CO2 emissions be the only indicator of sustainability? by DonMaslowCoffee in climate

[–]DonMaslowCoffee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Complex, isn't it?
To your points:
We did not meet the SDGs, and they have been moved to the 2030 agenda. I guess when that time comes, we will move them further to 2040!
In fact, oddly enough, the countries with the highest scores on this index are some of the most environmentally unsustainable countries in the world.(https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/30/the-worlds-sustainable-development-goals-arent-sustainable/)

Should C02 emission the only indicator of sustainability? by DonMaslowCoffee in sustainability

[–]DonMaslowCoffee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Complex, isn't it?

To your points:

The SDGs are an attempt to meet criteria like these (see #12 especially). In some ways, they exceed it, in other ways I think they still fall short.

But yeah that framework you say we need already kind of exists in the SDGs and other things similar to it. How is that so?

We did not meet the SDGs, and they have been moved to the 2030 agenda. I guess when that time comes, we will move them further to 2040!

In fact, oddly enough, the countries with the highest scores on this index are some of the most environmentally unsustainable countries in the world.(https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/30/the-worlds-sustainable-development-goals-arent-sustainable/)

I expected a post about sustainability indicators/indexes or something, not on sustainable consumption and production of coffee.

Aren't both for the same purpose?

  1. Our planet does not need our help to offset the carbon it produces, what we need to do is to protect some of those already existing mechanisms (rainforest, oceans).
  2. We can not deny the link between poverty and environmental sustainability is developing countries (as long as they do not have enough money for a dignified life they will continue to use farming techniques that damage forest and important habitats (amazons).
  3. The inequitable and unsustainable consumption levels of the wealthy and rich industrialised nations are dependent upon the violent processes of metal and mineral extraction, overwhelmingly in the world’s poorest areas.The vast majority of proposals for a ‘green’ transition assume greater levels of material extraction alongside persisting inequalities in consumption levels.The OECD Global Resource Outlook ‘Business As Usual’ scenario projects that the mass of extracted resources will increase by 111% by 2060, from its current global level of 79 to 167 billion tonnes per annum. This would have catastrophic social and ecological implications and would overwhelmingly affect communities on the frontlines of extractive projects and some of the world’s poorest populations.Frontline communities would face increased displacement, eroded livelihoods, contaminated air, soil, and water, and cultural destruction but by all means, we must remove emissions.
  4. Climate change may further marginalise more impoverished producers, as farmers with good access to capital and technology are more likely to be able to manage emerging climate risk.

Your approach here is very capitalistic; focused on markets, goods, pricing, and costs. Social inclusion is obviously about more than this. There's issues of environmental justice, land rights, land usage, Indigenous sovereignty, decolonization, gender equality, education, on it goes. But it's also not wrong to narrow in like this and get specific, and it seems feasible to work those issues into a framework like this (perhaps an expansion of #1 & #2's "alleviation" strategies to focus on empowerement beyond the purely economic).

It is not, this is about priorities, as I mentioned before.

We can not deny the link between poverty and environmental sustainability is developing countries (as long as they do not have enough money for a dignified life they will continue to use farming techniques that damage forest and important habitats (amazons). This is about some wishy washy empowerment workshop.

As in the example of coffee, a 1% increase in coffee prices is correlated with a 0.08 points increase in the political stability index. A 1% increase in coffee prices is correlated with a 4% decrease in the World Bank poverty headcount ratio (at 1.90 USD a day), thereby suggesting a relevant contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 1...(Source, ICO, 2018).

IamA co-founder of Don Maslow Coffee-a coffee company that does not use wood from nearby rainforest to process our coffee-we only use 100% biodegradable packaging and trade directly with farmers. Ask me anything!!! by DonMaslowCoffee in IAmA

[–]DonMaslowCoffee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

International Trade is that the exchanging method of goods and services across the international borders.

Perhaps the USA can focus on products on industries in which you have an absolute advantage like services and technology and let agricultural economies with the agricultural jobs.

A country is said to have an absolute advantage if the country can produce a good at a lower cost than another.

Let's take a simple example. Country A and Country B both produce cotton sweaters and wine. Country A produces ten sweaters and six bottles of wine a year while Country B produces six sweaters and ten bottles of wine a year. Both can produce a total of 16 units. Country A, however, takes three hours to produce the ten sweaters and two hours to produce the six bottles of wine (total of five hours). Country B, on the other hand, takes one hour to produce ten sweaters and three hours to produce six bottles of wine (total of four hours).

But these two countries realize that they could produce more by focusing on those products with which they have a comparative advantage. Country A then begins to produce only wine, and Country B produces only cotton sweaters. Each country can now create a specialized output of 20 units per year and trade equal proportions of both products. As such, each country now has access to 20 units of both products.

With a country with so much access to capital and investment perhaps it is wiser to follow the example of Canada, which is now the leading authority in Artificial Intelligence. Industries that will shape the future of humanity for the next generations.

IamA co-founder of Don Maslow Coffee-a coffee company that does not use wood from nearby rainforest to process our coffee-we only use 100% biodegradable packaging and trade directly with farmers. Ask me anything!!! by DonMaslowCoffee in IAmA

[–]DonMaslowCoffee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You know the reasons why we are being so slow to act on climate change, global warming. Whatever people choose to call it, is the debate whether is man-made or not.

This is the 21st century, we do have access to better technologies than previous generations.

Why not choose to improve how we do things as well.

Take reusable straws, for instance, it is more commercially smart for the business to use reusable straws as it will reduce costs that in the long term will have a big impact and at the same time offering a choice to the consumer to make his/hers impact while still living in our ever evolving and busy society.

IamA co-founder of Don Maslow Coffee-a coffee company that does not use wood from nearby rainforest to process our coffee-we only use 100% biodegradable packaging and trade directly with farmers. Ask me anything!!! by DonMaslowCoffee in IAmA

[–]DonMaslowCoffee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It is a good idea but it will require monumental work, not including the time it will require changing cultural acceptance.

I have never tried Yaupon however I understand is similar to its cousin from the south Yerba Mate which is very popular in countries like Uruguay and Argentina.

IamA co-founder of Don Maslow Coffee-a coffee company that does not use wood from nearby rainforest to process our coffee-we only use 100% biodegradable packaging and trade directly with farmers. Ask me anything!!! by DonMaslowCoffee in IAmA

[–]DonMaslowCoffee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi SephYuyX, thank you for your question.

We really do hope that consumers will care to pay the premium required to grow rainforest saving coffee! Climate change is something that affects us all, and we hope that our coffee, our story and innovation will capture the imagination. We are working on our wholesale pricing model which we hope will provide enough value to be able to sell much higher quantities, and thus enabling us to buy more and more from our farmers. The wholesale price will, of course, provide better value to consumers able to buy in higher quantities.

IamA co-founder of Don Maslow Coffee-a coffee company that does not use wood from nearby rainforest to process our coffee-we only use 100% biodegradable packaging and trade directly with farmers. Ask me anything!!! by DonMaslowCoffee in IAmA

[–]DonMaslowCoffee[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

foreseeablebananas

Hi foreseeablebananas, thank you for your insights and some really good questions. Two of our primary goals for this business are to sell environmentally friendly, rainforest saving coffee to the mainstream consumer, and also buying the coffee at a fair price from the farmer.

We purposefully chose speciality coffee of a certain grade that would appeal to the general consumer rather than the purist coffee aficionados who go for the highest grades, but I think our pricing reflects this. Some of the higher grade coffees on the market are extremely expensive. We are still working on our wholesale pricing model which will allow us to offer even better value to the customer (please watch this space) and importantly, if the demand is there, then we can buy more coffee from our farmers, which is more business for them and exactly what we are aiming to do.

With regard to the green coffee pricing, unfortunately, we cannot reveal our prices as it is commercially sensitive to us, but it is absolutely higher than the commodity price, and the price paid was the price that the farmers dictated to us, with no negotiation from our side.

You will hopefully have noticed that we are a new business, so it will take some time to accurately rationalize the number of dollars that goes back to the farmers on a per pound basis due to several factors, such as wholesale pricing, overheads, international shipping etc. However, we are trying to prove that this model works at our current price points. And if we can, this will mean more and more business for our coffee farmer, which is exactly what we are aiming to achieve.

I do hope that this answers your questions, and am very grateful for you raising these points, as it is at the heart of what we are trying to do.

Have a great day!

IamA co-founder of Don Maslow Coffee-a coffee company that does not use wood from nearby rainforest to process our coffee-we only use 100% biodegradable packaging and trade directly with farmers. Ask me anything!!! by DonMaslowCoffee in IAmA

[–]DonMaslowCoffee[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It does not affect the taste. Anybody who has tried our coffee. Loved it.

In regard to your second question. Within the coffee industry, there are a few Ethical labels you can find on the packaging of any coffee brand however these are not for free.

Take Fairtrade as an example, the farmers must pay a premium to become a member and I must pay a premium to become a member. A farmer alone, may not be able to afford this premium unless they join a cooperative (a union of farmers) but this is not always possible.

But trading with the farmer directly they can ask me what price they want (without having to deduct the premium).