Roasting, shipping, marketing, bagging and processing all take a lot of energy, and most coffee in the world travels a fair distance before it ends up in our french presses. Coffee is an equatorial crop, and we don’t all live on the equator.

Read more of this story »

• Fair trade. The fair trade certification label ensures that the workers or farmers who produce a product receive a fair price for their goods and have improved labor conditions. The fair trade label also often includes a measure of environmental sustainability and responsibly managed farms. Fair trade standards are decided upon and enforced by third party certifiers under the umbrella organization Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International.

• Organic. Organic coffee is grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides, which means less environmental pollution and improved worker health.

• Shade grown. If your coffee says shade grown, chances are it is responsibly farmed. Shade grown coffee does not require as much land clearing, leaving original tree cover or other taller crops available for songbird (and other wildlife) habitats. This method of growing also helps to prevent soil erosion, increases the ability for natural pest control and reduces the need for weeding.

For a glimpse into the global coffee industry, check out the documentary Black Gold. The film literally follows the coffee bean from the farm to your cup, including everyone who comes into contact with it: the workers on the coffee plantations, those who set the prices and buy the coffee, and the consumers who have turned coffee into an artform.

Can’t find coffee with these labels? GO’s Brady Swenson has a few things you can do to plant the seed for fair trade in your community, such as simply asking for it at your local coffee shop or grocery store.

When you’re making your own: GO’s Patrick Donnelly has suggested a couple of tips for greening up your home brew, including using unbleached paper filters, or reusable gold or steel filters. You could also skip the filters and electricity by switching over to a french press (but, yes, it does require boiling water.) And instead of tossing out all those coffee grounds, compost them.

For coffee on the go bring your own mug. You’ll waste less paper, and if it’s a stainless steel mug it will stay warmer longer. Forgot your mug? Avoid the double cup by using a sleeve, and please, please, say no to the bag. If you’re carrying more than one cup, use a drink tray (and recycle it when you’re finished.)

More on coffee and fair trade from Green Options:

Black Gold: The Story Behind Your Morning Brew

Daily Tip: Bring Your Own Coffee Mug

Dean’s Beans and the Fairer Trade

Eco-Effective Decisions: Fair Trade, When Voting with your Dollars Counts

Fair Trade: Certification

Fair Trade: Fair Wages

Fair Trade: Environment

Fair Trade: Transparency

The Greenest Coffee on the Planet

How to Plant the Fair Trade Seed in Your Community

Kicking the Habit: Greening that Cup o’ Joe

Labor Day: Rights and Respect for the Worker

Organic Coffee Company Sponsors Guatemalan Radio Show to Promote Fair-Trade

Starbucks Backs Down, Allows Ethiopia Trademark Rights To Its Own Names

10 Simple Ways to "Fair Up" Your Friends and Family