Half of Americans (54%) consume an average of 3 cups of Joe every day; it's one of the most popular drinks around. In the last few years we've all heard a lot about the effect coffee-growing has on the health of local ecosystems, migratory bird habitat, and worker's rights and fair wages (or lack thereof).

The US market sources coffee from faraway, tropical climates. Water required for coffee plant cultivation (some estimates cite 140 liters of water per beans required for a single cup of coffee), the costs of transportation plus extensive land usage to meet strong worldwide demand create constant upward environmental pressure.

How Greenopia Rated Coffee Companies

There are now a number of labels (Organic, Fair-Trade and Bird-Friendly are the most common) that keep track of specific parts of coffee's environmental impact, but when it comes to which companies are overall the most (and least) ecofriendly, little information was available. So Greenopia stepped up and rated 25 of the leading brands of coffee with our four-leaf rating system.

In order to figure each brand's environmental impact, specific criteria were established by our research team. The team looked at sourcing, growing practices, packaging, sustainabilty reporting, transportation, production, and decaffination procedures to figure a rating for coffee companies.

Coffee Company Ratings

Of the 25 rated brands, only Green Mountain Coffee and Newman's Own Organics (which sources its beans through Green Mountain) received 4-Leaf Ratings. According to the report, " Green Mountain has some of the best reporting in the industry, which especially surprising given the fact that it is a smaller producer (usually only the larger companies can afford to do such analysis). The results of this analysis have caused Green Mountain to utilize special packaging including one with a small amount of biopolymers (for the beans branded under Newman’s Own Organics Brand). 

Kalani Organica (available online)  and Jim's Organic Coffee (carried by Whole Foods) each earned a 3-Leaf Rating. Kalani gets additional positive marks for best value among the top greenest brands. Jim's offsets it's energy consumption, grows their beans organically and processes it's decafs naturally.

The best selling brands, Folgers (owned by Smuckers, Inc.) and Maxwell House (Kraft Foods) both received a zero Green Leaf Rating. Folgers failed to earn any leaves because "It has no organic, shade-grown, fair trade, or bird friendly coffees to speak of. Without certifications like fair or direct trade, it is easy for one to question the sources of Folgers’ coffee beans." Maxwell House has a partnership with the Rainforest Alliance, so we look forward to more ethical coffees from the brand in the future, though none have yet been announced.

>> Check out Greenopia's complete guide to coffee companies to read about other companies' scores.<<