STUDENTS WILL PAY MORE FOR ETHICAL COFFEE

How much is saving the world worth to you? According to people on campus, about a buck.

A small survey taken on Monday, May 14, questioned 30 MHCC students and faculty dropping in at the Black Rock coffee bar, a recent addition to the campus library.

Black Rock, the company, opened in 2008, and has rapidly expanded in the subsequent decade. With over 50 locations in five states, the franchise nonetheless presents itself as an intimate reflection of a neighborhood’s character: According to its website, “As part of local communities, each Black Rock Coffee Bar team finds ways to serve their neighborhoods. And by doing so we help raise the bar for relationship and compassion.”

If the bustling lines are any indication, students at Mt. Hood agree. But what does drinking coffee ‘compassionately’ actually entail?

As Sarada Krishnan noted in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia, the global coffee trade has been characterized by chronic instability and price volatility, which have led to “poverty and food insecurity in countries where the majority of coffee producers are subsistence farmers.” Additionally, almost a quarter of all the coffee on the global market is imported by Americans – as such, our collective coffee habits have a significant impact on the coffee trade.

The good news is that in recent decades, Americans have, by and large, been growing more aware of the collective impact of their lifestyles, with “An Inconvenient Truth” and other films, movements such as permaculture and farm-to-table eating, and the explosive growth of market share experienced by local organic produce, not to mention the success of Fair Trade labeling.

These trends, it seems, are reflected in the attitudes of the student body at Mt. Hood.

In the survey taken at Black Rock, several people (age 17-69, with a median age of 19) indicated they would be willing to pay more per cup if they knew their coffee was either environmentally sustainable or ethically sourced (meaning the farmers were fairly compensated for their work).

Of the students surveyed, 40 percent indicated they would pay $1 more per cup for environmentally sustainable coffee, and 46 percent indicated they would pay $1 extra for ethically sourced coffee.

This willingness to pay more doubtless stems from a sense of responsibility, rather than any excess of spending money – almost two-thirds of those questioned indicated that they felt ethically sourced coffee was either somewhat or very important to them, and almost 60 percent said environmentally sustainable coffee was either somewhat or very important.

Time for action?

Given that the overwhelming majority of participants reported they often got coffee at Black Rock, and most stated that they would pay a premium for ethical coffee, would it make sense for Black Rock to offer an ethical option?

It’s hard to say.

There are many different factors that go into offering sustainable options, not the least of which is price. According to a 2001 global study, researcher Daniele Giovannucci found that the industry average per-pound [price increase] for sustainable coffee was between $0.53 and $0.62. Per a 2008 publication by the same author, sustainably certified coffee accounted for just 8 percent of the market – though this represents a significant increase over time, indicating that consumer demand is making a large impact on coffee markets and imports.

Unfortunately, the manager of Mt. Hood’s Black Rock was unavailable for comment on the question we raise here, as was the CEO of Black Rock, and the firm’s website does not contain any information as to whether or not its coffee is sustainable, ethically or environmentally. Given that most coffee retailers who offer organic or fair trade options make a point of emphasizing this to customers, it’s safe to assume that Black Rock’s coffee likely falls short of the sustainability criteria dictated in Giovannucci’s studies. (Please note: This does NOT necessarily mean the coffee is unethically sourced or has a negative environmental impact).

On top of that, the outlet at the MHCC Library is a franchise – meaning, while the business is independently owned and operated, it’s still obligated to sell Black Rock coffee and merchandise. Even if patrons were adamant about having fair trade coffee, if Black Rock as a company just doesn’t have that as an option, then our campus coffee bar won’t be serving it any time soon.

Meantime, the lack of a sustainable option doesn’t seem to deter current customers. Though most of those surveyed indicated they’d be interested in having a sustainable option at Black Rock, they were still lining up, regardless. If it isn’t broke, why fix it?

While significant change might not be imminent, incentivizing customers to find ways to reduce their own waste is definitely on the table. Offering customers a discount for bringing their own reusable cups (as do the competing food/coffee outlets at MHCC) would be a great way to promote the sustainability their base is interested in, while saving money on supplies of cups and lids – most of which don’t get recycled.

If Black Rock’s mission truly is to “find ways to serve their neighborhoods” and “raise the bar for relationship and compassion,” offering students options they’re looking for could be a great start.