[MPWG] Sustainable Coffee at United Nations

[Plant Conservation]

Just FYI.  Contacts on this listed below.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 13, 2004
CONTACTS:
Bina Venkataraman, 212-677-1900, bvenkataraman at ra.org
Sarah Obraitis, 212-677-1900, sobraitis at ra.org

United Nations Makes Commitment to Serving Sustainable Coffee,
Certified by the Rainforest Alliance

April 13--New York, NY - Beginning today, cafeterias and coffee shops
throughout the United Nations offices in New York City will serve
sustainable coffee to the delegates, diplomats and visitors who walk its
prestigious halls. Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee, acclaimed both
for its gourmet taste and its assurances for protection of workers and the
environment, will be supplied by Java City, a specialty coffee roaster,
wholesaler and retailer.

At a media briefing at the UN on April 13th, Rainforest Alliance executive
director Tensie Whelan and UN representatives launched this joint
commitment to serve rich and sustainable coffee.  "When you serve coffee
at the United Nations, you are serving it to the world. And all of the
coffee-growing countries around the globe are among the 192 UN member
nations," said Dr. Noel Brown, former head of United Nations Environmental
Programme (UNEP) and Rainforest Alliance Board member.

Coffee, the world's second largest commodity after oil, is subject to
price volatility and economic upheavals just as oil is. Over 25 million
workers are employed by the coffee industry worldwide, but overproduction
has caused a plummet in prices, forcing many of them into poverty.
Virtually all coffee is grown in the tropics, where farming often ruins
waterways and threatens the survival of rare plant and wildlife species.
On Rainforest Alliance-certified farms, the environmental and social
dimensions of coffee farming are significantly improved as soils are
conserved, tropical forests are preserved and replanted, rivers and other
key wildlife habitats are protected and workers are provided fair wages,
decent housing, schools and access to health care.

"Over the past 20 years, the terms of trade have become worse for
commodity farmers," said Dr. Adnan Amin, director of the New York office
of UNEP. "The chemicals and waste produced by destructive coffee farming
have an impact on our health, on our children, and on the environment.
Certification adds value to these small producers, and is a real service
to the international community. We would like to see more partnerships
like this that affect real people in real, measurable terms."

"Serving Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee at UN Headquarters
highlights the important relationship between biodiversity conservation
and poverty reduction," said Sean Southey, manager of the United Nations
Development Programme's Equator Initiative.  "Purchasing this coffee
supports the world's coffee farmers, and also ensures that the natural
environment of coffee farms can be conserved for the future. Ultimately,
how dollars are spent in the developed world has a major effect on
sustainability in the developing world. At the United Nations, we have now
have a chance to 'walk the talk'-- to put our dollar behind the issues we
talk about. This speaks to the future of sustainable development."
"We came out of [the World Summit for Sustainable Development in]
Johannesburg with a strong mandate to form partnerships. The Rainforest
Alliance's work with the coffee industry is such a partnership for
sustainable development in action, one that the United Nations community
will take seriously in helping to achieve its vision for a better world,"
added Dr. Brown.

Demand is growing for sustainable coffee, due in large part to better
taste. Sustainable coffees are mostly shade-grown, slowly, in carefully
stewarded tropical environments, as opposed to clear-cut, full-sun,
chemical-intensive, faster growing varieties which have lately wreaked
havoc with the coffee commodities market as well as tropical ecosystems.
Sustainable practices involve intense hand labor, natural pest control
through biodiversity and careful matching of plant material and farming
techniques to the local ecosystem.

"Java City is proud to be able to supply the UN with a high quality - and
ecofriendly - coffee. This is an important component of our Eco-Grounds
program, of socially and environmentally responsible coffees, that meet
the taste standards our customers expect," said Chuck Van Vleet, vice
president of sales at Java City. "It is no coincidence that farmers going
through the Rainforest Alliance certification process are making high
quality coffee and getting a premium in the marketplace. We want to
purchase this coffee at a premium, in order to keep these producers in
business and give them an incentive to keep delivering quality coffee."
"The Eco-Grounds program is a means for Java City to source the highest
quality environmentally & socially responsible coffees and market to a
wider, educated audience of specialty coffee patrons. Our direct
involvement with organizations such as Rainforest Alliance ensures that
the benefits are realized by the farmers & their communities and that our
involvement promotes conservation and long-term environmental
sustainability," added Michael McAdam, CEO of Java City.

"We are very pleased that the United Nations has begun serving Rainforest
Alliance-certified coffee," said Tensie Whelan, executive director of the
Rainforest Alliance. "This signals a growing global awareness of the
plight of coffee workers and the negative effects that unsustainable
harvesting can have on the environment, as well as the important role
consumers can play to assist farmers and safeguard ecosystems. By
purchasing Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee, the entire UN community
has a chance to support farmers who produce sustainable coffee, ensuring
their livelihoods over the long term."

About Rainforest Alliance
The mission of the Rainforest Alliance is to protect ecosystems and the
people and wildlife that live within them by transforming land-use
practices, business practices and consumer behavior. Companies,
cooperatives and landowners that participate in our programs meet rigorous
standards that conserve biodiversity and provide sustainable livelihoods.
To learn more about the Rainforest Alliance and coffee certification,
visit www.rainforest-alliance.org.

About Java City
Java City coffee is served in corporate settings, universities, arenas,
parks, hotels, coffeehouses and restaurants around the world. Based in
company roasts more than 4 million pounds of coffee beans, owns 30 retail
stores and provides their branded program to more than 2000 customer
locations. Java City's Eco-Grounds program aims to bring high-quality
socially and environmentally responsible coffees to consumers. More
information on Java City and the program can be found by visiting
www.javacity.com.