Comments on: The Observer: What’s the Hidden Cost of a £2 Latte? http://www.bloggle.com/2007/05/the-observer-whats-the-hidden-cost-of-a-2-latte/ Coffee & Commentary Wed, 20 Aug 2008 09:36:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Bloggle » For the Price of a Cup of Coffee http://www.bloggle.com/2007/05/the-observer-whats-the-hidden-cost-of-a-2-latte/#comment-23598 Bloggle » For the Price of a Cup of Coffee Tue, 07 Aug 2007 15:26:45 +0000 http://www.bloggle.com/2007/05/the-observer-whats-the-hidden-cost-of-a-2-latte/#comment-23598 [...] P.S. For a more sobering view (i.e. one that asks questions that matter) see, What’s the Hidden Cost of a £2 Latte? [...] […] P.S. For a more sobering view (i.e. one that asks questions that matter) see, What’s the Hidden Cost of a £2 Latte? […]

]]> By: swag http://www.bloggle.com/2007/05/the-observer-whats-the-hidden-cost-of-a-2-latte/#comment-17155 swag Mon, 28 May 2007 00:36:47 +0000 http://www.bloggle.com/2007/05/the-observer-whats-the-hidden-cost-of-a-2-latte/#comment-17155 Unfortunately, I felt that the documentary itself was poor -- it threw out factoids and Harper's Weekly-made stats with no revealing connection of whole the whole economic pipeline works. Transparency is the problem. So unfortunately, it's easy to look at both ends of the funnel and question the gross mismatch. But you're also going to find gross inequities when you note that the truckers in Ethiopia earn a miniscule fraction for shipping out the coffee when compared with truckers in the UK or US -- let alone the dock fees, rent, and taxes between those nations. And in the end, the most ethical cup of coffee you can buy could well be a wasted effort if it's not also *economically* sustainable. Meaning, consumers have to choose the quality and price point to ensure that said efforts don't collapse due to lack of support from pocketbooks. You could earn a living wage but be unemployed next week. Unfortunately, I felt that the documentary itself was poor — it threw out factoids and Harper’s Weekly-made stats with no revealing connection of whole the whole economic pipeline works. Transparency is the problem. So unfortunately, it’s easy to look at both ends of the funnel and question the gross mismatch.

But you’re also going to find gross inequities when you note that the truckers in Ethiopia earn a miniscule fraction for shipping out the coffee when compared with truckers in the UK or US — let alone the dock fees, rent, and taxes between those nations.

And in the end, the most ethical cup of coffee you can buy could well be a wasted effort if it’s not also *economically* sustainable. Meaning, consumers have to choose the quality and price point to ensure that said efforts don’t collapse due to lack of support from pocketbooks. You could earn a living wage but be unemployed next week.

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