Coffee enthusiasts must carefully consider many factors when selecting their beverage of choice, from bean origin and type to roasting process and flavor profiles. But we should also keep the environment in mind as part of our decision process – that’s where organic comes into play – it is farmed without synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers; though organic farming is generally considered more eco-friendly. So here is our guide on choosing organic for your morning brew.

Why Does Organic Coffee Always Require Dark Roasts? The answer to why organic coffee always requires dark roasts depends on both the type of beans used to produce it and their roasting method. Lightly-roast beans (often known as blonde or medium roasts) provide greater nutritional benefits with less of an environmental footprint than darker-roasted (often called dark or espresso coffees) because more nutrients can be absorbed during brewing which in turn has less of an adverse impact on soil and ecosystem.

Another key point to keep in mind when growing organic coffee is that it is usually done under cover, which helps protect both the environment and plants, as well as prevent soil erosion and natural pest control. Furthermore, many organic coffee farmers work closely with nature by developing reciprocal relationships with local wildlife; birds can nest there while simultaneously providing organic matter that helps retain nutrient in soil.

Traditional coffee farming techniques often use synthetic chemicals to control weeds and insects while increasing crop yields – these harmful toxins have an adverse impact both on the environment and humans alike.

Notably, even though organic coffee does not contain pesticide residues, it can still become contaminated during production, processing, or transportation. A 2022 Frontiers in Public Health study concluded that even though organic standards require that any land used to cultivate coffee hasn’t been exposed to synthetic chemicals for three years prior to harvest or transport (i.e. by wind drift or environmental contamination), cross-contamination risks still exist as harvest or transport due to wind drift or environmental contamination can contaminate it.

As an aside, consumers who wish to support sustainable farming practices while enjoying a delicious cup of java might find conflict between their desire for sustainable practices and enjoying their coffee beverage. Organic standards may prohibit GMO cotton or other crops grown alongside coffee beans but do not prohibit their use as GMO cotton is often grown alongside them. This creates an indirect conflict of interest.

Final point to keep in mind, however, is that organic certification does have its drawbacks, including price. Greenwashing occurs when large companies claim they are environmentally- or socially responsible while paying producers less than they deserve for their efforts. Luckily, this trend is slowly changing with demand increasing for organic coffee products.