It is bigger than coffee

After we have post blog, we are glad to see many coffee lovers

making comments for us. Some claimed that our video was useful and they would like to take actions, while other refuted by saying that 2080 is far away from us. In this blog, we want to illustrate that out target is bigger than coffee.  It also related to planet. 

I. Does a small cup of coffee have an effect on planet? 

It may seem incredible, but it is true. Starting in the 1970s, facing larger demands of coffee, many farmers switched their production method to sun cultivation. This caused berries to more rapidly and bushes to produce higher yields, but requires the clearing of trees and increased use of fertilizer and pesticides, which damage the environment and cause health problems (Wikipedia).

Furthermore, since main coffee production areas are in rain forests district, deforestation leads to extinction of species and climate change. 

Therefore, when you throw your coffee away, you waste farmers' endeavor as well as resources in this planet. 

II. What can you contribute as enjoying your coffee? 

Coffee is a common drink for Hong Kong white collars, while there

is no land for coffee cultivation in Hong Kong. Besides not throwing coffee away, coffee lovers can cooperate with C.A.F.E. Practice to protect the planet. C.A.F.E. Practice distribute technologies to farmers to sustain coffee growing. Buying coffee in Starbucks seems easy, yet, behind this easy purchase, we can contribute to protect the planet, to save the precious specious and impede climate change. 

III. Why should we take action?

Even if coffee disappears in 66 years, if we keep over reclamation, clearing forest and wasting water, finally, what can we leave to our next generation? Remember, it is bigger than coffee. 

You may announce that you are not a coffee drinker or coffee lover. However, it does not mean that you can be indifferent, unless you have the approach to live in another planet.  If you do not like coffee, then, save water and power in your daily life. Remember, protecting the planet is not a choice, it is our obligation.

We have a common goal to protect the planet, then why shall we

wait until the earth are too terrible to live in? We also want to offer our off springs better environment, then, why shall we wait until 2080 when there is no coffee, no cultivable fields, no clean water and no green forests? 

In summary, extinction of coffee is far way from us, but environment protection is urgent for us. C.A.F.E. Practice and us can play a crucial role. What you need to do is not to stare at the data, instead, let us move!

Reference: 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee#Ecological_effects

Drink the Coffee, Not the Planet!

        I.            Brief introduction of Starbucks C.A.F.E Practice

     I.    It launched in 2000 with partners Conservation International and SGS Global Services. C.A.F.E Practices established more than 200 criteria to make sure the green sourcing of coffee and maintain the harmony among economic, people and nature by cooperating third party institutions.

    A.  Social cause

Most of global key coffee-growing regions where are almost biological diversity is richest and most threatened by combination of deforestation and climate change (Conservation International, n.d). In

specifically, climate change has manifested that increasing global temperatures, rampant landslides and erratic rains affect coffee production since coffee beans are crops sensitive to the water stress and temperature. And local people cannot use fresh water since the unsuitable use of water.

The loss of soil also influences the growing of forest. The significant reason why deforestation happened in more forest regions is coffee farming. Excessive deforestation like breaking trees and digging new farming land affects the function of rain forests to balance the eco-system. Let the land exposure to the sun that lead to the disapearance of water in the land. In order to utilize land in forests effectively to protect forests and make sure the coffee productionm, Starbucks cooperates with Conservation International(http://www.onservation.org/campaigns/starbucks/Pages/default.aspx)

and SGS Global Services (http://www.scsglobalservices.com/starbucks-cafe-practise) to establish the C.A.F.E Practice (http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/sourcing/coffee)

B.  The function of C.A.F.E Practice

Goal: Ensure 100% of coffee is ethically sourced by 2015
Improve farmers’ access to carbon markets, helping them generate additional income while protecting the environment.

Workings: Many farmers in coffee-growing regions do not have enough knowledge to utilize land in effective way to make sure the high production of coffee leads to the large proposition of forest land becoming farming land. When forests are destroyed, it is possible to release large amounts of greenhouse gas into our atmosphere. C.A.F.E Practices help farmers to select landscapes to grow coffee and planting trees to form Shade Canopy and keep water. In addition, Practices help farmers to sell carbon credit to get additional income. What is more, Practices will award and provide loan program to farmers or suppliers who participating C.A.F.E Practices to implement green farming activities. In 2012, 93 % of Starbukcs coffee was ethically sourced through C.A.F.E. Practices, Fairtrade and/or other externally verified or certified programs, with some coffees receiving multiple verifications or certifications (Global Environment Report, 2012).

    C. Achievement of C.A.F.E Practices

Environment: At least 81 percent of farms used organic matter or cover crops to improve or maintain soil fertility in each of the analysis years.

Participating farms have averaged 121,000 hectares (almost 300,000 acres) designated for conservation areas each year.

Each year on average, more than 440,000 workers employed on participating farms earned higher than the minimum wage. At least 94% of workers on small farms had access to potable water in each of the analysis years.

II. It is bigger than coffee video

III. Reliability of C.A.F.E. Practice

A. They are powerful 

We tend to trust those who have power or authority. In our analysis, C.A.F.E. Practice owns strong power. 

a.  Reward Power 

Reward power is derived from the person's ability to control the

supporting the farm community

allocation of rewards valued by others (McShane & Von Glinow, 2010). C.A.F.E. Practice owns such power. They can allocate resources, such as money,  to strengthen local economic and social development. By offering funds to farmers, C.A.F.E. Practice help farmers raise the productivity and quality. More significant, these resources not only increase farmers' lives standards, but also protect environment by saving water, energy and lands. 

b. Expert power

Expert power originates from within the organization. It is an organization's capacity to influence others by possessing knowledge or skills that others value (McShane & Von Glinow, 2010). A large number of experts from C.A.F.E. Practice helps the farmers implement new technology in growing qualified Arabic coffee. By applying professional knowledge, C.A.F.E. Practice  aids farmers to make good use of natural resources and increase sustainability of coffee. 

c. Referent power 

Organizations or people have referent power when

others identify with them, like them, or otherwise respect them (McShane & Von Glinow, 2010). C.A.F.E. Practice belongs to Starbucks, which domains market share in Hong Kong, since 2010's entry, Starbucks owns over 130 stores in this small district. Thus, Hong Kong people are familiar with Starbucks and regard it as a  famous brand.  Their actions can influence and attract customers. 

B. Their power is strong 

a. Substitutability 

Their power is non-substitutable. Except C.A.F.E. Practice, there are no other coffee brands launching such projects. And it has broad influence, so without its help, we cannot enjoy high-quality coffee in 2080. 

b. Visibility 

Whereas power is intangible, achievement and influence is visible.

Through the website of Starbucks (http://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/sourcing/coffee)  or Eco-label Index (http://www.ecolabelindex.com/ecolabel/cafe-

practices), we can read all information of C.A.F.E. Practice. On those websites, we can acquire, what does the organization do and their achievement. We believe, after reading documents and news on these website, everyone in Hong Kong will not only believe the organization, but also join to protect our coffee and our planet. 

IV. Let us take action 

A. Let us tell you a short story 

People live in Hong Kong suffer a lot from the fast pace life. White collars have already been tired with the hard numbers, daze

inducing Power Points and piles of documents. There are complex methods to save the earth, while, our little steps can contribute a lot. In our video, we tell you a story, just to visualize the transformation needed in our circumstances and then to act on that realization (Denning, 2004). Remember, we are all protagonists in this story, if we take actions right now, we and our off-springs all benefit. Now, listen...

With increased demands of coffee, farmers keep reclaiming fields. However, with randomly land reclamation, soil quality as well as global Eco-system spoiled. What is worse, since without efficient machines

or technology, water and labor is poorly used. If we do not take actions right now, coffee will disappear in 2080 and our climate will worsen. However, drinking coffee is our habit now. How can we illustrate the good flavor and nice experience to our off springs if we do not have coffee any more? How can we explain the

Disappearing rain forest

fantastic summers and funny winters to our children when the climate is so bad? How can we tell it is the nutritious fields providing our food when no soil is available for growing? How can we keep calm when we throw coffee while hundreds of farmers are growing coffee for us with great effort? Do not tell me you are busy, since you can make contribution when you drink coffee, the simple beverage. Do not tell me you are tired, because you can make progress by saving water in daily life. 

B. Why involve you?

Supply of coffee, lands and water are limited. Items and opportunities are seen to be more valuable as they become less available, especially when they mix into daily lives (Cialdini, 2001). In 2012, Hong Kong people spend more on coffee than on tea, while the situation is opposite in 1990. While, almost all coffee is imported from the origin where water is being wasted and rain forests is endanger. Should we wait until the shortage is obvious? No, of course not. When to be or not to be is not a question, let us bear that "It is bigger than coffee" in mind. Let us drink coffee with C.A.F.E Practice on the cup and conserve water in our daily life. 

C. Can you benefit from our action?

Such a silly question! Our actions are simple and our step is small,

however, through our collaboration, we can make a different! We all know that living in Hong Kong is tough and busy. Thus, we have set splendid goals with little steps. What we need to do is to drink coffee with C.A.F.E. Practice label. Through doing this, we can help farmers live in better lives though they are at distance. We can prevent over reclamation even though there are few fields in Hong Kong. We can also save water, despite only a little amount every time. We can even reduce climate change, even if the rain forests are still large. 

Why are we hesitate to take such small but powerful step?  Just take actions. It is not only about coffee. Yes, it is bigger than coffee, since it relates to our dearth planet. 

Reference:

McShane,S.L.,&VonGlinow,M.A.  2010. Organizational  behavior: Emerging knowledge and practice for the real world (5th ed.). New York:McGraw-Hill Irwin.

Denning,S. (2004). Telling Tales. Hardvard Business Review, 82(5),122-129

Cialdini, R,B. (2001). Harnessing the Science of Persuasion. Hardvard Business Review, 79(9), 72-79