Countdown to Iraq and a Green Product Plug

Countdown to Iraq - 12 days

It's no big secret that Dennis and I are closet eco-freaks. It just makes sense to do what we can to save what's left of the planet. We've been eating organic and local foods since Paige's doctor suggested switching her to an organic diet a couple of years ago to help with her asthma. We compost, recycle, etc. Having to reexamine every thing that you do and buy can be a little taxing, so when I come across a great product, I will post it here and give you some green facts about why we chose that particular product. I hope that you will take some of these to heart.

For today, we have .........

Jim's Organic Coffee

We ran across Jim's Organic Coffee at our local Food Lion (the big grocery chain out here). The commissary's organic coffee selection was limited and most of them were from mass market brands. Jim's coffee is 100% organic all the way through the roasting process (which means every bean has been certified by QAI), fair trade (bought from small farms instead of commercial plantations and the farmers are given a fair price for their product), shade grown (huge coffee plantations in South America are responsible for a lot of clear cutting in the rainforest), Kosher, and is roasted in a 100% renewable energy plant (solar, wind, and offsetting) with a staff of 12 (again helping out the little guy). For more information you can go to their website at www.jimsorganiccoffee.com.

By the way, it also tastes good! Dennis is particular to the Sweet Love dark roast blend.

Here are some more random eco-facts about coffee

- Coffee grounds are nutrient dense and are great for acid loving plants (roses, camellias, rhododendrons). You can compost themof put them directly around your plants. Let them cool first, though.

- Instead of using paper coffee filters, try a reusable metal mesh filter. Save some trees! If you are committed to paper filters, look for ones made of 100% recycled content. Also, don't throw them away. They are compostable. Just dump the whole thing, grounds and all, into your compost bin.

- This one is a money saver - unplug your coffee pot when you are finished. Keeping it on the warmer for just 2 hours wastes as much energy as brewing a fresh pot!