What to do… what to do? We have just learned that our food co-op has suspended operations and will not be delivering our monthly groceries. That means, among other things, that we are out of coffee and toilet paper. This is not good news.

We haven’t learned why exactly but we know that the co-op has been struggling. (It’s been evident by the number of things that have been back-ordered over the last six months.) I can’t help but wonder though if much of the struggle has to do with the still limited interest in natural and organic foods.

Last week I attended this conference. In order to offer a mix of small and large group learning experiences, the conference offered 20 different learning tracks. Each learning track had 20-30 participants and provide opportunity for discussion. My learning track was “Beyond Consumerism” and while I won’t hash out all the details I will say that I was shocked that those who were leading the discussion were not particularly well versed in the ways in which consumers can purchase food that either lightens the carbon footprint of the consumer or supports the farmer with a substantial percentage of the sticker price or both.

For example, one leader had spent time in Costa Rica and was discussion coffee exports. Roughly, for a pound of fairly trade coffee, the grower is getting $1.26, for the non-fairly traded pound, the grower gets 70-90 cents. (click here for a visual comparison). And we are paying, in this country, $8-$12/lb for the same coffee. The thing that bothered me the most is it seemed (although was never said explicitly) that buying fairly traded products doesn’t matter and it was even implied that the certification process is not to be trusted.

Is it a perfect system? No. Of course not. But should we completely disregard it? I think that is irresponsible (not to mention cynical and pessimistic.) But clearly, responsible food is not yet in the mainstream and companies that sell and distribute it are struggling and leaving consumers to piece together less than ideal buying solutions. So…

For the time being, it looks like coffee will come from Coffee Bean Direct and TP from theearthshack.com

Are you part of the growing number concerned about food?  How do you buy green?