Environmental Partner

My Coffee Supply is finding ways to reduce our Carbon Foot Print and to be a great Environmental Partner.

By Recycling our Packaging Materials, Re-using shipping boxes and using Recycled materials.

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My Coffee Supply recognizes the importance of shipping your items so that they arrive in perfect condition, and we use a variety of packaging materials to protect the products you’ve ordered.

We also care about the environment, as do many of our customers. That is why we make sure our packaging materials are recyclable, and, where possible, made from recycled materials.

The Box

Virtually every order is shipped in a corrugated container. Once used, these containers are 100% recyclable for use in the manufacture of other paper products. Corrugated shipping containers are one of the most commonly accepted materials by your curbside recycling program or at recycling centers nationwide.

The Brown Paper Filler

Our primary package filler is plain brown recycled craft paper.  Due to a unique piece of equipment, the paper is folded in such a way as to create a cushioned packaging material.  This paper has proven to be successful in our UPS / FedEx and postal shipments.  When you receive the package, simply put the paper into your recycling bin and you are helping the environment.

The Peanuts

Some shipments may contain polystyrene loose fill packing material, commonly known as peanuts. They’re made from 100% recycled material (waste polystyrene), are nontoxic, and contain no substances –such as CFCs—that are harmful to the earth’s ozone layer. Best of all, they are 100% recyclable. Check with your curbside recycling program to determine whether it accepts plastic peanuts. If not, peanuts can be recycled at thousands of locations nationwide, including many local pack-and-ship stores and gift stores. To find a recycling center nearest you, call the Peanut Hotline, toll free (800) 828-2214. 

All Pak Mail locations are part of the Peanut Hotline, a recycle and reuse program started by the Plastic Loose Fill Council. Pak Mail provides consumers with a place to take packing peanuts for reuse. Our more than 500 locations across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Japan now offer consumers a way to dispose of plastic loose fill that is environmentally friendly--saving energy, reducing waste, and conserving natural resources.

 

RESPONSIBLY GROWN COFFEES

My Coffee Supply illustrates our commitment to coffee growers and their families by offering a variety of coffees that are responsibly grown. Responsibly grown coffees mean that the coffee growers and their family receive a fair price for their products, but it also ensures that those farmers abide by rules that ensure they are employing good farming practices. This means that their workers have access to health care and education and that they are using the land responsibly so that it will be fruitful for generations to come.

FAIR TRADE CERTIFIED  fairtradeusa.org

Fair Trade Certification empowers farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their farms and communities, protecting the environment, and developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace.

Fair Trade is much more than a fair price! Fair Trade principles include:

• Fair price: Democratically organized farmer groups receive a guaranteed minimum floor price and an additional premium for certified organic products. Farmer organizations are also eligible for pre-harvest credit.

• Fair labor conditions: Workers on Fair Trade farms enjoy freedom of association, safe working conditions, and living wages. Forced child labor is strictly prohibited.

• Direct trade: With Fair Trade, importers purchase from Fair Trade producer groups as directly as possible, eliminating unnecessary middlemen and empowering farmers to develop the business capacity necessary to compete in the global marketplace.

• Democratic and transparent organizations: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers decide democratically how to invest Fair Trade revenues.

• Community development: Fair Trade farmers and farm workers invest Fair Trade premiums in social and business development projects like scholarship programs, quality improvement training's, and organic certification.

• Environmental sustainability: Harmful agro-chemicals and GMOs are strictly prohibited in favor of environmentally sustainable farming methods that protect farmers’ health and preserve valuable ecosystems for future generations.

TRANSFAIR USA - UTZ KAPEH Certified Responsible Coffee

TransFair USA, a non-profit organization, is the only independent, third-party certifier of Fair Trade products in the U.S. and one of 20 members of Fair-trade Labeling Organizations International (FLO). TransFair’s rigorous audit system, which tracks products from farm to finished product, verifies industry compliance with Fair Trade criteria. TransFair allows U.S.. companies to display the Fair Trade Certified label on products that meet strict Fair Trade standards.

“BIRD FRIENDLY®" COFFEE

What is "Bird Friendly®" coffee?

Simply put, "Bird Friendly®" coffee is coffee that comes from farms in Latin America that provide good, forest-like habitat for birds. Rather than being grown on land that has been cleared of all other vegetation, "Bird Friendly®" coffees are planted under a canopy of trees. Because of the shaded, forest-like setting created by these canopy trees, coffee produced this way is called shade-grown. Not only are "Bird Friendly®" coffees shade-grown, they are also organic, meaning they're grown without the use of chemical pesticides which poison the environment.

"Bird Friendly®" coffees are the only coffees on the market that are certified as shade-grown and organic by an independent third-party inspector using criteria established by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center of the National Zoo. These criteria are based on years of scientific research. Companies that sell "Bird Friendly®" coffees contribute 25 cents per pound to support Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center research and conservation programs.

What's the difference between "Bird Friendly®" coffees and other coffees?

As explained above, "Bird Friendly®" coffees are shade-grown and organic. The alternative way of growing coffee entails cutting down the canopy trees and growing coffee plants under full sun. These "sun coffee" farms provide little or no bird habitat and pollute the environment because they require large amounts of chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

How do I know if the coffee I buy is "Bird Friendly®"?

Look for the "Bird Friendly®" logo created by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center.

Where do "Bird Friendly®" coffees come from?

Like much of the world coffee, "Bird Friendly®" coffees are grown in the highlands of many Latin America countries from Mexico south to Peru.

Do "Bird Friendly®" coffees cost more than other coffees?

Yes, "Bird Friendly®" coffees may cost a few cents more per cup. This is a small price to pay given the benefits to birds and other wildlife, coffee farmers, and the overall health of the environment.

How do "Bird Friendly®" coffees taste compared to other coffees?

Coffee experts say that shade-grown coffees taste better than sun-grown coffees. This is because shade coffee beans ripen more slowly, resulting in a richer flavor.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC    OCIA International

OCIA International is one of the world's oldest, largest and most trusted leaders in the organic certification industry. A nonprofit, member-owned, agricultural organization, OCIA is dedicated to providing the highest quality organic certification services and access to global organic markets. As providers and consumers of certified organic products, we are committed to environmentally sound strategies.