Rachel's CafeAll things coffee…

The Burning Question?

This is the headline from today’s Independent. It refers to the production of biofuels devastating huge swathes of the world’s environment.
Conservation International estimates that the Cerrado of Brazil and Paraguay will disappear by 2030.
Indonesia is now the third biggest climate polluter in the world after the US and China. Indonesia could lose all its rainforests by illegal felling in 15 years.
African countries such as Mozambique and Burkina Fasso are two of the hardest hits countries as their food is turned into biofuel.
Now I don’t suppose we can do a single thing by ourselves, but what do you think people can do if they get together?
My thoughts are that we can contact our MP and see what their opinion is and suggest they will lose our vote if their policy on biofuels is not pro-green enough.
What do you think?

The biofuel policies in these places are very ill-conceived. Still, as has been said when others posted this stuff, there are two sides to it. It’s actually pretty unlikely that biofules are causing the food shortages. The foods involved are wheat and rice, while the biofuels are corn and soybeans. There is much more support for the idea that it is the worldwide droughts caused by Global Waring. The real tragedy is the clear cutting of the rain forests, which are irreplaceable. One problem is these poorly planned biofuel programs are in many cases subsidized by developed countries who don’t care if they fail. They just want to slow the rate of industrialization. The UN article says “The EU finances the exports of European agricultural surpluses to Africa … where they are offered at one half or one third of their (production) price,” the UN official charged.

“That completely ruins African agriculture,” he added.

It goes on to say

“In addition, international market speculation on food commodities must cease,”

It’s like the people who blame biofuels for the rising cost of commodities. That’s total baloney. It is the high price of oil created by some cozy business deals that drives the price up.

After all, 75% of the worlds KNOWN reserves ar in the Middle East. They are tapping the same pressure domes they were in the 1950′s. You don’t really think it costs them 20 times as much today, do you?

Brazil for Travelers – Cerrado

Brazil Cerrado ‘Oberon’ Coffee – 12 oz. Brazil Cerrado ‘Oberon’ Coffee is a workhorse coffee. Full-bodied and balanced with a nice acidity Oberon marries chocolate notes and citrus. Its nutty finish complements almost anything….

Brazil Cerrado – smooth – 12 oz. Brazilian sweet smooth and fresh with terrific body and a hint of nuttiness. You’ll want to drink it all day. Great as a single origin espresso too. An instant hit with friends and family….

Mulungu Do Cerrado $20.98 Tracks: (Disc 1) 1 – Calix bento ; 2 – Circo marimbondo ; 3 – Ta caindo fulo ; 4 – Danca dos meninos ; 5 – Segue embaicado ; 5 – Segue embaixado ; 6 – Folia pena branca ; 7 – Tambores de zambi ; 8 – Lagrima do sul ; 9 – Lua ganimedes ; 10 – Samba do tabinha ;…

Heavy Metal from Central Brazil – Metal do cerrado vol. 1 [Explicit] $8.99 …

Brazil’s Cerrado $1.99 …

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Hand-Roasted Brazil Cerrado Ground Coffee, 12-Ounce Bags (Pack of 2) $17.63 100% Pure Arabica coffee. Traditional roast. This coffee has a light, nutty aroma, medium to full body, soft earthy flavor and is light in acidity. The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has been importing, roasting and retailing specialty coffee since 1963. We imp…

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Brazil Cerrado-Soft body earthy flavor subtle walnut note, 32-Ounce $18.99 …

Brazil Cerrado Raw (green) Coffee Beans, 5LB $34.95 Our Brazil Cerrado is a natural process screen 17/18. This specialty grade raw (green) coffee is perfect for the home roaster. This coffee cups with a nice aroma, big body, low acidity soft finish….

Wildlife Conservation Society Birds of Brazil: The Pantanal and Cerrado of Central Brazil (A Field Guide) $22.27 Brazil, the fifth largest nation in the world, is one of the planet’s richest places for avian diversity and endemism. With the Birds of Brazil field guide series, the Wildlife Conservation Society brings together a top international team to do justice to the incredible diversity of Brazil’s avifauna. This first guide of the planned five-volume series features the 743 bird species of the Pantanal …

The Cerrados of Brazil $41.02 While the imperiled Brazilian rainforest has been the focus of considerable international media attention and conservation efforts, the massive grasslands of Brazil — known as the cerrados — which cover roughly a quarter of its land surface and are among the most threatened regions in South America, have received little notice. This book brings together leading researchers on the area to produce…