WSU coffee lovers can now drink with clear conscience

PULLMAN – Coffee has been a part of student life at Washington State University since before the school was Washington State University.

Now it’s part of a learning experience as the food service department increasingly adjusts its purchases to support with sustainable agricultural practices, university officials say.

This fall the school has shifted to fair trade beans and coffee produced through sustainable techniques, including varieties sold by Thomas Hammer of Spokane and Starbucks of Seattle, Murray said.

“We are using the same providers but changing our orders to lines of coffee they have that are organically grown, or shade grown – which means the coffee farmers don’t cut down the rain forest to plant the coffee – or are part of the fair trade movement,” which emphasizes adequate payment to the producers, she said.