The Arabica Bean is Suffering

Regardless of whether you believe in global warming, global cooling, or some other theory to explain our increasingly erratic weather, the increasingly volatile weather patterns are having a negative impact on the region in South America that exclusively grows arabica coffee beans.   These beans, which make the smoothest, best tasting coffee, have a very specific climate in which they flourish.  If the temperature goes up even half a degree on average over the year, various types of fungus and diseases will attack the crops and potentially wipe them out.  Over the past few years, arabica bean production has seen a steady decline with more and more crops being affected by erratic heavy rains, random dry periods, and an overall increase in temperature.  So this ultimately means that we will pay higher prices for arabica coffee and farmers producing the beans will suffer as well. 

However, that being said, there is some good news.  Scientists have created a more resistant variety of the arabica bean plant that has been shown to survive the increase in temperature, rain, and the inevitable fungus and disease that come along for the ride.  The only problem with this new variety is, there will be a period with even lower arabica production due to the time it takes for the plants to mature to the point where they are capable of producing the beans.  Some farmers were hesitant about this new variety, first because of the problem of waiting for them to mature and second, because they questioned the end flavor of the bean compared with the older variety.   Some of their views quickly changed when their entire crops were wiped out last year due to erratic weather.  It seems that science is providing us with an enduring supply of coffee, at least for now.  There are still other varieties of coffee beans, produced outside of South America that are still surviving and doing well, so all the caffeine afficianados out there need not fear, yet.

My question is, if scientists can create new varieties of plants able to survive in an increasingly volatile climate, why aren't they capable of creating cheaper, more efficient ways of producing clean energy.  Coffee prices rose, plants started dying, and scientists came to the rescue.  When will the rising price of oil reach a point where it creates incentive to invest more time and effort into clean energy technologies?  It seems that so far we address the problem after it has a negative impact on our lives.  Shortages of food around the world are being met with efforts to creat new drought and heat resistant strains of plants that will continue to provide food in our warming climate.  Why is there an inability to address the problem from the source, namely humans.   Whether or not you want to believe that global warming is an actual occurrence, there is the fact that there is a definite increase in pollution due to population growth and an ever increasing demand for oil and other fossil fuels.  Disregarding the warming planet, our health is also at stake here. 

So lets get back to our focus on coffee.  As with oil, there is an increasing demand for coffee worldwide as more and more countries see an overwhelming growth in their middle classes and a general desire for coffee and its perks.  For now, we will still have coffee, (thankfully seeing as I am currently on my second cup of the day), and people will be able to get their valued caffeine fix from the arabica bean.  What will the future hold, it is tough to tell.  Some experts say that we have reached peak coffee production, or the point where we can not produce any more coffee than is already being produced or we will produce less.  I guess only time will tell.  For now, let us savor our coffee and try to cut back on our activities that contribute to the increasing global temperature.   It is in our hands as to how we proceed, the actions we take, and the difference we make.  Words can only work if they inspire us to action.  Words alone are simply that, words.  Drink your coffee, drive a little less, and enjoy your caffeine fueled day, I know I will.