What’s In Your Coffee? Deforestation, Labor Abuse, And The Fight For A Better Brew With Etelle Higonnet Of Coffee Watch One Bite Is Everything podcast

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What’s in Your Coffee? Deforestation, Labor Abuse, and the Fight for a Better Brew with Etelle Higonnet of Coffee Watch

5d ago 44:21

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Most of us think of coffee as a comforting ritual or a morning jumpstart. But behind your daily cup of Joe may be a very different reality—one that includes deforestation, toxic pesticides, child labor, and even slavery.

In this powerful episode, Dana DiPrima sits down with Etelle Higonnet, founder of Coffee Watch and longtime human rights and environmental investigator, to unpack what’s really going on behind the scenes in the global coffee industry.

Together, they explore why coffee—despite its friendly image—is one of the most destructive commodities on Earth, how certification labels often fail to protect workers and ecosystems, and what you can do (without giving up your coffee) to demand better.

What you'll learn in this episode:

Why coffee is the #6 driver of deforestation worldwide
How monoculture and pesticide use threaten ecosystems and worker health
What’s really behind “fair trade” and other certifications—and why they fall short
How Coffee Watch is using investigations and strategic litigation to fight back
What simple actions you can take to drink more ethically

Whether you’re a casual sipper or a serious brewhead, this episode will make you see your coffee differently—and might even change how you drink it.

🌐 Learn more about Coffee Watch: https://coffeewatch.org/

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🎙️ The OBIE Team

Dana DiPrima, host and producer

Sonia Dhillon, co-producer & editor

Russell Chapa, sound engineer, original music

One Bite is Everything is a proud part of Heritage Radio Network, home to the most influential voices in food.

⏱️ Timestamps to Key Content

00:00 – Cold open: What’s really behind your coffee

02:10 – Meet Etelle Higonnet: from Greenpeace to Coffee Watch

07:12 – The surprising link between coffee and deforestation

12:30 – Shade-grown vs. monoculture: what’s the difference?

16:00 – Why coffee is soaked in highly hazardous pesticides

21:45 – What decaf drinkers really need to know

25:10 – Certifications decoded: what the labels don’t tell you

33:20 – The ghost farms, human trafficking, and loopholes behind "ethical" coffee

38:50 – What Coffee Watch is doing differently

45:15 – Laws, petitions, and pressure: what’s actually working

49:30 – One action you can take with your coffee tomorrow

52:10 – Becoming an OBIE Insider and why it matters

53:00 – Final thoughts: hope, action, and eating like it matters

134 episodes

#Society #Dana DiPrima #Economics #Environment #Communities #Health and Well-Being #Food