Hey, joe! The next time you buy coffee, make sure it's triple-certified; mankind, your health and the environment will thank you.

The bevy of coffee options is overwhelming, what with espressos, lattes, cappuccinos, flavored types and standard drip. But today's options go beyond that. Increasingly, conservation-conscious consumers also have their pick of organic, shade-grown and fair-trade. And with more than 172 million Americans copping to their regular cup of java--up 10 million from 2000, according to the National Coffee Association--many consumers are thinking about which coffee to buy and why. While we can't help you choose between bitter and sweet that's simply a matter of taste we can give you the facts about how different growers produce your favorite cup of joe, and how that affects the health benefits coffee can bring.

You can find certified-organic, shade-grown and fair-trade varieties at large chains. If you prefer to brew your own, specialty grocery buyers tell us the market for organic and shade-grown coffee has expanded in recent years.

trading fair

Despite its growing popularity in this and other countries, there's a huge oversupply of coffee in the world today. As a result, coffee farmers in Africa, Asia and Latin America often do not make enough money to cover production costs; working conditions on medium and large plantations can be very poor; and the use of child labor is common. In Kenya, for example, 30 percent of coffee pickers are below age 15, according to Oxfam International. Frequently, workers are also subject to unreasonable "picking" quotas and often do not receive the minimum wage.

Fair Trade Organisatie, a group in the Netherlands that promotes fair trade, recently studied the working conditions on 33 plantations in Guatemala and found that none paid the country's minimum wage. The majority did not pay even half that wage--and some paid as little as 13 percent of it. Worse, minimum wage in Guatemala typically covers only 40 percent of basic needs.

There is some good news, though. Sales of fair-trade coffee have increased. Fair-trade coffee guarantees a minimum fair price fur beans, allowing farmers a better standard of living. And while fair trade comes at a cost, a growing number of java junkies are willing to pay the few extra dollars for a pound of joe to ensure coffee growers in Colombia can afford their evening rice.

Occasionally, these small farmers receive help from Mother Nature as well. Specialty grocery store coffee buyers say a decline in production from adverse weather conditions, cyclically lower crop outputs and growing consumption in Asia has resulted in more balanced supply and demand. This adjustment will help provide more money to producers to maintain their livelihoods.