World's coffee under threat, say experts

[nitpicker]

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46845461

World's coffee under threat, say experts

By Helen Briggs
BBC News

9 hours ago

The first full assessment of risks to the world's coffee plants shows that 60% of 124 known species are on the edge of extinction. More than 100 types of coffee tree grow naturally in forests, including two used for the coffee we drink. Scientists say the figure is "worrying", as wild coffee is critical for sustaining the global coffee crop. About one in five of the world's plants is threatened with extinction, and the 60% figure is an "extremely high" one.

"If it wasn't for wild species we wouldn't have as much coffee to drink in the world today," said Dr Aaron Davis of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. "Because if you look at the history of coffee cultivation, we have used wild species to make the coffee crop sustainable."

Research published in the journal, Science Advances, found conservation measures were "inadequate" for wild coffees, including those considered "critical" for long-term global coffee production. The study found that 75 wild coffee species are considered threatened with extinction, 35 are not threatened and too little is known about the remaining 14 to make any judgement.
(snip)

[2naSalit]

1. NOoooooo!

I'll have to go to rehab so I can convert to tea! Aaagh!

[Ohiogal]

10. Me, too!

[3Hotdogs]

18. But it ain't grandma's tea any more.

Research, specialty tea companies. I use Adagio Tea importers in N.J. (I have no financial connection with them except to buy their tea.) There are many varieties of tea besides Lipton's, black.


And yes, I roast and grind coffee beans. I like tea and coffee.

[2naSalit]

23. It's just that I love coffee...

I became addicted to coffee when the US moved away from that nasty, pre-ground , stomach lining destroying, percolated shit in a can and started letting us have whole beans to do what we will.

I have been a practicing herbalist for over 40 years, so I am aware of at least a hundred plants that make good tea and that I can get really good teas from a respectable mercantile, I just have a nice addiction to the ultimate bean broth. I buy only fair trade and pay the extra for it too without complaint because of the purpose of fair trade.

I have been certain the day is coming and have resigned myself to converting when it becomes too difficult or expensive to have coffee, I just am not psychologically ready for that yet.

[3Hotdogs]

24. Right now, I am readying a blend-

Jon’s and Blue Mountain.

I also love coffee

[2naSalit]

25. I even have a favorite small roaster

and I even phone order it from him now that I have moved away from the little town he's in. It's just the best and it's all fair trade.

I know the day is coming, my body is starting to rebel against my addiction too so it won' be long now. And if things get really bad economically, I'll be harvesting my own tea sooner than I expect. I'll need to harvest in the spring as it's looking like my state will be burning down this summer unless it rains/snows from April to November this year. We have had about one eighth of the snow that is normal in the past twenty years and probably less than a tenth of what we used to get thirty-forty years ago. Unless we get widespread precip every day this year, we'll be the fire state, or one of them this year.

[3Hotdogs]

29. That was a typo, along with poor vision.

Blend of Kona and Jamaica Blue Mountain.

[2naSalit]

30. LOL!

I do that too.

[TreasonousBastard]

2. I remember bananas are threatened, chocolate was going extinct...

Now it's coffee.

Not to diminish the threat, which is real, but how long can the wolf be cried before we no longer listen?

[Larrybanal]

11. trump seems to get away with it over and over

[Doreen]

27. Chocolate????

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

[madaboutharry]

3. I don't think the earth has 500 years left.

I think the planet is becoming unsustainable. The earth is dying.

[tymorial]

4. The earth isnt dying

Climate change and the presence of invasive species are disrupting the natural habitat of animal and plant life. Some species are particularly susceptible and as such are becoming extinct. Other species are thriving. The balance is off.

Now it's possible we may die off and many other species of animal and plant life may die off but the earth will be just fine.

[madaboutharry]

5. That is what I meant.

I meant earthlings.

[2naSalit]

6. We are making the

biosphere (the area above, on the surface and below the surface where all biological entities exist on this planet) unsustainable for our species in particular, but also most of the ones we know and love that keep us alive. As mentioned above, some species will survive us but we are killing ourselves and taking a whole lot of other species with us.

[tymorial]

13. Now this comment is absolute truth.

[pazzyanne]

8. Humans are one of the most dangerous invasive species on earth.

I've been an environmentalist my whole life, and have taken a lot of "crap" because of my ideology. The sad part is, I still am, and the average American is clueless about what is happening.

[tymorial]

12. Humans arent an invasive species

Industrialisation has destroyed the environment but evolved on 6 of the 7 continents.

[pazzyanne]

15. And who is in charge of industrialization?

Just saying! I would also put all corporations in that same category by the way.

[tymorial]

17. Industrialization doesn't make humans an invasive species

Invasive species are species not native to their environment.

[2naSalit]

31. We are invasive...

We started out in Africa and because A) we adapt well to a variety of other environments and B) Industrialization made it possible for us to invade the rest of the planet either by us going to live there and extract resources or by pollution that has migrated to the rest of the planet. That is invasive.

[tymorial]

32. No we are not.

[2naSalit]

33. And that's all you have for a rebuttal?

How about a rationale to back up your claim/statement?

[tymorial]

35. It's already been provided in earlier posts.

Restating is unlikely to change your opinion.

[2naSalit]

36. Where?

In your one line opinions and wrong definitions of terms?

That's rich.

[2naSalit]

22. +1

[3Hotdogs]

19. Its a goddamn shame. Only 6,000 years old, and the 'urf is shot already.

You think God would'a done a better job making it.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

20. And instructing his Prosperity Bible flock.

As unchristian as they come. Should call it the Excuse Bible.

[FiveGoodMen]

26. Slightly OT: You'd think god would have done a better job composing the bible

So that all his adherents could agree on what it says.

He seems completely overrated.

[NickB79]

34. The biosphere will survive

Just like it survived after the KT asteroid, or the Permian dieoff, or Snowball Earth.

In a few million years, the surviving bugs, rats, pigeons and weeds will start to re-speciate into a new ecosystem. Humans won't be among them, though.

[safeinOhio]

7. Why Is Genetic Diversity Important for Survival

https://greentumble.com/why-is-genetic-diversity-important-for-survival/

Genetic diversity of our plants, animals and other
living organisms is what enables us to survive and thrive in this world. The capacity of species to adapt to new circumstances, whether this is resource scarcity, a changing environment or other disturbances to their natural environment, depends on genetic diversity. Essentially, genetic diversity is the total number of characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species¹. The greater the variation in genes, the more likely is that individuals in a population will possess the differentiated genes which are needed to adapt to an environment. In scientific literature, these differentiated genes are called “alleles” and their presence is what will help species survive. The theory of natural selection suggests that it is this variety of genes that allows species to evolve, adapt and propagate successfully.https://greentumble.com/why-is-genetic-diversity-important-for-survival/

[Roland99]

9. Can it not be grown in new areas now?

[BumRushDaShow]

14. You can grow it in your house

(and/or outside year-round if you are in the right climate or during summer, overwintering inside). I have a baby arabica under lights in my basement.

They are cool tropical shrubs (60F - 80F often found at high-altitudes in tropical mountains) and although many of the commercial growers have them in full blazing sun, they appreciate being an understory plant (some growers have started inter-planting them with bananas where the banana leaves can provide some shade). They do need a lot of humidity/moisture around their leaves.

[tymorial]

16. Potentially

But when you introduce a new species there is a possibility it could disrupt the flora that is native to the new location

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

21. Im surprised corporate America hasn't started charging 25.00 a can already.

Most people drink it. Corp vulture America raises prices on what everyone wants and uses.

[Doreen]

28. NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!

I am a coffee snob.....it just can't be. CRAP.