Sustainability and Organic Coffee

Is organic coffee really worth the extra money that it demands? "Sustainability" and "Green" are all the buzz of the new coffee world and many other industries, but who's really watching to make sure we get what we pay for. Not all certified sustainable coffees are organic and not all organic coffees are certified sustainable. Organizations that are hired and used as third party certifiers have their own agendas and are in business to make a profit. Some of them are allowing a small percentage of coffee used in a blend (say 30%) and calling it "certified sustainable by..." When in fact most of the coffee used in the blend is the same that could be used in any old blend the roaster is producing, yet they're charging more and making more money from it. When offered a certified sustainable coffee ask if it's 100% sustainable and remember not all certified sustainable coffees are created equal.