Can I get a Cuppa?

Cowell Creek, Arnold Rim Trail, Arnold, CA

This last week I was on the hunt for some decaffeinated coffee. Easier said than done, apparently. For many years now we have bought our coffee at Costco. I haven't even looked at the coffee aisle in a regular grocery store in a very long time. Because of this, I have missed some important trends in the coffee industry. In a nutshell, a consumer's choices are now endless. Looking at all of the tiny little packages was nearly stupefying. I felt under equipped to choose, given my lowly BA degree. A person needs some kind of PhD in Coffeeology to even figure out what is what. 

I got home from the store and wondered what the hell had happened. I did a little research and turns out it's those damn Millennials again. In an article by Forbes here and another miscellaneous article here it's easy to see why there are so many choices at the grocery store. Nearly gone are the larger cans of basic coffee. Replacing them are these smaller 12 oz bags of highly specialized coffee: ground or whole bean, flavored, light roast or dark roast, you name it. And don't get me started on K cups. Then there is the issue of Fair Trade. And organic. Have workers been treated fairly and been paid a living wage? Is the coffee company giving back to the community from which it takes the coffee? What about the rain forest? (It's a big deal. Shade coffee versus coffee grown in the sun can make all the difference in sustainable land management.) It's just not possible to buy a can (or teeny tiny bag) of coffee without freaking out. And try finding decaf. Even though there is still a demand for this type of coffee, there doesn't seem to be many choices. Honestly. I just want to do the right thing which is apparently a choice equivalent to the size of a Trenta cup of iced coffee from Starbucks. 

So what then is the relationship between the beautiful photo shown above and my rant about the coffee? None really except if you can imagine cutting all of that beauty down to plant coffee plants then you might see why I have some angst about buying the right coffee. Choices really do matter.

I thought I might offer up some other ideas that I came across this week. Check below for some thoughts and links.

1. Family Cloths Speaking of being behind on trends, did you know that many people have ditched their toilet paper and have turned to something called "family cloth"? Nope, me either. I decided to give it a try since I love the trees and all. I am not totally in just yet but am doing things in a partial way. Enough said.

2. What Life Was Like Before Vaccines: This is a great article from The Berkeley Wellness site. It's one woman's perspective on what life was like before vaccines. (This topic is a loaded one so this article is only meant to provide one historical narrative.)

3. New Questions About Alcohol's Benefits: Another article from the Berkeley Wellness site, this one casts some doubt on something I think many of us took for granted: alcohol (wine specifically) in moderation can be good for you. 

4. Exercising For Older Adults: Are you (or someone you love) fearful about exercising and possibly getting hurt? Worry no more! This article proposes that the benefits of exercise for older adults almost always outweighs the risks. The usual caveats about existing medical conditions and checking with your doctor apply, but there is almost no downside for an older adult who continues to exercise. 

Despite feeling like a curmudgeon this week because of the Coffee Episode, I still had a nice time. A great hike, beautiful weather and some solid peace and quiet really helped. Hope everyone else enjoyed themselves as well. Thanks for reading and commenting.