As I've probably mentioned once or twice, I'm not the biggest fan of Starbucks. Even at the best of times, their comforting cafes, sweet snacks and complicated drinks give me a slight sense of unease; after all, while Starbucks feels like a warm, friendly place, it doesn't take much imagination to recast it as a 21st century opium den. Beyond that, there is also the question of price: somehow, it seems obscene to pay $4 for a cup of coffee, regardless of how much whipped cream and crumbled gingerbread is mixed into it.

With that in mind, I was impressed by the Good Earth Brew at Home Pledge. The organic coffee producer is asking consumers to make their morning coffee at home; in fact, for the first 20,000 people who pledge to do so, the company has promised to donate $1 to the Trust for Public Land. In addition to inspiring more people to buy coffee, the pledge should also go a long way toward reducing landfilled garbage: according to Good Earth, paper coffee cups account for 100 million pounds of uncompostable trash per year. Moreover, brewing at home should save the average consumer $1200 per year.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to discuss Good Earth coffee with Cheryl Burn, their Director of Quality and Product Development. As the person most responsible for Good Earth's organic coffee line, she has been tasked with creating coffees that are flavorful, environmentally responsible, and reasonably priced. I was surprised to discover that, while they are committed to environmental sustainability, Good Earth's primary consideration was the flavor of their coffee. This made a lot of sense; after all, if the coffee isn't flavorful, then there isn't really a whole lot of reason to drink it. While some consumers are willing to suffer for the environment, coffee is an almost sacred experience and bad coffee is a really tough sell!

Luckily, Good Earth's blends are delicious. I tried the dark roast "Mystic" mix and the medium-roast "Sienna." Although the Sienna was delicious, with a mild, almost vanilla taste, I vastly preferred the intense, rich flavor of the dark roast. In both cases, I was impressed to find that Good Earth was as good or better than the non-organic coffees that I usually drink. When I discussed this with Cheryl, I learned that, instead of relying on a single varietal bean, Good Earth blends several different coffees from around the world. By doing so, they are able to ensure that the coffee flavor is consistent, even when the supply of organic coffees may vary.

Good Earth charges $7.99 for a ten-ounce bag of their coffee, which puts it in range of most premium coffees, and makes it less expensive than many organic coffees, including Newman's Own. Moreover, their commitment to the environment even extends to their packaging, which is partially constructed from a renewable, cornstarch-derived resin. While they're continuing to push the boundaries of environmentally-sustainable coffee, it's nice to know that Good Earth is working to ensure that the flavor, as much as the sustainability, will keep customers coming back!