Certified Organic

Organic crops are cultivated without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. With other processes, these chemicals can runoff into local water supplies, or be absorbed into the coffee plant itself. Organic coffee cultivation methods protect the environment by using natural fertilizers and pest control to avoid harmful chemicals. Organic growers have made a commitment not to use synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. In addition, they practice sustainable agriculture and natural soil–building. The impact of this is far reaching. It means cleaner watersheds, the creation of habitat for birds and animals, safer conditions for field workers, equitable pay for their labor and a chemical–free product for your enjoyment.

Fair Trade — TransFair USA Licensed Partner

As the only coffee roaster who is a TransFair USA Licensed Partner in Santa Barbara County, Green Star Coffee and Santa Barbara Coffee LLC are pleased to offer Fair Trade Certified products. Average prices paid to coffee growers have reached critical lows. Many coffee fields lay dormant as farmers cannot afford to work them at current prices. This certification confirms that these coffees are purchased at a “fair trade” price that is guaranteed to growers, allowing them to invest in their farms, their communities, and their families’ future. More abour Fair Trade Certifed products.

Member: Specialty Coffee Association of America

The SCAA is the trade association for the specialty coffee industry, one of the fastest–growing food industries in the world. Specialty coffee — sometimes called “gourmet” or “premium” coffee — is grown in the world’s most ideal coffee–producing climates and prepared according to exacting standards.

Member: Smithsonian Institute “Bird Friendly” Program

Green Star Coffee is a proud member of the Smithsonian Institute’s “Bird Friendly®” program. Through purchasing coffee with the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center’s “Bird Friendly®” seal of approval, we can reward farmers in their marketplace for their ecologically beneficial practices while obtaining some of the most flavorful beans on the market.

“Bird Friendly®” coffees are the only coffees on the market that are certified as 100% shade-grown and organic, meaning that they are grown without the use of chemical pesticides that poison the environment. Companies that sell coffee with the “Bird Friendly®” seal of approval contribute 25 cents per pound to support SMBC research and conservation programs.

Join the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center in its efforts to ensure that coffee plantations remain a healthy haven for birds and other wildlife. 

Green Star Coffee is a proud member of the Rainforest Alliance

More than 25 million people in the tropics depend on coffee, a crop that is the economic backbone of many countries and the world's second most traded commodity after oil. Coffee is farmed on about 12 million hectares (30 million acres) worldwide, an area larger than Portugal and nearly the size of England. Most of the farms are in areas regarded as high priorities for conservation. In 1993, the Rainforest Alliance and its partner groups in the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) demonstrated that traditional, forested coffee farms are havens for wildlife. Now, coffee lovers everywhere can support farmers who maintain these rainforest refuges simply by buying beans stamped with the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of approval.

SWISS WATER® Process Decaf

The SWISS WATER® Process is a 100% chemical free coffee decaffeination process that results in great-tasting decaf. Most other processes use chemical solvents, like methylene chloride, to decaffeinate coffee beans. Conversely, the SWISS WATER® Process uses only water when removing caffeine, producing water processed decaf coffee.