Includes bibliographical references (p. 159-165) and index.

Foreword / Maude Barlow -- Introduction: Making a Difference with Every Cup -- Ch. 1. The Global Context. Economic growth rules supreme. Mental colonialism -- Ch. 2. Rebuilding Democracy. When buying becomes voting. Bringing ethics into the equation -- Ch. 3. Coffee and its Hidden Costs. The history of coffee. Coffee in Mexico. The environmental cost of coffee. Brew for the birds -- Ch. 4. The Conventional Coffee Route. Link 1. Small coffee producers and workers. From coffee tree to cup. Isolation. Food insecurity. Coffee production. The coffee tree. Use of chemicals. Link 2. The local trader. Pesticides. Link 3. The processor. Link 4. The exporter. World coffee production. Link 5. The broker. Price fluctuations. Link 6. The roaster. Coffee roasting. Link 7. The retailer. The wealth of nations? Or corporations? Link 8. We, the consumers. The effects of coffee on health. Who owns the brands we buy? -- Ch. 5. A Different Path for Coffee Growers.

The fair-trade route. Principles of fair trade. Union de Comunidades Indigenas de la Region del Istmo (UCIRI). UCIRI: An example of a cooperative. The indigenous peoples. UCIRI's Rules of Operation. UCIRI's Projects. UCIRI's Organizational structure. Portrait of UCIRI. What else is going on in Mexico. More fair-trade and organic production organizations. Making the alternatives known -- Ch. 6. Consumer power. Origins of the fair-trade movement. Fair-trade labels. The certification process for fair-trade coffee. Fair-trade coffee in North America. When the big boys move in. Campaigning for fair trade. Confused? Choices in "sustainable" coffee. Transferring responsibility to the consumer. Conclusion: Holding up the Stream of Inequity -- App. A. Fair-Trade Certification Criteria -- App. B. Organic Coffee Certification -- App. C. Shade-Grown Coffee -- App. D. Moving into Action: Contact List -- App. E. Where to Get Fair-Trade Coffee -- Photographs by Eric St.-Pierre.