Cider, beer and larger
Now how could your favourite tipple possibly fall foul of ethical trade concerns? Back in the day it was all the rage to drink your local ales, perhaps sample those from neighbouring towns or counties. Heaven forbid you should come across some Guiness. These days we’re spoilt for choice, with beers from all over the globe ready for us to buy in bottle, can and even tap form. This is where one part of the problem lies. By promoting the import of beers from all over the planet, ingredients are often being shipped and can travel over 24,000 miles. While a lot of these so-called foreign beers are being brewed under licence in the UK, many are still coming through via our borders.
The farming process that goes into the production of the beverages is another problem for environmental campaigners. While organic farmers will use a mustard-hops combination to deal with pests, normal hop farmers resort to pesticides, using so-called ‘scorched-earth’ methods with huge long dusty tracks between and underneath the crops.
Unfortunately, organically farmed hops are very hard to come by – New Zealand is the main source of supply! We should have no problems cultivating our own organic hops in this country, and it is potentially a source of great profit.
Drinking ethically
Drink at a local pub, not one that is part of a chain or associated with a particular brewery.
DO NOT DRINK AND DRIVE
When drinking outdoors, use a can. When at home, use a bottle.
Wherever you are, make sure you correctly dispose of your empties.