>>> PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR QED WITH DR. B.

>> OUR FOUNDER BELIEVED IN BUILDING AN INSTITUTE THAT WOULD BETTER SOCIETY THROUGH THE USE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY.

THIS YEAR WE'RE GOING TO HIT A GOAL OF A MILLION STUDENT AS YEAR THAT WILL BE ABLE TO IMPACT AROUND THE COUNTRY.

>> AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER FOUNDATION.

BOUNDLESS ENERGY FOR BRIGHTER FUTURES.

AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>>> SCIENTIST AND PRESIDENT AND CEO.

WELCOME TO QED WITH ME DR. B.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SCIENCE.

>> TODAY WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT COFFEE FROM FARM TO THE CUP.

I GREW UP AROUND COFFEE DRINKERS.

THEY LOVED COFFEE.

BUT I REALLY DIDN'T START DRINKING COFFEE UNTIL ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO.

I HAD THIS GREAT CUP OF COFFEE FROM A LOCAL ROASTER AND IT HAD THE PERFECT AMOUNT OF CREAM IN IT.

DR. B, DO YOU LIKE MEDIUM OR DARK ROAST?

>> I LIKE DARK ROAST.

I JUST STARTED DRINKING COFFEE JUST OUT OF NECESSITY.

GOT A LITTLE OLDER IN TEENAGE AGE AND I NEED A PICK ME UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY.

I DRINK IT BLACK AND NO SUGAR, NO CREAM.

BUT IT REALLY WORKS.

IT KEEPS ME STIMULATE WHICH HAD IS GREAT.

>> LATER IN THE SHOW WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT HOW MIGRATORY BIRDS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF COFFEE FARMS.

A WHOLE RESEARCH CENTER FOCUSED ON THE COFFEE INDUSTRY.

BUT FIRST LET'S TALK ABOUT THE COFFEE BEAN ITSELF.

EVEN THOUGH WE ALL DRINK IT, HOW MUCH DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT THAT COFFEE PLANT WHICH IS THE ORGANISM THAT PRODUCES THE COFFEE BEAN?

THERE'S SO MUCH GENETIC ANALYSIS OF THE COFFEE BEAN, THE COFFEE PLANT.

ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL REASONS TO DOING THAT IS STABILIZE THE POSSIBILITY TO GROW COFFEE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

I TALKED WITH PROFESSOR EMERITUS AT UC DAVIS COFFEE CENTER IN CALIFORNIA.

>> LOOK AT THAT.

A GREAT POUR OVER WITH NONE OTHER THAN THE EXPERT DR. JUAN MADRANO.

YOU'RE AN EXPERT ON COFFEE.

YOU'RE AN EXPERT ON MOLECULAR MAY BIOLOGY AND GENETICS OF COFFEE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT SEQUENCING THE GENOME.

WHY WOULD SCIENTISTS WANT TO DO THAT?

>> THE GENOME IS THE FIRST STEP WE FOLLOW TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND IT.

IN TERMS OF A SPECIES WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT GENES ARE INVOLVED IN HAD CONTROLLING THE TRAITS AND HOW THEY WORK.

YOU CAN THINK OF THE GENOME AS THE BOOK OF LIFE.

THE BOOK OF LIFE THAT IS WRITTEN WITH LETTERS AND THE LETTERS OF DNA ARE FOUR LETTERS.

AND THEY'RE ORGANIZED IN THIS BOOK.

WHEN WE FIRST SEQUENCE THE GENOME WE END UP WITH THIS BOOK FULL OF LETTERS THAT ARE LINED.

AND THEN THE PROCESS BECOMES TO ORGANIZE THESE LETTERS IN CHAPTERS.

BOOKS ARE IN CHAPTERS.

YOU CAN THINK OF AS THE CHROMOSOMES AND THEN THE CHAPTERRERS ARE ORGANIZED IN PARAGRAPHS AND SENTENCES.

THE PARAGRAPHS AND SENTENCES BECOME THE GENES AND THE SPACES BETWEEN THE GENES.

SO THEN WE BEGIN TO READ THE BOOK ONCE WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE THE CHAPTERS ORGANIZED AND WE HAVE THE PARAGRAPHS AND THAT LEADS US TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MUCH BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE GENOME ITSELF, BUT YOU START WITH A SEQUENCE OF LETTERS THAT FIRST OF ALL DON'T MEAN ANYTHING UNTIL YOU CAN PUT IT TOGETHER.

THAT UNDERSTANDING IS WHAT WE'RE AFTER.

>> WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT OR WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR WHEN YOU'RE SEQUENCING OR ANALYZING THE DNA OF COFFEE?

>> WE'RE LOOKING FOR HOW TO IMPROVE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF COFFEE.

COFFEE IS A PRODUCT THAT IS TOUCHED BY MANY PEOPLE.

FARMERS PLAY A HUGE PART IN THE PRODUCTION OF COFFEE.

AND THE PROCESSING AND THE PREPARATION OF COFFEE.

THERE'S A LOT OF CHALLENGES THAT HAVE COME TO COFFEE IN RECENT TIMES.

CHALLENGES RELATED TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

WHAT CLIMATE CHANGE HAS DONE IS INCREASE THE VOLATILITY OF THE FARMING SYSTEM.

NOW WE HAVE EXTREMES.

EXTREMES THAT WE NEED TO ADAPT TO.

AND THE GENOME IS KIND OF THE BACKGROUND OF THIS THAT CAN HELP US UNDERSTAND HOW TO MOVE IN THIS DIRECTION.

IN RELATION TO COFFEE, THE EXPECTATION IS THE TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO INCREASE AND IT'S GOING TO REDUCE SOME OF THE AREAS THAT ARE PLANTED WITH COFFEE.

WE'RE INCREASING TEMPERATURES 1.5 TO 4 DEGREES IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE FROST, COLD.

WE NEED TO FIND PLANTS THAT ARE MORE RESILIENT TO ADAPTING TO THE CHANGES IN ENVIRONMENT AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS THAT WE CAN WORK WITH.

SO THE GENOME HELPS US IDENTIFY SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE IN TERMS OF GENETIC SELECTION.

AND NOT ONLY CLIMATE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THE CHANGES IN CLIMATE ALSO BRING CHANGES IN DISEASE.

IF YOU HAVE MORE HUMIDITY, MORE RAIN, LESS RAIN, THERE ARE DISEASES.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE INTERESTED.

WHAT ARE THE VARIATIONS THAT ARE PRESENT IN DIFFERENT COFFEE PLANTS THAT WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE TO PRODUCE A MORE ADAPTABLE PLANT.

>> HOW IS YOUR SPECIFIC RESEARCH ENSURED THAT WE STILL HAVE DELICIOUS COFFEE TO DRINK >> SO UNDERSTANDING THE GENOME AND SEEING WHAT ADVANTAGES WE CAN TAKE FROM THE DIVERSITY THAT EXISTS IN NATURE IN TERMS OF PRODUCING COFFEES THAT ARE OUTSTANDING.

ONE OF THE COMPONENTS OF FLAVOR AND QUALITY THAT MAKE IT SO SPECIAL.

WE ALSO MAKE CROSSES BETWEEN DIFFERENT VARIETIES OF COFFEE.

LOOKING AT THE PROGENY OF THOSE TO SEE IF IT WE CAN DEVELOP RESILIENCE AND EXQUISITE COFFEE.

>> IT'S INSPIRING.

YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY BUILD SOMETHING TO HELP THE SUSTAINABILITY OF COFFEE.

I'VE TRAVELED TO MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD WHERE COFFEE IS GROWN AND YOU WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO SUSTAINING THIS WAY OF LIFE.

NOW WE'RE PRODUCING COFFEE IN CALIFORNIA.

IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AND IT'S A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO LOOK AT THE NEW ENVIRONMENT AND BE ABLE TO DEVELOP PLANTS THAT CAN GROW WELL IN CALIFORNIA AND THE CONTINENTAL USA.

IT'S INSPIRING TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH GREAT PEOPLE AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE ENDEAVOR.

THE COFFEE INDUSTRY IS HUGE.

THERE'S 125 MILLION PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD WHOSE LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON COFFEE.

IT TOUCHES THE LIVES OF SO MANY.

FROM THE PRODUCTION, FROM THE FARMERS TO THE TRADERS TO THE IMPORTERS TO THE SERVERS AND TO ALL THE 25 MILLION PEOPLE THAT DRINK ALL THOSE CUPS OF COFFEE.

>> MY WIFE AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE IN REPRESENTATION.

UNFORTUNATELY MINORITIES HAVE BEEN GROSSLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN IF THE COFFEE INDUSTRY FOR ALMOST AS LONG AS IT EXISTS.

AND EVEN SO, MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE HISTORY BEHIND ETHIOPIAN COFFEE.

THEY'RE MORE FAMILIAR WITH JAMAICA, BLUE MOUNTAIN COFFEES OR KONA COFFEE.

ETHIOPIA IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF ALL OF THOSE GREAT BEANS AND IT DOESN'T GET THE RECOGNITION IT NEEDS.

>> WE HAD A GREAT TIME AT THE COLUMBUS COFFEE FESTIVAL.

IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE THIS NEW COFFEE CULTURE WITH THE NEW FLAVORS AND REALLY GEEKY SCIENCE BEHIND ROASTING.

BUT DR. B, THERE'S STILL ROOM FOR OLDER FOLKS TO LIKE THEIR BIG NAME COFFEE; RIGHT?

>> IT'S PART OF OUR CULTURE.

THE REALLY COOL THING AND WONDERFUL THING ABOUT BREAKING DOWN SCIENTIFICALLY IS WE LEARN ALL THESE THINGS ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S PART OF OUR EVERY DAY LIVES AND TO STUDY THAT AND GLEAN THAT INFORMATION REALLY HELPS LEVERAGE CULTURE IN A BIG POWERFUL WAY BECAUSE EVERYBODY CAN RELATE TO COFFEE.

WHAT WE'RE FINDING SCIENTIFICALLY IT IS HARD TO ENGINEER THESE FLAVORS BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY VARIABLES YOU HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT LIKE THE WATER USED, THE COFFEE BEANS, HOW YOU'RE GRINDING, THE SIZE OF THE GRIND.

ALL THESE FACTORS THAT CAN KICK DICTATE HOW THE COFFEE IS GOING TO TASTE.

THIS IS FUN TO ANALYZE.

FOR MORE ON THAT, WE TALK WITH DR. WILLIAM, PROFESSOR OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AT UC DAVIS AND THE COFFEE CENTER WHO TEACHES A FULL COOL COURSE ON BREWING COFFEE.

YOU HAVE THE COOLEST CAREER ON THE PLANET.

YOU'RE A CHEMICAL ENGINEER AND YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES CREATED A WHOLE COURSE CALLED DESIGN OF COFFEE.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO DO THAT?

>> SO HERE AT UC DAVIS WE HAVE A WHOLE DEPARTMENT OF -- GROWING OF GRAPES AND MAKING OF WINE.

WINE IS A $68 BILLION PER YEAR INDUSTRY.

COFFEE IN THE UNITED STATES IS AN $88 BILLION PER YEAR INDUSTRY.

COFFEE IS WAY BIGGER BUT HISTORICALLY WE'VE HAD ZERO FACULTIES, ZERO PROFESSORS FOCUSED ON COFFEE.

THERE'S LIKE A HUGE UNMET RESEARCH NEED.

WE GOT INTO IT BECAUSE WE WANTED TO TEACH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.

MUCH ENTHUSIASM AND INTEREST FROM THE COFFEE INDUSTRY AND COFFEE ASSOCIATION AND OTHER TRADE GROUPS THAT WE SAW WOW, THERE REALLY ARE HUGE UNMET RESEARCH AND ADVANCED EDUCATION NEEDS ABOUT COFFEE THAT WE CAN HELP ADDRESS.

SO IT'S NOT A COFFEE COURSE, IT'S AN INTRODUCTORY COURSE.

OUR GOAL IS TO GET THEM TO START THINKING ABOUT USING SCIENTIFIC AND ENGINEERING APPROACH TO TACKLE PROBLEMS.

THE PROBLEM WE THINK ABOUT IS HOW DO WE MAKE THE BEST TASTING COFFEE USING THE LEAST AMOUNT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEER.

NOT JUST A TASTE TEST OR A CONTEST, IT'S REALLY HOW DO WE THINK ABOUT MAXIMIZING SUSTAINABILITY OF A BEVERAGE THAT WE ALL LOVE.

>> HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHAT THE BEST TASTING COFFEE IS?

ISN'T THAT A SUBJECTIVE THING TO BEGIN WITH?

>> THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED THE MOST OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS OR SO IS CONSUMER PREFERENCES VARY WILDLY.

SOME OF OUR STUDENTS LIKE THE STRONG, BITTER, SMOKY DARK ROASTED COFFEE.

OTHER ONES PREFER VERY LIGHT, MORE TEA-LIKE OR FLORAL COFFEE.

SO DIFFERENT PEOPLE LIKE DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND FIGURING OUT HOW TO PREPARE YOUR COFFEE, HOW TO ROAST T GRIND IT AND BREW IT SUCH THAT YOU CAN MAXIMIZE THOSE DESIRABLE FLAVOR PROFILES IS NOT EASY.

IT'S COMPLICATES.

>> CAN YOU EXPLAIN TDS?

>> ABOUT A THOUSAND DIFFERENT FLAVOR MOLECULES THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN COFFEES.

BECAUSE IT'S SO COMPLICATED AND YOU CAN'T REALLY IDENTIFY HOW MUCH OF ANY PARTICULAR MOLECULE IS THERE WITHOUT SPECIALIZED IMAGERY EQUIPMENT WHAT PEOPLE DO IS THEY FINISH THE TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS.

THE TDS AND THAT'S HOW MUCH OF THE COFFEE STUFF THAT'S IN THE COFFEE GROUNDS DISSOLVES INTO THE LIQUID.

AND SO A JET BLACK CUP OF COFFEE, IT'S STILL 99% WATER ROUGHLY AND 1% TDS.

YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT ALL THE SCIENCEY ENGINEERING THINGS HAPPENING DURING THE MASS TRANSFER AND HEAT TRANSFER DURING THAT BREWING PROCESS.

>> YOU HEAR ABOUT DIFFERENT COFFEES FROM ETHIOPIA TO JAMAICA.

YEAH, YOU CAN GROW THE BEANS BUT THERE'S THIS WHOLE OTHER PROCESS THAT CAN DETERMINE IF YOU HAVE A GOOD CUP OF COFFEE OR NOT.

IS THAT TRUE?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE STORIES OF COFFEE.

I WAS ON A ROAD TRIP WITH MY FAMILY UP TO VANCOUVER.

WE STOPPED IN A SPECIALTY COFFEE PLACE AND I ORDERED A BLACK COFFEE AND I TOOK A SIP AND THIS HAS TREMENDOUS ORANGE FLAVOR.

IT TASTES LIKE ORANGE.

AND I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COFFEE AT THE TIME.

I THOUGHT WHY ARE THEY PUTTING ORANGE IN MY COFFEE.

HE WAS REALLY COOL, VERY PATIENT.

HE SAID IT'S A BLACK COFFEE, IT'S NATURALLY PRESENT.

THAT REALLY BLEW MY MIND THAT COFFEE CAN HAVE THESE SPECIALTY FLAVORS.

I GOT A LITTLE OBSESSED AFTER THAT AND TRIED LEARNING A BIT ABOUT IT.

>> THAT'S AMAZING.

I GOT TO ASK THOUGH FOR MYSELF AND THE AUDIENCE, THE COFFEE TASTED LIKE ORANGE.

HOW THAT HAPPENS?

HOW DOES IT BRING AN ORANGE PROFILE INTO A COFFEE?

>> SO IT'S NOT ADDING WEIRD MOLECULES OR CHEMICALS.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT IS IN THE GREEN BEAN AFTER YOU HARVEST THIS COFFEE CHERRY AND THEN HOW YOU ROAST IT AND HOW YOU BREW IT.

SO IT'S ALL MOLECULES THAT ARE THERE NATURALLY.

CITRUS FLAVOR IS DUE TO A MOLECULE.

IT'S A CERTAIN ORGANIC MOLECULE AND IT'S THERE IN COFFEE.

IT'S ALL ABOUT WHAT IS IN THE GREEN BEANS AND THEN WHEN YOU ROAST IT YOU GET CERTAIN REACTIONS THAT CAN CREATE FLAVOR MOLECULES OR DESTROY THEM.

GETTING THAT RIGHT ROAST PROFILE SUCH THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF THESE DIFFERENT MOLECULES, IT'S SO COMPLICATED.

THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT CHEMICAL REACTIONS TAKING PLACE WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO ANSWER A QUESTION, HOW DO WE MAXIMIZE THE CITRUS FLAVOR.

RIGHT NOW MOSTLY IN THE COFFEE INDUSTRY IT'S A LOT OF TRIAL AND ERROR.

YOU CAN TAKE THE SAME ROASTED COFFEE BEANS AND BREW IT DIFFERENTLY AND HAVE IT TASTE WILDLY DIFFERENTLY.

SO WE HAD ALL --MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE COME AND TASTE 27 DIFFERENT SAMPLE TELETYPES OTHER THREE DIFFERENT WEEKENDS.

THEY WERE CURIOUS.

OH, IT WAS JUST THE SAME COFFEE BUT BREWED DIFFERENTLY AND THEY WERE LIKE WHAT, ARE YOU KIDDING?

WE THOUGHT IT WAS DIFFERENT ORIGINS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

NOPE, SAME COFFEE EVERY TIME, JUST BREWED DIFFERENTLY.

HAS A HUGE IMPACT.

>> WHAT ARE OTHER MISCONCEPTIONS PEOPLE HAVE ABOUT WHAT MAKES THE BEST CUP OF COFFEE?

>> IF YOU GO AND LOOK AT ALL THE BREWING GUIDELINES RIGHT NOW, THEY CORRECTLY POINT OUT TEMPERATURE TO KEEP PARAMETER.

THE HOTTER YOUR WATER THE MORE QUICKLY YOU WILL EXTRACT THE SOLUBLE MATERIALS INTO YOUR CUP OF COFFEE.

WHAT WE SHOWED WAS WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN TERMS OF FLAVOR PROFILE IS NOT THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER YOU USE BUT ACTUALLY THE FINAL TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS AND EXTRACTION DEAL.

IT'S TRUE THAT THE TEMPERATURE AFFECTS HOW QUICKLY YOU GET THERE TO A CERTAIN TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT TEMPERATURE YOU USE TO GET THERE AS LONG AS YOU GOT THERE.

>> SO THAT'S INTERESTING.

THAT'S LIKE YOU CAN DRIVE A HONDA, YOU CAN DRIVE A TOYOTA OR A MERCEDES BUT YOU'RE STILL GETTING TO THE FINAL DESTINATION REGARDLESS OF WHAT TRANSPORTATION YOU GOT.

>> I HADN'T USED THAT ANALOGY BEFORE BUT I LOVE IT.

LOWER WATER TEMPERATURE IT'LL TAKE LONGER TO GET THERE AND MAYBE A FINER GRIND SIZE BUT YOU GET THERE.

THEN WHAT OUR EXPERTS TOLD IS YOU CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE.

YOU'RE ON TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN.

>> HOW DO YOU HOPE YOUR RESEARCH CAN BETTER HELP THE COFFEE INDUSTRY?

>> SO ONE OF THE REALITIES ABOUT COFFEE IS THAT THERE'S ABOUT 100 MILLION PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD WHOSE LIVELIHOOD DEPENDS ON COFFEE.

PEOPLE AT ORIGIN WORKING ON COFFEE FARMS.

THERE'S PLENTY OF FAMILIES WHOSE ONLY CASH INCOME DURING THE YEAR IS DURING COFFEE HARVEST SEASON.

ANYTHING WE CAN DO HERE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF COFFEE AND THE DESIRABILITY OF COFFEE HELPS NOT JUST THE BARISTAS AND PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND HERE, BUT IT HELPS PEOPLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

SO THAT'S ONE REASON I'M MOTIVATED TO WORK ON COFFEE.

IT DOES HAVE SUCH A HUGE IMPACT ON PEOPLE ACROSS THE WORLD.

>> DID YOU KNOW JUST LIKE HOW OUR BODIES CREATE LACTIC ACID WHEN THERE'S A LACK OF OXYGEN WHEN WE'RE WORKING OUT, THAT'S SO IMPORTANT TO COFFEE.

I HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE ELEVATION OF WHERE THIS COFFEE IS GROWN.

MEANING THESE HIGHER GROWN COFFEES HAVE LESS OXYGEN WHICH CREATES MORE LACTIC ACID.

IF YOU THINK AFTER KENYAN COFFEE, THAT'S A HIGHER GROUND COFFEE MEANING THERE'S MORE LACTIC ACID INSIDE THE COFFEE, GIVING YOU MORE OF THAT CITRUS.

THAT WOULD BE COMPARED TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT LIKE A COFFEE GROWN IN LOWER ELEVATION OR BRAZILIAN COFFEE WHICH MIGHT NOT HAVE AS MUCH OF THAT SOUR CITRUS ACIDITY TO IT.

SO THAT IS SO IMPORTANT TO US WHEN WE'RE SOURCING COFFEE TO PAY ATTENTION TO THESE WHAT TO PICK TO GET THE RIGHT FLAVOR CHARACTERISTIC FOR OUR COFFEE.

>> WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE COFFEE BEAN AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE TASTE OF COFFEE.

LET'S STEP BACK FOR A FEW MINUTES AND TALK ABOUT THE COFFEE INDUSTRY AS A WHOLE.

SO RECENT DATA SHOWS THAT 60% OF ALL COFFEE PRODUCTION IN THE WORLD IS DONE BY SMALL HOLD FARMERS.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR THE FUTURE OF COFFEE PRODUCTION?

>> WE LEARNED THAT SCIENCE CAN HELP SMALL FARMERS INCREASE THEIR SUSTAINABILITY ON OUR FARMS.

ONE REALLY COOL RECENT FINDING IS COFFEE FARM ASKING IMPACT MIGRATORY BIRDS.

FOR THAT WE TALKED TO DR. RUTH BENNETT RESEARCH ECOLOGIST AT THE SMITHSONIAN MIGRATORY BIRD CENTER.

>> DR. BENNETT.

YOU'RE A RESEARCH ECOLOGIST FOR THE SMITHSONIAN MIGRATORY BIRD CENTER WHICH ESTABLISHED A BIRD FRIENDLY CERTIFICATION FOR COFFEE.

IF I SAW BIRD FRIENDLY CERTIFICATION ON A BAG OF COFFEE, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

>> THERE'S A LOT OF CERTIFICATIONS WHEN IT COMES TO COFFEE AND IT'S REALLY HARD TO DIFFERENCES ARE.

OUR CERTIFICATION, BIRD FRIENDLY MEANS THAT 100% OF THE COFFEE IN THAT BAG WAS GROWN IN A WAY THAT WAS GOOD FOR BIRDS THAT PROTECTS HABITAT FOR THEM, PROTECTS THE FARMERS AND PROVIDES REALLY A ROBUST, HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR THE COFFEE, THE FARMERS AND THE WILDLIFE COMMUNITY THERE.

>> THAT'S FASCINATING.

WHY ESTABLISH BIRD FRIENDLY CERTIFICATION IN THE FIRST PLACE?

>> SINCE THE 1970s WE HAVE LOST 3 BILLION BIRDS IN NORTH AMERICA AND ALMOST ALL OF THOSE ARE MIGRATORY BIRDS.

OUR CENTER HAS ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN STUDYING WHERE THESE BIRDS GO, WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEM, HOW WE CAN PROTECT THEM.

AND WE DISCOVERED THAT A LARGE MAJORITY OF THESE MIGRATORY BIRDS THAT ARE GOING THROUGH POPULATION DECLINES SPEND THE WINTER ON COFFEE FARMS THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA.

SO THOSE COFFEE GROWING AREAS ARE AT MID ELEVATION.

THEY'RE TYPICALLY PRETTY CLOSE TO FORESTS.

AND WHEN THE COFFEE IS GROWN WITH SHADE WITH NATIVE VEGETATION, IT PROVIDES REALLY GOOD HABITAT FOR THOSE MIGRATORY BIRDS.

>> SO YOU REALLY UNPACKED NICELY HOW THE BIRDS ACTUALLY RELY ON THIS MICROECOSYSTEM SO THEY CAN GROW AND DEVELOP AND FOSTER.

DO THE BIRDS ACTUALLY HELP HOW THESE COFFEES ARE GROWN?

>> WE AND SOME OTHER COLLEAGUES HAVE DONE RESEARCH TO SEE WHAT THE BIRDS ARE ACTUALLY GIVING BACK TO FARMERS AND WE FOUND THAT THERE'S A SMALL BEETLE CALLED THE COFFEE BERRY BORER WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT PEST OF COFFEE THROUGHOUT LATIN AMERICA.

WHEN COFFEE FARMS KEEP ENOUGH SHADE TREES ON THE FARMS AND ATTRACT THESE MIGRATORY BIRDS THOSE BIRDS CAN ACTUALLY CONTROL THE COFFEE BERRY BORER.

THAT'S A MONETARY BENEFIT FOR FARMERS.

OTHERWISE THEY WOULD NEED TO RELY ON HEAVY AGRO CHEMICAL USE WHICH IS EXPENSIVE.

IF THEY KEEP FORESTS AROUND THEIR FARMS, IF THEY KEEP SHADE TREES THEY'RE ATTRACTING BIRDS IN THAT THEN HELP THEM FOR FREE REALLY DETRIMENTAL COFFEE PEST.

>> HOW ARE THE ENVIRONMENTS AND THE PROCESSES FOR BIRD FRIENDLY COFFEE DIFFERENT FROM HOW MOST COFFEE IS GROWN?

>> YEAH, SO SINCE THE 1970s ABOUT 75% OF COFFEE HAS BEEN CONVERTED FROM WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER BIRD FRIENDLY COFFEE TO FULL SUN MONO CULTURES.

THAT PROCESS LOOKS LIKE CHOPPING DOWN ALL OF THE TREES ABOVE THE COFFEE, HAVING NICE, NEAT ROWS OF ONLY COFFEE UNDERNEATH THE SUN, HEAVY AGRO CHEMICAL USE.

THAT'S NOW HOW MOST COFFEE IS PRODUCED.

THAT TYPE OF HABITAT PROVIDES NO SPACE FOR BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE.

IN CONTRAST A BIRD FRIENDLY FARM WOULD HAVE 10 TO 30 DIFFERENT TREE SPECIES PLANTED ABOVE THE COFFEE PLANTS AND THOSE TREES WOULD BE FULL OF BIRDS, FULL OF OTHER WILDLIFE.

IT REALLY SOUNDS LIKE A FOREST WHEN YOU'RE IN THAT TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT.

AND IN CONTRAST, A FULL SUN BAKED, IT'S PRETTY MUCH LIFELESS.

>> IS THE ANALYSIS OF THE BIRD FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT ALMOST LIKE A LITMUS FOR A LARGER SUSTAINABILITY?

CAN WE DRAW A MAP TO HOW WE'RE THINKING ABOUT GROWING BIRD FRIENDLY COFFEE TO THE BIGGER ECOSYSTEM OF HOW WE'RE IMPACTING THESE ENVIRONMENTS?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

COFFEE IS GROWN IN THE MOST BIODIVERSE PLACES ON THE PLANET.

TROPICAL FORESTS.

THESE ECOSYSTEMS HAVE TONS OF LIFE.

SOMETIMES LIFE THAT HASN'T EVEN BEEN DISCOVERED YET.

SO WHEN COFFEE FARMERS CHOOSE TO KEEP TREES ON THEIR FARMS, THEY'RE PROVIDING A SERVICE FOR ALL OF THE WILDLIFE AND ALL OF THE OTHER ECOSYSTEM SERVICES LIKE WATER CONSERVATION, WATER GENERATION, CARBON SEQUESTRATION.

THINGS THAT REALLY IMPACT US ON A PLANETARY SCALE AND ALSO IMPACT THAT LANDSCAPE SCALE WHERE THEY FIND THEMSELVES.

>> HOW DO YOU CONVINCE GROWERS TO SIGN ON FOR ESTABLISHING A BIRD FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT?

>> SURE.

SO GROWERS ARE PRIMARILY BUSINESS PEOPLE.

THEY RESPOND TO MARKET PRESSURES.

SO WE WORK IN A VARIETY OF WAYS TO ENCOURAGE GROWERS TO GET BIRD FRIENDLY CERTIFIED.

THE MOATS EFFECTIVE ONE IS WHEN A COFFEE ROASTER, A COFFEE COMPANY IN NORTH AMERICA DECIDES TO SELL BIRD FRIENDLY COFFEE.

THEY'RE THE ONES THAT HAVE THE POWER TO ASK GROWERS TO GET CERTIFIED OR TO CHOOSE TO PAY MORE FOR FARMS THAT ARE ALREADY CERTIFIED.

SO THAT'S THE STRONGEST INCENTIVE WE HAVE TO ENCOURAGE FARMERS TO GET CERTIFIED.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT FARMERS ARE ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS AS WELL.

A LOT OF COFFEE FARMERS FEEL IMMENSE PRIDE IN THE WILDLIFE THAT THEY CONSERVE ON THEIR FARM.

MANY OF THOSE FARMERS WILL SIGN UP FOR OUR CERTIFICATION EVEN IF THERE'S NO MARKET FOR IT.

EVEN IF IT THEY DON'T HAVE A BUYER REQUESTING BIRD FRIENDLY COFFEE.

HAVING AN INSTITUTION LIKE THE SMITHSONIAN SAY YOUR COFFEE IS THE GOLD STANDARD OF BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION IS AND RECOGNIZES THE WORK THAT THEY'RE PUTTING INTO MAINTAINING THAT HABITAT.

>> SO WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THIS BIRD FRIENDLY INITIATIVE AT THE SMITHSONIAN FOR THE CONSUMER AND FOR THE PLANET?

>> WE REALLY ENVISION A WORLD WHERE COFFEE IS GROWN IN LANDSCAPES THAT CAN SERVE BIODIVERSITY.

WHERE THEY RETAIN ENOUGH TREES TO PROVIDE THOSE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES.

SMITHSONIAN BIRD FRIENDLY COFFEE IS STILL A SMALL CERTIFICATION.

WE'RE NOT FOUND IN EVERY GROCERY STORE YET AND WE REALLY DEPEND ON CONSUMERS KNOWING ABOUT THIS AND SAYING YES, I WANT THAT COFFEE THAT COMES FROM PLACES THAT ARE GOOD FOR BIRDS AND GOOD FOR WILDLIFE AND GOOD FOR FARMERS.

THAT BOLSTERS THE CERTIFICATION AND HOPEFULLY CREATE AS WORLD WHERE THERE'S MORE SPACE FOR COFFEE AND BIRDS.

>> I WANT TO GET COFFEE FROM I WAS READING HOW THEY'RE NOT TREATED FAIR BECAUSE MEN CAN BE PAID $4 A POUND AND WOMENWOMAN COULD GET PAID 75 CENTS.

HOW I CAN HELP IS BY MAKING SURE I'M BUYING FROM CERTIFIED PEOPLE DOING THE RIGHT THING FOR THESE WOMEN.

EVERY POUND OF COFFEE WE GIVE AN EXTRA 50-CENTS ON TOP OF WHAT WE PAID AND THAT GOES TO THEM TO HELP THEM WITH BASIC AND NECESSARY THINGS.

>> MY TAKE AWAY IS I WILL KEEP GOING TO THE COLUMBUS COFFEE FESTIVAL EVERY YEAR.

COFFEE IS LIKE WINE.

THE MORE YOU TASTE IT, GET TO KNOW THE FLAVORS AND THE MORE YOU START TO ENJOY IT.

SO I THINK THAT EVERYONE KIND OF NEEDS TO DO THAT.

SO WHAT'S YOUR TAKE AWAY?

>> THAT'S REALLY GREAT.

THE OTHER BIG THING IS COFFEE IS AN EXAMPLE OF SCIENCE IN OUR EVERY DAY LIVES.

I GOT TO TELL YOU, YOU DON'T DRINK ENOUGH YOU'LL SOUND SQUEAKY LIKE ME ON THIS SHOW.

COFFEE IS SOMETHING THAT UNIFIES CULTURES.

IT'S ANOXIC DRIVER.

IT SPEAKS TO ALL OF US BECAUSE WE CAN RELATE TO IT.

>> AND THAT'S QED WITH DR. B.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

>> OKAY.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE KIND OF COFFEE?

>> I LIKE AMERICANO.

>> MY FAVORITE KIND IS FRENCH MARKET WITH CHICORY.

>> I REALLY LIKE COFFEE CAN VANILLA CREAMER OR ICED VANILLA LATTE.

BIG VANILLA PERSON.

>> I LIKE CINNAMON, HAZEL NUT.

>> COLD BREWS, NITROS AND ICED COFFEES AND I USUALLY PREFER A LIGHTER ROAST.

>> BLACK COFFEE.

REGULAR BLACK COFFEE.

>> WHY DO YOU DRINK COFFEE?

>> I'M A MEDICAL STUDENT.

I'VE GOT TO REALLY STAY UP LONG HOURS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

>> I LIKE NEED AT LEAST UNCOUTH EVERY DAY TO LIKE JUST MAKE ME FEEL GOOD IN THE MORNING AND LIKE READY TO TAKE ON THE DAY.

DOESN'T REALLY WORK.

ONLY WORKS A LITTLE BIT.

SO YEAH.

>> HONESTLY, JUST THE TASTE.

I LIKE IT AND IT'S A GOOD LIKE MORNING RITUAL.

I WAKE UP, I GET MY COFFEE AND START THE DAY.

YEAH.

>> PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR QED WITH DR. B IS PROVIDED BY.

>> BATTELLE CARES ABOUT STEM.

BETTER SOCIETY THROUGH THE USE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGIES.

WE'LL HIT A GOAL OF A MILLION STUDENTS A YEAR WE'LL BE ABLE TO IMPACT.

>> AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER FOUNDATION.

BOUNDLESS ENERGY FOR BRIGHTER FUTURE.

AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.