A global coffee shortage is likely to occur in early 2016. This is due to more people drinking coffee, leading to over-farming and exhausting the land where coffee beans are grown. A shortage of this proportion would lead to an increase in the price of coffee and the slowing of international production. Middletown High School students share their thoughts on how to cope with this upcoming tragedy.
MHS senior Mamie Soluri is rarely seen without a coffee cup in her hand. She said, “I drink a lot of coffee and I’m going to college, so I don’t know how I’ll survive if I don’t have coffee.”
MHS senior Taylor Zaycer enjoys her coffee almost every morning on her way to classes. She’s “shocked” that this shortage is even an issue, as “so many people drink coffee every day.” Zaycer is not happy at the idea of her upcoming mornings not including her favorite drink, but she’s thankful that she can at least have her caffeinated tea.
While a majority of students are nervous about the crisis, MHS senior John Evich offers a solution to the problem. Evich said, “I’m sure they can find a way to artificially grow coffee beans if it really comes to that.” Evich also has an answer to the possible rise in prices. “If Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts to begin to make their coffee based on demand there will be less leftover at the end of the day, and then they’re wasting less coffee, so it’s less of a cost for us.”
