Countless numbers of students tread through the Homestead halls each day, carrying thermoses filled with their beloved coffee. “It keeps me focused and awake,” Jayne Henry, junior, said. “Without it, I’d probably be sleepwalking all day. Such a lifesaver!”  

Students with the same perspective may have to make do without this “lifesaver” if global temperatures continue to rise at the current pace. Coffee bean farmers fear this warming trend, as even a slight variation can greatly reduce production.

According to the Union of Concerned Scientists, Indian coffee production declined by almost 30 percent between the years 2002 and 2001. Ethiopia, Costa Rica and India, all major coffee-producing nations, have faced serious weather changes leading to a dramatic drop in coffee plants. This could potentially lead to a steep increase in prices due to dwindling supplies.

“Without my morning coffee, I wouldn’t be able to function at school,” Ava Thorson, freshman, said. Approximately 34 percent of randomly surveyed students drink a cup one to three times a week. In addition, the percentage of high school coffee drinkers across the country has grown steadily over the past ten years, according to Monica Tso of The Cougar.

Currently, most high school students in the United States have limited resources to make purchases in the marketplace. Coffee prices are already at a level that strains those limits.  Reductions in supplies that lead to increased costs create a very real threat that will force many student-aged consumers to be faced with a tough choice: eliminate coffee entirely, or give up other discretionary purchases.

In addition, many coffee drinkers develop dependence on the caffeine found in the drink.  If the weather changes cause a spike in prices as expected, this could have a ripple effect on students who, in turn, may choose less healthy alternatives to satisfy that dependence.  Sodas and energy drinks containing caffeine may be poor substitutes, but may also be the only affordable alternative.

According to Amanda Fiegl of National Geographic, the people of the world drink 1.6 billion cups each day. Should these weather patterns continue, the effects will be felt across the globe, including the halls of Homestead High School.