FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Shade-grown coffee

[Daniel Moss <dmoss5@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In the latest Audubon magazine, there's an article by Paul Tolme on shade-g=
rown coffee and it's importance to conserving bird (and other wildlife) hab=
itat. Here's the link:
http://magazine.audubon.org/features0408/mexico.html

I've pulled out a few paragraphs that I thought were interesting and drive =
the point home:

"For Americans, who consume a third of the world's coffee=E2=80=94300 milli=
on cups a day=E2=80=94an important choice is brewing: Continue to drink cof=
fee without considering how it is grown, or deliberately seek out brands th=
at are grown in ways that protect migratory birds and other species. "

"Shade-coffee farms shelter more birds than any other agricultural landscap=
e; only untamed tropical forests have greater diversity."

"For now, shade-grown coffee is still a niche market. Roughly 19 million po=
unds of Rainforest Alliance=E2=80=93certified coffee, and an additional 3.7=
5 million pounds that is certified Bird Friendly, were shipped this past ye=
ar. Those are collectively but a drip in the carafe of global production=E2=
=80=94roughly 13 billion pounds a year. One explanation is that conservatio=
n-minded coffee drinkers "haven't yet flexed their muscles," says Wille. "I=
f they do, their potential to change the coffee business is tremendous." To=
 be sure, the 71 million Americans who consider themselves birdwatchers rep=
resent a huge, untapped market."

I hope that all Tennessee coffee-loving bird watchers have flexed their buy=
ing power and switched over. The price is a little higher, but well worth i=
t!
 =20
Daniel Moss
Clarksville, TN
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