Welcome to BirdWatching Magazine readers who are exploring Coffee & Conservation for the first time after reading my article “The True Cost of Coffee” in the February 2013 issue. There are many ways to find more information on the connection between coffee, birds, and biodiversity here. These include the User Guide tab at the top of the page, the Featured Content links at the upper left, and the search box at the top right.
I have also assembled links to information I think you might be especially interested in. They are listed below; feel free to leave other questions in the comments.
How is coffee grown, and why is it important to birds and other biodiversity?
- What is shade-grown coffee?
- The problem with sun coffee.
- Why is shade coffee specifically important to birds?
- Know Your Coffee birds! I write short features on birds — those that nest in North America as well as resident tropical birds — that are especially dependent on shade-grown coffee.
What do all the certifications mean?
- Here is my guide to the common coffee certifications, in a nutshell, focusing on their environmental criteria.
Why should I pay more for certified or environmentally-friendly coffee?
- Farmers have many costs related to certifying their farms so that you can enjoy good coffee that protects the environment.
- If farmers can’t make up those costs, they stop growing coffee organically or under ecological standards.
- BECAUSE IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO!
Where can I get environmentally-friendly coffee?
- Top retailers of certified Smithsonian Bird-Friendly coffee
- More retailers of certified Bird-Friendly coffee at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center website.
- List of retailers of Birds & Beans coffee, all certified Smithsonian Bird-Friendly
- Caribou Coffee stores; all coffee is 100% Rainforest Alliance certified
- Some top tips on how to choose coffee, especially if certifications are not available.
Shortly, I will post a compilation of all the research I have done on popular coffee brands, including Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, McDonalds, etc.
Revised on February 8, 2021
