Coffee Kills

Coffee Consuming Countries - from NatGeo

Reading my June issue of National Geographic, there is this two-page map spread showing coffee consumption across the globe, artistically created from coffee beans. Knowing that coffee plantations are typically found in the tropics, I thought it was interesting that the most consuming nations of coffee are outside of the growing regions. There is no question that a lot of deforestation is caused by coffee growers in order to obtain higher yields. Shrinking forests mean less bird habitat. In effect, drinking coffee kills birds.

Coffee Growing Countries - courtesy of Wikipedia

Now I am not a coffee drinker. The faith I practice strongly discourages drinking coffee, among other things. While I don't partake, I've never judged others that do. And I don't consider it a "sin" unless you've committed not to. I used to think that the reason behind my religion's prohibition was strictly a principle of health and spirituality...you know...if you are addicted to and therefore controlled by a substance you are in fact surrendering your own free will. However, after learning about the impact on the rain forests of coffee plantations, I'm wondering if God did not have a greater purpose in the proscription of coffee - saving the planet!

There are a lot of things that our modern society overindulges in that negatively impact the environment, and not all are traditional "vices" in the religious sense. Just think about beef, sugar, and beer to name a couple. Look at the impingement on the land required to grow, process, and supply these items at the unnecessary levels of demand we human beings have created. Surely we can all be more temperate in our consumption of such things for both our own health's sake and for the earth's sake.

What about the millions of folks in developing countries who depend on coffee growing to feed their families? Ecotourism may be part of the solution for them. What if every coffee drinking birder ditched the habit and saved their daily coffee money and put it toward a birding trip in Central America? That would have a significant economic impact. But would it be enough? Probably not. Hard working coffee growers would have to transition to new industries. I'm not calling for a complete ban on coffee...just a simple reduction in consumption and demand so that more rain forest and therefore birds can be saved from obliteration. At the very least responsible birders and the environmentally-conscious should be drinking certified shade-grown coffee. As for me, I'll continue to abstain.