Bird-Friendly Coffee Beans
added 03/26/09
Why are so many sustainability advocates and bird enthusiasts singing the Co-op’s praises? A recent radio broadcast from the Lebanon store illustrates how the Co-op and its members and shoppers are ahead of the bird-friendly curve.
On the Air from the Lebanon Co-op: Talkin’ Birds
On Sunday, November 22, 2009, the Co-op hosted a live radio show from the Lebanon Store lobby.
The show is called Talkin’ Birds, and is broadcast weekly in Southeastern Massachusetts. Host Ray Brown interviewed local bird expert Chris Rimmer and Co-op Sustainability Coordinator Emily Neuman while shoppers entered and exited the store, some stopping for a taste of Birds&Beans coffee.
Why would South Shore bird enthusiasts tune in to a live broadcast from the Lebanon Co-op? Because we are unique in providing a strong market for certified “Bird Friendly” coffee. Bird-Friendly coffee farms in the tropics provide critical winter habitat for migratory birds that spend their summers in New England. The Bird-Friendly certification is a relatively new concept and Co-op shoppers are ahead of the curve in supporting it.
Neuman explained, “Educating our shoppers about Bird Friendly certification and carrying products like Bird&Beans coffee is one way that the Co-op is helping to protect and restore the environment — not only for ourselves, but for other species too.”
Upper Valley residents can tune in to Talkin Birds at www.talkinbirds.com.
Chris Rimmer is Executive Director of the Vermont Center for EcoStudies. Based in Norwich, VCE’s mission is to advance the conservation of wildlife through research, monitoring, and citizen engagement. VCE scientists are actively studying the impacts of tropical forest quality on migratory bird populations.
