Bird Friendly® coffee is not just about birds! Coffee cultivation is also entwined with climate change. According to a recent paper by Dr. Robert Rice of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, Bird Friendly® coffee farms
- are better equipped to withstand the effects of climate change than are conventional coffee farms, and
- help in the global fight against climate change through carbon sequestration.
Coffee producers are already experiencing the effects of climate disruption, including rising temperatures, distorted rain patterns and increased problems with pest and disease. Make no mistake, if left unchecked, all of these factors threaten your morning cup of coffee!
While the response of Big Agriculture is to engineer new coffee varietals that are hardier or more resistant to pests, it turns out that that coffee grown in a traditional agro-forest (aka Bird Friendly certifiable coffee) is already protected from much of the climate disruption challenge. The forests protect against sudden temperature changes keeping the coffee trees cooler on warmer days and warmer on cooler days. They protect the plants from damage caused by heavy rains by acting as an umbrella, prevent landslides after heavy rains and attract birds that help control pests.
But not only do Bird Friendly agro-forests provide resilience to climate change, they also mitigate it through carbon sequestration. The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) lists agro-forestry as a land use strategy to mitigate climate disruption. Although the level of carbon sequestration may be higher in other options, Bird Friendly coffee farms additionally preserve biodiversity and provide stable living income to growers.
With benefits in both climate change mitigation and in resilience to climate disruption effects, Bird Friendly coffee is an excellent part of the climate change solution. You can choose to support Bird Friendly growers by purchasing our certified Bird Friendly coffee! It’s a way to treat yourself and do some good.