Tweeters,
Perhaps responses should stop calling researchers "liars" and various
other insults. If tweeters stop trying to insult each other (if not do it
by personal email), we could really accomplish some good here. First,
several comments have mentioned "regular" coffee as being possibly as bad
as gourmet coffee, environmentally speaking. There is NO correlation
between Gourmet or regular coffee being bad or good for the environment.
If people are willing let's step back a moment, The real question here is
habitat to sustain population of wildlife, mainly neotropical migrants (a
favorite of mine). Yes, organic matters but if they use no chemicals and
follow organic standards there is still the issue of these "sun grown"
plantations contain no habitat for the birds. Second, we as people who
care about the environment have the power of the consumer. First try to
chance companies minds through letter writing etc.. but if that doesn't
work buy coffee from people who carry shade grown coffee. There is a
reality that compnies can't ignore, its called costumers. Starbucks or
other companies won't be growing companies very long if people start
buying from other companies. Probably starbucks just might change their
buying practices, whether or not they are environmental they are a
buisness that cares about profits. Overall I'm sure the majority of
Tweeters all share a love of watching trees full of Thrushes, warblers,
flycatchers and vireos, so lets work together to make sure these birds
continue to show up in abundance year after year. Don, as a former
Oregionian I would hate to see places like Malheur, vacant of passerines
in a few years.


Scott Downes
sdownes at u.washington.edu
Seattle WA