Bird & Wild (shade-grown coffee to help songbirds)

Bird & Wild uses profits to help the RSPB and songbirds in coffee-growing regions. All their coffee is shade-grown to allow farmers to grow organically (and grow other crops alongside, for more income to sell at local markets).

Glass jars are sent with recycled shredded cardboard) and wholesalers can buy coffee buy the case, at discounted prices.

NHS says that it’s best to avoid caffeine for pregnancy/nursing (or no more than 2 cups of weak tea daily – or 1 cup of mild coffee or cola). Also avoid caffeine for certain medical conditions. 

Use a sink drainer to catch coffee grounds, then bin (caffeine may affect compost creatures). Same with tea leaves.

Shade-grown coffee plantations also help for more plant and insect diversity. To compare, unshaded coffee mono-cultures found as few as 6 to 12 bird species, whereas just one shade-grown coffee plantation in Mexico noted 184 bird species (including 46 migratory).

One shade-grown coffee plantation in India found 28 species of mammals alone (shade-grown coffee is also better for endangered bees, who like the flowering plants that thrive in them).

Read our posts on how to create safe havens for birds (feeding, nest-boxes) and preventing bird strike. Don’t play birdsong near birds, it can confuse and attract predators.