Fortunately, I do not have many vices. As a practicing lawyer, it's really not a good idea for me to admit to having those kinds of things. In any case, I certainly have never inhaled. But, if I have a weakness, it is coffee. I really love (need?) the stuff.

Clearly, I am not alone in this regard. There seem to be plenty of people who are unable to get started in the morning without that first cup of coffee. Any coffee lover will agree that it's not just that first cup that tastes best -- it's the first sip of the first cup.

It used to be that this was a cheap addiction, at around 50 cents per cup, with a free refill. Today, coffee junkies pay $3.50 for what I really think is the same darn cup of coffee at up scale coffee bars. Maybe the stuff tastes a little better and a little fresher, but seven times better? Come on!

Now that coffee has become chic, it was only a matter of time before certain kinds of coffee would stand out as politically correct coffee. And that time has come. Shade grown coffee is politically correct coffee. The buzz is just starting about this breed of coffee. Starbucks and the Audubon Society are already talking about this benevolent bean.

As it turns out, shade grown coffee is a more environmentally friendly alternative to open field coffee. But, while we are just now starting to talk about shade grown coffee as the "better" kind of coffee, there is nothing new about shade grown coffee. In fact, it used to be that much of the produced coffee was shade grown. Its evil cousin, sun grown coffee, is the newcomer.

Under the traditional method of growing coffee, coffee was grown in the shade. This method of production works well for coffee growers and for migratory birds. Migratory birds will stop and take cover in the covered coffee plants. The bird refuge areas have become increasingly important in light of the diminishing rain forests. While shade grown coffee is desirable for a variety of reasons, the reason that stands out is that this method preserves migratory bird habitats.

Farming, of course, is a business and in recent years coffee producers have learned how to increase their yield. They have learned that by planting in full sun, and applying chemical fertilizers and pesticides, yields will increase. As yields increase, the bird habitats decrease. Of course, the chemicals employed in the process are not that helpful either.

The Rainforest Alliance, a New York-based organization, is now issuing its ECO-OK seal to various coffee products. To qualify, coffee must be grown in an environmentally friendly manner and in safe working conditions. In Seattle, where coffee bars first emerged, roasters, retailers and importers have formed the Northwest Shade Campaign in order to increase awareness of this issue.

In the United States, we drink a large percentage of the world's produced coffee. Consumers can always affect a change if they insist that merchants sell just what they want to buy. Coffee drinkers who are concerned about protecting migratory birds can insist that the national coffee bars and supermarkets that provide them with their weekly "fix" only sell shade grown coffee.

You will recall the stories several years ago which revealed that dolphins were being killed as a result of tuna fishing. This led to the "dolphin-free" tuna consumers movement, which would appear to have had an impact at least a social awareness impact. Shade tree coffee activists can insist on similar measures.

In addition, the U.S. government can treat this as a serious issue as well. For example, foreign aid packages can include shade tree coffee commitments. The key for American activists is convincing our government to take this matter seriously and to impose these aid and loan obligations.

Politically correct, environmentally friendly, coffee has arrived. Surely, people will be discussing this topic as more and more information becomes disseminated. If you would like additional information concerning this, contact the National Audubon Society or its State Chapters.

The information provided in this column is written by Stuart Lieberman,a practicing environmental attorney, and is for general information purposes only. It is not legal advice and should not be used in place of legal advice.

Stuart Lieberman, Esq., and IRED.Com, Inc., will not accept any responsibilty for any reliance on the information in this column or any damages whatsoever resulting from reading this column.