A world without songbirds sounds post-apocalyptic, but the truth is that these innocent, tuneful creatures are at risk right now from overuse of toxic pesticides and destruction of habitats.

You've probably heard that buying organic coffee, which is shade-grown, can make a difference. "Did Your Shopping List Kill a Songbird?", Bridget Stutchbury's timely opinion piece in the New York Times, has other helpful tips as well:

- Choose organic bananas; they are one of the most pesticide-intensive tropical crops.

- Don't buy foods grown in Latin America unless they are organic, especially melons, green beans, tomatoes, bell peppers and strawberries.

- Look for domestic and/or organic alternatives. Simple daily purchases have tremendous impact.

Remember, organic chocolate is important too - cocoa is grown under similar conditions to coffee.

Image: KhayaL