(The following is a guest post from Shawn Hardy, one of our top designers at Park&Co.)
Needless to say at Park&Co we are always looking at different ways to be sustainable both socially and environmentally. So of course, we recycle. Easy right ? You’d think, but it was brought to our attention that many of us were recycling things that we thought were recyclable but were not – it’s not like we were recycling styrofoam, I’m talking about the different papers and plastics that can be assumed to be recyclable, but aren’t. I’ll admit I was guilty of assuming that if it is paper, plastic or glass it is recyclable. Long story short, I learned Starbucks cups are NOT recyclable!
How could this be? A non recyclable paper cup. I couldn’t believe it so I did a little more digging. I visited Starbucks Shared Planet website and found out that they won’t have a recyclable cup until 2015.Peets Coffee implemented a recyclable cup in 2007. This is amazing to me that the r&d has already been done by other companies, and a giant like Starbucks can’t get this up and running for another 6 years.
Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy Starbucks and think highly of them as a company. They pay their employees very well, are known for providing very good low cost health insurance, even for part time employees, and pledge to buy their coffee from Ethical Sources (i.e. not giant coffee farms that elbow out local farmers who grow the highest quality beans).
In the end I am disappointed that Starbucks won’t take the extra steps to deliver us a recyclable cup, and annoyed that the only thing that I can put in the recycling bin is the cap to my coffee cup. The cardboard sleeve is not even recyclable.
So what can we do? We can join the campaign and request that Starbucks steps up their effort by clicking here. I did, it was simple and only took a minute. You can also post the widget below on your blog or website, I also did this for my personal blog.
Take a second and join the campaign. After all, we aren’t asking for Starbucks to change the world, we just want to be able to toss the cup into the recycling bin and feel good about not trashing the environment.
Tags: Promoting Green, reycling, Shared Planet, Starbucks, Starbucks eco-cup switch in 2009, sustainable coffee
Posted in: Consuming Green Stuff, Greenwashing, Sustainable Marketing
Given the fact that coffee is such a habit for people, I am surprised that more of them don’t develop the green habit of using a travel mug. I don’t know if SB does this, but many smaller shops offer a discount to people who bring in their own mug.
Great point, Martin. I swear, people just don’t take the time to stop and think about the little green things they can do: probably too caffeinated. Thanks for commenting.
Starbucks paper cups are recycled in some cities. They are even composted in a few markets.
The limitations on recycling are not with the willingness of the company or the store, they are with the recycling options in the area.
Please get your facts 100% correct before you bash one of the greenest companies on the planet.
Starbucks Defender, thanks for your comment. I hadn’t thought about the restrictions of local recycling programs and appreciate you bringing it to my attention. Don’t get me wrong, I like Starbucks just as much as the next guy. It’s just surprising that a ubiquitous beverage company like Starbucks doesn’t have a way for its core product delivery system to be recycled everywhere. To help me clarify this post, please point to some examples of the recycling restrictions you mentioned?
Thanks for taking the time to write.
For real? I guest I always thought that since the Starbucks cups are made from recycled materials, that the cups were ALSO recyclable.
This initiative really needs to spread around. Uncool for Starbucks. Totally uncool.
Starbucks defender is right. Waht can and can’t get recycled is in the hands of local governments, not businesses. Here in San Francisco, we can compost any paper cups (Starbucks, Peet’s etc.) and clear plastic cups. My friends in Seattle said they just started recycling Starbucks cups too. But, when I’ve traveled to other cities around the country, they don’t take jack for recycling.
So when a company says their stuff is recyclable, they might be misleading us if they operate in a city with lame recycling programs. That’s why I hate to see all those “compostable” labels on stuff. How many places outside of big cities actually have composters to take this stuff? I’ll bet a lot of it ends up the the garbage.
Bring your onw mug! Problem solved!
Thanks for your thoughts, Vicki. Have you seen the post about the island of garbage floating in the Pacific: http://parkhowell.com/?p=900
As for the sleeves, my local coffee shop is requesting us to hang on to them and reuse them for future cups. I too like to use my own mug, but in the chance I didn’t bring one, I can at least help the company reduce cost and reduce waste by reusing the sleeves.
Good point, Melanie. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.
I agree with StarbucksDefender that you should get your facts correct. The site you link to only says that their goal is to have 100% of their cups recyclable or reusable by 2015. They do not say that NONE of their cups will be recyclable UNTIL then. Granted, Starbucks could be a little clearer about the level of cup recyclability they’re at now, but still, you’ve leapt to a conclusion that is not substantiated by what they said.
I suppose the best way to solve this dilemma is to encourage folks to bring their own reusable cups and rid ourselves of the wasteful paper products all together. I suppose that won’t be a reality, though, for some time.
Oh please, Starbucks Defender! Give me a break, do you work for them or something? A giant like Starbucks could easily afford to have an company-wide recycling programme to recycle their own damn cups. Many smaller companies have programmes like this where THEY pay to have it done by a private recycler because they believe in responsible business practices. Starbucks is full of shit, they are all about the optics and have nothing to back up their green claims.
They may make a pledge to buy from ethical suppliers and pledges are very nice and sweet and all but if they actually believed it they would put their money where their mouth is and buy all and only fair trade certified coffees. Or at least offer it as a daily option in their caffes. See you can’t actually walk into a Starbucks and order a fairly traded or shade grown coffee off the menu. It’s all green-wash in my opinion.
Why do I have such a disrespect for Starbucks? Because I did used to work there and no, they don’t pay their employees a decent wage and only offer benefits to those who work a minimum of 20 hours each week. That may sound fine but the catch is that they guarantee ZERO hours to staff. You can get hired by Starbucks and be given ZERO hours a week, only working when someone needs a shift covered or gets sick, how are you supposed to come up with the necessary 20 hours a week to get benefits when you are offered none!?!
Sorry for the rant but it really gets me how Starbucks has fooled everyone with their smooth talk.
I like your template of your website. Did you have to buy it or make it yourself? Do you mind telling me where you got it?
Thank you, coffee. Our interactive department designed it for me. I’m glad you like it.
everything that you just toss into a bin is going to wast. start rethinking the whole thing and use a ceramic cup.
If your not willing to do something that can make a real difference then don’t even think of expecting this from a corporation like Starbucks!
Great pint, Olav. Even recycling costs us something. It leaves a footprint. Ceramic does not. At least not much of one. Thanks for sharing your comment.
I wanted to say that it¡¯s nice to know that someone else also mentioned this as I had trouble finding the same info elsewhere. This was the first place that told me the answer. Thanks.