5 ms·

If Starbucks really cared about plastic in the environment, they would offer and encourage patrons to use glass cups when drinking inside the cafe, which can be

by pdq 8y ago

If Starbucks really cared about plastic in the environment, they would offer and encourage patrons to use glass cups when drinking inside the cafe, which can be washed. Maybe even offer a 10 cent discount for using the glasses.

dawnerd 8y ago
I thought they already do. Edit: yep. https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/global-report/environmental-stewardship/reusable-cups https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/global-report/envir...
- justinator 8y ago
  Yeah, they sell reusable containers (as you have found). They could go the way of the plastic bags in supermarkets and frame it as a "cup tax" like cities do. Or, erm, I guess that would be the city that does that. Boulder has the Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax, but I don't think a Frappuccino is taxed, even though it's calories come from mostly sugar.
  - dawnerd 8y ago
    They could use paper cups or even Bioplastics, although those have some pretty negative findings in a few reports.
    - justinator 8y ago
      They do use paper cups in hot drinks; only cold drinks use plastic - although both use plastic tops, and cold drinks use straws. I'm sure there's some sort of coating on the paper cup. I'm not sure why cold coffee served in plastic... but it may be a flipped problem - you probably don't want to serve hot coffee in plastic, as the chemicals will leach out of the plastic itself (yum)
      - DanBC 8y ago
        The paper cups have plastic linings which makes them hard to recycle at most places.
- mrtnmcc 8y ago
  In there they say "we have experienced challenges in consistently executing and tracking our for here serveware use in stores", so the new goal is "customer brings the container".
- abootstrapper 8y ago
  Eh, they kinda do. My local Starbucks only has a handful of “for here” mugs for hot drinks, and nothing for iced drinks. The mugs are mainly for show as you must know to ask for one. Plus you know they don’t want to create glasses to clean. To add: I used to bring my own reusable cup, but more times than not, they’d make my drink in a disposable plastic cup, then pour it into my mug, and immediately toss the disposable cup. Now I mainly make my coffee at home using a moka pot. Saves money and plastic. I still buy Starbucks when I travel, and just feel bad about the wasted plastic.
  - stephengillie 8y ago
    Many locations sell the $2 reusable cup - it pays for itself after 200 uses. And they can be found on Amazon at various prices[0]. But this is incompatible with online ordering, and who has an extra 10 minutes to wait in line? Could they have some kind of reusable cup service, where you could get a reusable cup with your order? Then return it next time - kinda like milk delivery. [0]https://www.amazon.com/Starbucks-Reusable-Travel-Coffee-Grande/dp/B00GC65WOU/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1531494367&sr=1-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=starbucks+cup&dpPl=1&dpID=41f%2BIQdh%2B2L&ref=plSrch https://www.amazon.com/Starbucks-Reusable-Travel-Coffee-Gran...
  - ghostbrainalpha 8y ago
    I was a Starbucks Barista for awhile in college. I'd try to use peoples mugs when possible. But so much of the process is designed around that cup. Your name is written on it, the exact ratio of ingredients is measured in it. It fits in the machines well. Starbucks really needs to reinvent the whole process for people who bring their own mugs. Like having a reusable Maker cup behind the counter or something.
    - dexterdog 8y ago
      Why not just sell a reusable that is the same size and put a sticker on it for writing?
      - ghostbrainalpha 8y ago
waylandsmithers 8y ago
This would definitely result in less plastic waste. My concern though, is that it results in needing wash more dishes with clean water, a precious and vital resource, so I don't know how to tell if the net exchange is good or bad.
stephengillie 8y ago
4 months ago, Starbucks announced they were developing a compostable cup. > Starting today, Starbucks is committing $10M in partnership with Closed Loop Partners and its Center for the Circular Economy to establish a groundbreaking consortium to launch the NextGen Cup Challenge. This is the first step in the development of a global end-to-end solution that would allow cups around the world to be diverted from landfills and composted or given a second life as another cup, napkin or even a chair – anything that can use recycled material.[0] Other Seattle coffee shops use compostable coffee cups. Microsoft[1] and UW have for over a decade. I'm not sure what further innovation is needed. Here is a wholesale distributor of compostable coffee cups and soup bowls.[2] [0] https://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-and-closed-loop-to-develop-recyclable-compostable-cup-solution https://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-and-closed-loop-to... [1] https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft-switches-to-compostable-utensils-cups-in-cafeterias/ https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft-switches-to-... [3] http://greenstaurant.com/pages/utensils/hotworld.html http://greenstaurant.com/pages/utensils/hotworld.html

by pdq 8y ago

dawnerd 8y ago

I thought they already do. Edit: yep. https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/global-report/environmental-stewardship/reusable-cups https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/global-report/envir...

justinator 8y ago
Yeah, they sell reusable containers (as you have found). They could go the way of the plastic bags in supermarkets and frame it as a "cup tax" like cities do. Or, erm, I guess that would be the city that does that. Boulder has the Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax, but I don't think a Frappuccino is taxed, even though it's calories come from mostly sugar.
- dawnerd 8y ago
  They could use paper cups or even Bioplastics, although those have some pretty negative findings in a few reports.
  - justinator 8y ago
    They do use paper cups in hot drinks; only cold drinks use plastic - although both use plastic tops, and cold drinks use straws. I'm sure there's some sort of coating on the paper cup. I'm not sure why cold coffee served in plastic... but it may be a flipped problem - you probably don't want to serve hot coffee in plastic, as the chemicals will leach out of the plastic itself (yum)
    - DanBC 8y ago
      The paper cups have plastic linings which makes them hard to recycle at most places.
mrtnmcc 8y ago
In there they say "we have experienced challenges in consistently executing and tracking our for here serveware use in stores", so the new goal is "customer brings the container".
abootstrapper 8y ago
Eh, they kinda do. My local Starbucks only has a handful of “for here” mugs for hot drinks, and nothing for iced drinks. The mugs are mainly for show as you must know to ask for one. Plus you know they don’t want to create glasses to clean. To add: I used to bring my own reusable cup, but more times than not, they’d make my drink in a disposable plastic cup, then pour it into my mug, and immediately toss the disposable cup. Now I mainly make my coffee at home using a moka pot. Saves money and plastic. I still buy Starbucks when I travel, and just feel bad about the wasted plastic.
- stephengillie 8y ago
  Many locations sell the $2 reusable cup - it pays for itself after 200 uses. And they can be found on Amazon at various prices[0]. But this is incompatible with online ordering, and who has an extra 10 minutes to wait in line? Could they have some kind of reusable cup service, where you could get a reusable cup with your order? Then return it next time - kinda like milk delivery. [0]https://www.amazon.com/Starbucks-Reusable-Travel-Coffee-Grande/dp/B00GC65WOU/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1531494367&sr=1-6&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=starbucks+cup&dpPl=1&dpID=41f%2BIQdh%2B2L&ref=plSrch https://www.amazon.com/Starbucks-Reusable-Travel-Coffee-Gran...
- ghostbrainalpha 8y ago
  I was a Starbucks Barista for awhile in college. I'd try to use peoples mugs when possible. But so much of the process is designed around that cup. Your name is written on it, the exact ratio of ingredients is measured in it. It fits in the machines well. Starbucks really needs to reinvent the whole process for people who bring their own mugs. Like having a reusable Maker cup behind the counter or something.
  - dexterdog 8y ago
    Why not just sell a reusable that is the same size and put a sticker on it for writing?
    - ghostbrainalpha 8y ago

waylandsmithers 8y ago

This would definitely result in less plastic waste. My concern though, is that it results in needing wash more dishes with clean water, a precious and vital resource, so I don't know how to tell if the net exchange is good or bad.

stephengillie 8y ago

4 months ago, Starbucks announced they were developing a compostable cup. > Starting today, Starbucks is committing $10M in partnership with Closed Loop Partners and its Center for the Circular Economy to establish a groundbreaking consortium to launch the NextGen Cup Challenge. This is the first step in the development of a global end-to-end solution that would allow cups around the world to be diverted from landfills and composted or given a second life as another cup, napkin or even a chair – anything that can use recycled material.[0] Other Seattle coffee shops use compostable coffee cups. Microsoft[1] and UW have for over a decade. I'm not sure what further innovation is needed. Here is a wholesale distributor of compostable coffee cups and soup bowls.[2] [0] https://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-and-closed-loop-to-develop-recyclable-compostable-cup-solution https://news.starbucks.com/news/starbucks-and-closed-loop-to... [1] https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft-switches-to-compostable-utensils-cups-in-cafeterias/ https://www.seattletimes.com/business/microsoft-switches-to-... [3] http://greenstaurant.com/pages/utensils/hotworld.html http://greenstaurant.com/pages/utensils/hotworld.html