Comments on: Fair trade’s better than charity: Starbucks’ spin vs. SacBee’s report

By: Janet Harold

Janet Harold — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:16:55 +0000

Think of the total number of Starbuck beverages sold in a single day, served in PET plastic and let’s ask Starbuck’s Mermaid, who claims to want to do right by the planet, to implement at their own site, a compost pile for all the plastic cups that will be thrown out, after the beverage is consumed. Let’s ask Starbucks to start buying starch-based or cellulose-based plastics. Does the SOLO plastic cup producer make them? If not, there is a worldwide consumer that still gets people the world over to pay for its beverages what gas would cost if it were $55/gallon.

Starbucks could be the largest consumer of starch-based ‘TRULY DECOMPOSTABLE’ plastic and with their volume, not add cost to their bottom line.

If you get in line to donate 5 hours of your time, how bout setting up that compost bin and tossing all their logoed plastic into it.

P.S., I bring my own mug to starbucks consistently, but don’t buy their coffee, just tea & chocolate.

By: Siel

Siel — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 06:06:21 +0000

The Peets on the USC campus all have a fair trade option too; I think it something they do at all univ. locations. The non-university cafes, however, rarely have it brewing, though you can buy it whole bean.

Cristobal — Thanks for stopping by :) Hope things’re good at Higher Grounds –

By: Cristobal

Cristobal — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 23:58:10 +0000

Thanks for the report back on the great Sac Bee article. Having had direct communication both with Comon Yaj Noc Pic Co-op and various Co-ops in Ethiopia that have had relations with Starbucks it is clear to see that Starbuck’s works within a business model that aims to pin farmers in a corner – making their co-ops into quasi – plantations at the service of the all – mighty Starbucks. While they have been paying a little bit more then conventional coffee, they are not in the business of improving the lives of the most impoverished farmers in the world – but rather to profit for them.
True change will only come when more roasters push the limits of fair trade to make it fair for all.

By: cela

cela — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 02:21:46 +0000

That’s actually one of Peet’s signature blend coffees and available at all Peet’s locations.

By: dr

dr — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 18:15:56 +0000

The cafe on campus that serves Peet’s always has a fair trade option brewed. I don’t know if that’s a general Peet’s policy, of if it’s location-specific.