Comments on: Save the polar bears, Starbucks’ style

By: Jeanne

Jeanne — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 22:18:21 +0000

A great issue to highlight! See also: http://youtube.com/watch?v=AlfszjapNb8.

By: Siel

Siel — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 23:09:23 +0000

Kristin — It wasn’t on the street; it was in a concrete sidewalk garden thing (private property). And no, I did not pick that up, nor did I pick up all the garbage on that street, which would’ve taken me hours. I think trash is better when 1) not produced, or 2) disposed of by the people who created it. My pointing this out doesn’t obligate me to go picking up after Starbucks.

Andrew — You must work pretty close to me! Perhaps when you have the chance, you might try the Starbucks Challenge? :)

By: Andrew

Andrew — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 18:14:44 +0000

This may well cause the implosion of the loophole I’ve discovered, but sharing is caring:

1) Bring your travel mug to the Starbucks you hit often enough that they know your face (for me, it’s the one by my work on Colorado between Cloverfield and 20TH in Santa Monica).

2) Hand them your cup.

3) Ask for a “refill.” This seems to key in some kind of automatic response for the cashier, and they push the register button marked, whaddya know, “refill.”

4) If they give you a suspicious look, you must wink, nudge, do the eco-shuffle, whatever.

5) 90% of the time, pay the refill price – $0.50. The rest of the time, it’s the dime-off deal.

6) Thank your cashier heartily, and drop a whopping $0.25 tip (wow, 50%!) into the tip jar.

Ta-daaa! Technically, this is cheating, since you did not refill your coffee, but the cashiers don’t care, and neither should Starbucks. They’re out the same amount of drip as a refill, and you’re a more loyal Starbucks drinker for it. Plus, it’s fun, especially the wink, nudge, eco-shuffle part.

Thanks all, and enjoy!

By: Kristin

Kristin — Sat, 11 Aug 2007 23:11:24 +0000

So, here is an obvious question: did you pick up the garbage that you were so concerned about or did you leave it there in the street????

By: Stephen

Stephen — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 20:01:18 +0000

At Serious Coffee in Victoria you get $0.25 off, if you use a reusable cup. No doubt there will be more of this happening in the future. What a great trend.

By: Siel

Siel — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 16:06:43 +0000

I think some Starbucks stores with regular customers who bring their cups’re used to it; other stores, you have to ask for your discount, deal with baristas first making the drink in a paper cup then pouring it into the reusable mug, etc. So Starbucks really needs to do some educating of customers too…

In cafes in general, I’ve found that if I ask for my drink specifically in a ceramic mug while I order it, my request’s granted –

Odd about the Native Plant Society prez. Belittling members generally isn’t a good way of encouraging membership –

By: Holly

Holly — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:35:49 +0000

PS I went to a Native Plant Society meeting one time when a member suggested everyone bring their own cups for meeting beverages rather than use styrofoam, and the president belittled her in front of everyone and told her cups weren’t important. I never went back for another meeting….

By: Holly

Holly — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:33:49 +0000

I rarely go to Starbucks, but I think it’s great you can bring your own cup. I didn’t know that….

By: mollie

mollie — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 14:46:52 +0000

so you’re saying list the price, then when the person gets up to the register another dime is added on? The Starbucks employees are all going to have to be trained to ask for peoples’ cups. I guess this could lead to non-throwaway cups becoming the standard again. (remember that? It wasn’t too long ago.) As in what they offer is a ceramic cup. You have to ask for a to-go cup (and know you will be charged for one) if you want it. I hate Starbucks anyway- haven’t patronized one in years. They’ve made a huge contribution to the concept of throwaway coffee cups as the norm, and have added tons of waste to the stream as a result. They could have been a leader in this from the start, but went for speed, volume, and *convenience* instead. Any efforts they make now are like closing the barn door after the horse has escaped.

By: gwen

gwen — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 23:19:50 +0000

i’m sure if i brought my own cup into the bucks in my hood they’d be perplexed. though, i’m going to start doing this! thanks for letting me know so i can feel a tad better when i have the urge for my latte. love the site.