Comments on: Starbucks: All talk and only pseudo-action http://greenlagirl.com/starbucks-all-talk-and-only-pseudo-action/ Urban environmental lifestyle blog in Los Angeles Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:11:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: G Zombie http://greenlagirl.com/starbucks-all-talk-and-only-pseudo-action/comment-page-1/#comment-593 G Zombie Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://greenlagirl.com/?p=183#comment-593 Yeah, I've yet to have one experience (out of 8, so far, in 5 cities/3 states) where the first person I spoke to behind the counter knew what to do when I requested fair trade.<BR/><BR/>If I hadn't started asking for Cafe Estima by name (and if I didn't learn to ask for French press), I suspect I would not have experienced as much success as I have.<BR/><BR/>Is Starbucks evil because of this? Of course not. But if they want to ride on the PR coat tails of the Fair Trade Certified label by claiming you can get a cup whenever you're at Starbucks, then they need to put up or shut up. Yeah, I’ve yet to have one experience (out of 8, so far, in 5 cities/3 states) where the first person I spoke to behind the counter knew what to do when I requested fair trade.

If I hadn’t started asking for Cafe Estima by name (and if I didn’t learn to ask for French press), I suspect I would not have experienced as much success as I have.

Is Starbucks evil because of this? Of course not. But if they want to ride on the PR coat tails of the Fair Trade Certified label by claiming you can get a cup whenever you’re at Starbucks, then they need to put up or shut up.

]]> By: Anna http://greenlagirl.com/starbucks-all-talk-and-only-pseudo-action/comment-page-1/#comment-594 Anna Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://greenlagirl.com/?p=183#comment-594 This is indeed a hit or miss game.<BR/>I took a group of 8th graders to "challenge" along the promenade today --3 Starbucks locations w/in 3 blocks, god forbid we should have to WALK far for our next fix.<BR/><BR/>Smooth sailing at the first Starbucks, on Wilshire and 3rd. Two girls were met w/ friendly baristas, who seemed in the loop. <BR/><BR/>Site two, further down the promenade, rockier but ended well: <BR/>Barista 1: Nope, can’t do it. <BR/>Barista 2: Yeah, we brew fair trade, but only before noon.<BR/><BR/>Students calmly insisted they understood it was company policy to offer fair trade on request.<BR/><BR/>"Are you guys on some sort of school project?"<BR/><BR/>On hearing positive reply baristas decided they'd come through....but it would cost more.<BR/><BR/>Students insisted price should be same. <BR/><BR/>Next hitch: couldn't find the French press. So.....they brewed a whole batch of fair trade...even better!<BR/><BR/>Next Starbucks locale, at HEAR music, said no they couldn't but I wasn't sure if this counted, as its a music store that sells SB coffee. <BR/><BR/>We <A HREF="http://www.bringyourown.org" REL="nofollow">brought our own</A> reusable cups to all locations, por supuesto. This is indeed a hit or miss game.
I took a group of 8th graders to “challenge” along the promenade today –3 Starbucks locations w/in 3 blocks, god forbid we should have to WALK far for our next fix.

Smooth sailing at the first Starbucks, on Wilshire and 3rd. Two girls were met w/ friendly baristas, who seemed in the loop.

Site two, further down the promenade, rockier but ended well:
Barista 1: Nope, can’t do it.
Barista 2: Yeah, we brew fair trade, but only before noon.

Students calmly insisted they understood it was company policy to offer fair trade on request.

“Are you guys on some sort of school project?”

On hearing positive reply baristas decided they’d come through….but it would cost more.

Students insisted price should be same.

Next hitch: couldn’t find the French press. So…..they brewed a whole batch of fair trade…even better!

Next Starbucks locale, at HEAR music, said no they couldn’t but I wasn’t sure if this counted, as its a music store that sells SB coffee.

We brought our own reusable cups to all locations, por supuesto.

]]> By: Siel http://greenlagirl.com/starbucks-all-talk-and-only-pseudo-action/comment-page-1/#comment-595 Siel Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000 http://greenlagirl.com/?p=183#comment-595 Yeah -- Starbucks' claim that they have similar goals as the fair trade movement -- stated at the top of many of their CSR press releases -- is more than a little overblown.<BR/><BR/>Anna -- I heart your students!! If they were the Starbucks managers, we might actually see some serious changes -- Yeah — Starbucks’ claim that they have similar goals as the fair trade movement — stated at the top of many of their CSR press releases — is more than a little overblown.

Anna — I heart your students!! If they were the Starbucks managers, we might actually see some serious changes –

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