 Starting Thursday, Starbucks customers will have the option to save their planet - and their wallets - a dime at a time. The coffee giant is offering $1 plastic cups, which can be reused for drink purchases at a discount of ten cents. Jim Hanna, the director of environmental affairs at Starbucks, told USA Today that while the company has sold reusable tumblers for some time and offered the ten cent discount, he expects that the modest price of its new one, available at company-owned stores in the U.S. and Canada, will encourage consumers to take action more frequently. The new effort comes largely in response to consumer criticism over the volume of paper coffee cup waste - approximately 4 billion cups globally each year - generated by Starbucks. According to a 2011 report issued by Starbucks, that year, customers used personal tumblers more than 34 million times - nearly 2% of all beverages served in global company-owned stores. While this represented a 55% increase in personal tumbler use from 2008's tally, Starbucks admitted to challenges in tracking cup use both in and away from their stores, and reduced the company's goal of 25% reusable cups by 2015 to 5%. The reusable cups are made in China, and have fill lines inside denoting "tall," "grande" and "venti"-sized drinks. The cups will be rinsed with boiling water by Starbucks employees before they're refilled, reducing the risk of cross-contamination, but at least one more challenge remains: will customers actually remember to bring them into the store? |
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Know how to have free coffee in starbucks
Got my first and ONLY $1 reusable Starbucks cup. I don't understand how it's going to significantly cut down on waste when you still need a sleeve for hot beverages. It was much cheaper than I expected, even for a $1 cup, and there's no incentive to use their cup when I can bring my own, nice cup from home and get the same 10 cents off. It certainly looks and performs like a cheap, China made product! Other companies, like Dunkin', offer MUCH nicer cups and MUCH nicer incentives to reuse their cups. Maybe Starbucks should have taken a lesson from them.
You could buy a reusable sleeve. I'm not positive if they sell them at Starbucks all the time, but you can find some really nice cloth ones! :)
Don't go to starbucks at all. They support gun fanantics by allowing the open-carry nutjobs to congregate in their stores with their guns.
Boycott starbucks.
Peet's, on the otherhand is a courageous fighter against gun fanatics and does not allow guns in their stores. Buy Peet's.
Gun fanatics. . . . hmm . . . who do you want walking around with a gun? A responsible. adult owner, trained and ready to defend herself and/or you, (and your children), when the nut-job who doesn't give a crap about the legality of carrying the gun or shooting you with it arrives OR JUST the nut-job? Use your brain.
Starbucks rocks – BTW, people carry everywhere – you just don't know it . . . because they are abiding the law by CONCEALING.
If you live in an open carry state, then get the law changed if you don't like it. In fact, in many open carry states those responsible gun owners would be BREAKING the law by concealing.
Starbucks earned my business, see you on 2/22 ! You can stay home Joe Rockbottom and watch Piers Morgan.
Umm can't the papercups they already have be recycled? What's wrong with coffee stained paper? At least the paper cups can decompose. All this is gonna do is create billions of plastic cups that will fill landfills for a longer period of time. It's just a way for Starbucks to make another buck off of you. If the papercups cant be recycled for whatever reason, i.e. access to recylcing facilities in certain countries or coffee stains, then the better thing to do is for Starbucks to invest in opening recycling centres that can recylce their papercups.
Good grief! Just make your own coffee at home and bring it an your lunch to work like I did for 40 years. You'll have more money left at the end of that time if you do. Only go out to lunch on Friday like me and my cohorts did. You'll be amazed at how much you can save.
This is the best they could do?
The first time you forget your re-usable cup to save a dime, the whole scheme crashes and your down a buck. Dumbest idea ever.
Um – how's that, Dave? Does the cup, sitting at home, magically catch fire, preventing you from saving a dime the next day, and every day after that? (By the way: it's "you're"down," not "your down.")
Dave's not here
Made in China, really? NO THANKS.
So wait, you are seriously going to tell me that every single item you own or use is NOT made in China, the clothes you wear, the food you eat, the car you drive, the bus you ride on. None of them have components made anywhere other than the good ol' US of A???? Get over yourself.
I'm going to get one, but probably forget to wash it before bring it back.
Oh goody. That $7 Starbuck latté will now cost $6.90 if I bring my own reusable cup (bought for $1). They are reeking of generosity.
ONE SHOULD NEVER PUT HOT LIQUID IN PLASTIC-THE MOLECULES FROM PLASTIC ARE VERY TOXIC AND THEY MIGRATE INTO THE BEVERAGE-THERE IS A NEW COMPANY THAT MAKES NON TOXIC CUPS LINED WITH A CORN DERIVATIVE-AND THE CUPS DECOMPOSE WITHIN THREE WEEKS: REPURPOSE 800-615-6476
Good point. Bring your own BPA-free mug, take the discount, save the planet and your health. At base, it is a great idea and I applaud Starbucks for trying to cut down on waste.
Sue: how certain are you that the Starbucks cups aren't BPA free?
A scientific study has proven conclusively that BPA is safe. Learn more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/trevorbutterworth/2011/07/25/majestically-scientific-federal-study-on-bpa-has-stunning-findings-so-why-is-the-media-ignoring-it/
You don't know what you are talking about. The earth is flat and there are people who also believe that.
I dont want another damn thing made in China.
I like a paper cup.
If Starbucks really wanted to recyle, they could give us a dime for the old paper cup, made in the f ucking USA . Thanks for playing!!!
I will be first in line for the Apple products made in the USA. Hike up the price and lets get this tech economy rolling in the US.
Just let me use MY OWN mug.
We've implemented this pretty well at the coffee show I'm at. In order to encourage people to help cut down on cup waste, we give them a discount on the coffee if they bring in their own cup. Saves us having to sell them one, which saves us having to buy them to give to people which then means we can reduce the cost of the coffee to the consumer.
You CAN use your own mug at Starbucks, and you get a discount for it.
Stop it Starbucks!!! We dont need more Made in China Plastics in the name of environment Conscience. WE are not STUPIT or atleast Not I.
Oh, the irony of someone saying they are not "STUPIT."
Dearest Bob,
You just made yourself look MOORANIC.
Bah-ha-ha-ha!
Actually, yes you are.
Carting that cup around is a drag especially if I couldn't wash it immediately after use. If it's worth 10 cents less per coffee to sell me that cup, then why doesn't Starbucks just use them without charge except for takeaways?
Cheers!
Thing is, Starbucks does–or DID–have for-here mugs and glasses available to customers. Many didn't want them, and volume is an issue–it's really difficult to keep enough glassware on hand at a Starbucks for all of the customers who come through. (Storage is pretty tight in the back in most stores.. we would have needed someone to be on dish patrol exclusively during huge parts of the day if we'd served everything in glassware.) I'm not saying it can't be done, but strategically, it gets hairy unless you are in a very low-volume store.
I find that many customers, if given the choice, take the disposable, which is interesting. I guess in case they decide to leave before they finish their drinks?
Here's a thought just buy your own coffee and Make it at home. It's cheaper tastes better then Starbucks in My opinion. I make my own every morning saving a bunch by not utilizing Starbucks. Plus saving enviorment by using real cups not plastic or non plastic ones. It gives me about 30mins of time to myself to enjoy a cup of joe and watch the news before i head into the office.
First of all, I'd forget the darn cup!
MORE IMPORTANTLY - I don't like the idea of hot drinks in plastic containers. Too much exposure to carcinogens as it is.
Sez me!
Another thought - just recycle the paper cups!!!
C'mon now. This is no place to bring sense into the conversation.
I might consider doing it once but I would hope the savings would be more than a freaking dime! I bought a "grande" once and was handed a Dixie cup basically. I have not purchased anything from you since. I don't care if your roasters smell good. I want a good price instead of what i feel is everything is overpriced!
BLEAPING IDIOT! Recycling is about properly using and reusing our limited resources, not about saving you a dime or two per drink. OMG, some people cannot see beyond the narrow and shallow horizon of their nose....which is probably the reason why you don't care much for quality, fair traded coffee and tea.
I might consider it once but I would hope the savings would be more than a freaking dime! I bought a "grande" once and was handed a Dixie cup of coffee. I have not given you business since that day. I don't care if your roasters smell good- I think you're overpriced.
another bacteria transporter like bring your own canvas bag to the grocery store
Starbucks is to fine coffee what your McDonald's is to fine cuisine.
It is so cute to watch Americans discuss food as though you know what you are talking about. If you can, try to go to Europe at some point to see true sophistinction and superiority in food and drink.
Do you really think anyone considers Starbucks fine coffee? And while you're bragging about European cuisine, you should probably be aware that most larger metropolitan areas in the U.S. have a collection of international cuisines. Many of Europe's most talented chefs aren't in Europe at all, they're out in San Francisco, NY, or Chicago.
Really!? I think you better redact that statement about food in the US. Not sure where you are from but there are quite a few of Michelin Stared resturants here is USA. So take your narrow mind shove it where the sun don't shine.
Europe is largely irrelevant these days, and certainly not the first place to look for guidance on anything other than perhaps pomposity ...
Exactly! Europe? What a joke! Putin says "Stand on one leg!" or he'll cut off your gas. Spineless weasels. We might not save you in the next World War!
I suspect that you don't fully know what you are talking about. Fine cousine exists in the United States as well. Your comment about McDonald's says a lot. That's akin to an American talking about Fish N Chips in a discussion about European food. I am European.
good point Jean!
Go to Europe where you too can eat horsemeat.
You cannot get horsemeat in the U.S., or what?
Funny how nearly every European city I've been to has a Starbucks (And a McDonald's, for that matter), and they're generally far busier than the artisian coffee shops. Guess the Europeans really just enjoy the same low end food we do...
How many convenience stores have already put into practice the selling, use and re-use of plastic / thermal cups to use for refills on sodas and coffee? The only difference I see is that Starbux's coffee is strong enough that it sterilizes your cup with each refill. Good stuff.
You people talking about reusable cups not being sanitary, do you ask for plastic cups or glasses at restaurants and bars as well, rather than porcelain for coffee, real wine glasses for wine, and beer glasses for beer? No? Why then is it suddenly an issue at Starbucks? Do they have worse dishwashing machines, or what?
Exactly. What a bunch of imbeciles. It makes me wonder what they're putting in their cups when they don't have coffee.
let's see
1. it's hot, plastic breaks down easer under warmer conditions
2. coffee is acidic, also could break down the plastic over time
I think the issue is actually that the user, not Starbucks, really washes the reusable cups. The Starbucks employees just rinse it out with hot water.. they don't actually wash it. This puts the real burden for cleanliness on the consumer.
Not that I have a problem with this.. I've done so for over a decade now at least with the one I use at least sometimes when stopping at Starbucks (sometimes it is still sitting at home after being washed with me forgetting to bring it...). But our society has been moving away from expecting consumers to take any responsibility in their own well being or use basic common sense. And, to be fair, if there is an outbreak of some disease potentially traced to a Starbucks, it does make things a bit harder to pinpoint if it could possibly be due to something else a group of consumers previously used the cups for and then didn't adequately clean them before taking them to Starbucks.
Last I checked, BOILING WATER is hot enough to kill all germs and bacteria...
Botulism spores aren't killed by boiling water. There are plenty of other examples.
http://foodsafety.unl.edu/pathogens/botulinum.html
sorry but you people are to dense to see it
Too dense to see what?
I live in Manhattan ... carrying a resuable cup for those using mass transportation is not a viable option. Great idea if you live nearby or drive.
Drag a cup around to save a dime? For what their coffee costs? Don't even go there with me.
Buck you! Buck off! Buck that! Bucking among the stars, buck like a star, or maybe have buck so good it was a real starbuck! Go bigure...
I am sick of liberals pushing this environmental nonsense down the throats of businesses thereby decreasing their profitability. It has been proved by studies by leading scientists in leading universities that this thing about environment a.k.a. Global Warming just does not exist. Yet, the liberal just doesn't seem to get it.
Please provide a link to an academic reviewed paper that has evidence of anything you just claimed. I will check back in a week, chances are it won't be here because you made it up.
That would be asking a lot... I'd settle for a grammatically correct statement.
Don't hold your breath. He's a flatulent imbecile.
Silly you! You are making references to your political opponents in your own country. Meanwhile, the rest of the world, people and experts of every conceivable political color or religion acknowledges global warming. You don't even seem to understand what the issue is about. It is not about whether global warming exists or not, but to what degree it is caused by humans.
What the hell does this have to do with making things more difficult on businesses? By buying the cup, and reusing it, it costs 10 cents less for a coffee. An entire pot of coffee costs Starbucks about 40 cents. The price of the up is all their discounting..
Get psychiatric help, you sad little half-wit.
People complain about Starbucks & excessive cup waste, but what about Dunkin Donuts? Starbucks provides cups that are paper, made of partially recycled materials and are fully degradable in a landfill.
To the contrary, Dunkin Donuts uses styrofoam cups, which are non-biodegradable and lie in landfills for decades. If the cups are burned (to avoid the landfill) then the styrofoam release toxic chemicals known as CFC's, which causes holes in the ozone layer and breathing problems for those with lung issues.
Also, I see many Starbucks customers using their own mugs (whether bought at Starbucks or elsewhere). I rarely see Dunkin Donuts customers (or other coffee shops) using their own reusable mugs. They choose the harmful styrofoam.
Starbucks has done more to help with this problem than many other businesses and coffee shops. Kudos to Starbucks (and its environmentaly consciousl customers) for trying to make things better with less waste. All businesses need to follow this lead.
Two weekends ago I went through the drive-thru and asked if they could throw away a coffee cup I already had in the car. The cashier told me they were not allowed to accept items through the drive-thru due to local health department rules. Based on my experience I do not see them being able to refill a cup of coffee.
Who cares? DD does not even have stores in California.
Wow. Myopic much?
Uh actually, dim bulb, I've rarely heard anyone complaining. Nice of Starbucks to offer that option anyway. What Dunkin Donuts does or doesn't do is their issue.
A .10 savings is not worth it. You have to carry a cup around and go home and wash it for a .10 savings. Better to just get the card and save on coffee that way. Doubt it will work, but kudos for Starbucks for trying to solve an environmental problem. They are the biggest, because they aim to solve problems-take this one back to the drawing board though.
Oh wow. That $7 will now cost $6.90 if I remember to bring my reusable cup. That's what I call a "grande" saving.
You sir, are a loser
Starbucks should look at making the cup in the USA and have the consumer pay an extra $1 or $2 than have it made in China, I know I would be more inclined to purchase it, until then, I will just get the paper ones. I visit Starbucks about 3 times a month so I don't think the savings is worth it for a cup made in China.
I know that Starbucks has a lot of critics but they do deserve some credit for at least trying to find a solution to this problem. As for the "made in China" cups I have to agree this may not bet the way to go. I recently bought a mug from Starbucks that was made in the USA. It cost me about $30 but they offered free refills for a month. After the month is up all refills thereafter are just $0.54. For someone who drinks coffee on a daily basis that is a good deal as well as being better for the environment. Ultimately, the main reason they exist is to profit from the sales of their product but many companies don't even pretend to care about the environment. Whether they are doing this because they actually care or as some elaborate marketing gimmick is not important to me as long as it bears good results.
The largest Starbucks I have visited was in China. It had four floors.
that was my first thought, China made, really?? is there a bias against having USA made products for a USA based business..? yes, it may cost more (maybe) but at least it's a guarentee against shoddy make and safe to use.
I buy starbucks 2 or 3 tmes a year.
If not for made in China, you wouldn't get such good deals.
Get such good deals? Don't mind the lead paint or contaminated drywall? Child labor? People dying in mass in fires because there are no fire escapes? I'll pay a little more and support Americans, improve my country, improve my fellow citizens way of life, increase the base of taxpayers, reduce our debt and tell the rest of the world to fix their own issues. What an ungrateful bunch of wussies you are, especially you in Europe. Either appreciate that we saved your asses or learn to march germanstyle. Ungrateful bastards one and all!
Even if I didn't remember the full 10 times, a. isn't there an environmental payoff for a few times with less paper being used? b. I would use it at home also where presumably I can use the dishwasher if it's being washed in boiling water at the store. I really can't on the whole see a significant downside. For the most sceptical; time will tell and it appears to be a genuine attempt at moving forward environmentally!! We're all hopefully in this for the long run so kudos to progress. If we don't try, we're by default toast the way things stand right now.
I wouldn't ever drink coffee out of a plastic cup.
Exactly, a hot beverage in a plastic cup? How many toxins would that release in my body?
You can bring in any reusable container currently and get the discount, found this out bringing my thermos there one day. To those complaining about sanitation- deal with it, germs are everywhere.
I love these new cups! I'm going to by hundreds.
So basically:
If you don't like Made in China, use your own mug and still get 10 cents off. Or buy a different Starbucks mug that costs more than $1. All of them I have seen say Made in USA.
If you don't like Plastic, use a ceramic one from home and still get 10 cents off. Or ask them for a "for here" cup. They have ceramic cups for use onsite. It's just that most don't ask for them.
If you want to save even more money, brew coffee at home.
If you are worried about sanitation of your cup, wash it yourself with your other dishes. Won't take any more incremental water.
If you don't ever go to Starbucks, then this article is not for you.
I never buy Starbucks so it's a moot point.
I have several reusable cups, from Starbucks as well as from different coffee vendors. I actually use them for my own coffee from home rather than from the stores. It's cheaper. And the 10-cent discount really isn't much of an incentive. I remember many years ago when you could get your "refill" for just 50 cents. Now that was a discount that was worth it.
GO BACK TO SEATTLE, STARBUCKS!
THAT IS SO GROSS. What if someone has a disease or a cold sore. Will the baristas wash their hands between cups? Unsanitary. Sometimes being clean IS wasteful. I don't want to get sick to save the environment. This is just SICK!!!!
Don't make such a fuss, that barista spit in your new, clean, sanitary, disposable cup anyway.
TLY is a fine example of the "germ-a-phobes" that our ultra sanitary American culture has spawned. Good grief...let's process and sanitize everything down so there is no flavor to our food and just enjoy a nice heaping plate of tasteless mush. Try living in Asia where, god forbid, they sell unrefrigerated eggs! **gasp**
You trust tableware (beer mugs, drinking glass, plates, forks, etc) while dining at a restaurant but don't trust a coffee cup that's been washed at a Barista?
only one comment about how unsanitary this is !! do people not realize that with the number of stores starbucks has in the world,( I do not think that this is an outlandish statement ), this could cause a potential mini pan-demic!! viruses that last on surfaces for 24-48 hours could be spread from person to person in seconds. those of you that are concerned about the health of your family and community, should contact starbucks and voice your objections. maybe they will reconsider this ridiculous, ill advised policy!! if the company won't listen, then maybe local health authorities will respond.
Geez. Panic much?
Good god, another short-bus rider heard from.
Seriously, half-wit, get help. Do you never eat in restaurants?
I think we may have found the biggest imbecile on the Internet.
I take issue because it isn't sanitary. Someone bringsin their cup, the barista rinses it with the not-quite-boiling water and touches the cup with the spout. So now the germs are on the spout and the barista's hands.
I like the idea of reusable cups, but unless it's the "for here" porceline cups that go through the dishwasher, I just don't think it's a sanitary idea.
I would like a membership program where you buy a generic cup that you can turn in and that you can trade it for a clean one at your next visit. Much cleaner.
Yeah, it really isn't the most sanitary thing in the world, but at least coffee is hot enough to kill germs,
You can always ask them for a "for here" cup. They have ceramic mugs that they will give you. Not sure if you get the 10 cents off, but you can do that.
Christina, I've never seen a barista handle a resuable cup or refill where their hands get anywhere near the lip of the cup. Not to mention, your idea of turning it in every time and getting a different one would not be cost-effective.
I worked for starbucks during my student days; I can confirm that if a customer brought in a travel mug we were under strict rules to ask the customer to remove to lid so we never touched it since it wasn't sanitary, and the water we rinse them with was incredibly hot.
People often brought in their own mugs so if you're only worried about the sanitations NOW...I have some bad news for you (PS: the 10 cents thing is total crap, I agree there, but I do know it used to be free refills on tea and coffee both iced and hot if you had a starbucks card...not great, but good for students who spend hours in starbucks studying!)
Well, the employees touch the spout of the cup regardless of whether the cup is plastic or paper. They also usually wear gloves. (At least to the ones I go to.)
Christina, here is an idea. Since you are such a germaphobe, why don't you just skip buying coffee at Starbuck and make your own at home. That way you for sure won't have anyone but yourself who handle your cup
Have you ever been to a restaurant, dullard? Do you imagine the plates and glasses and silverware you get there are manufactured for you special?
With rinsing all the time, wouldn't that be a waste of water? Some people in the world would kill for fresh water and we're using it just to rinse? As for me, I don't buy Starbucks very often as it is too expensive and too bitter but I do occasionally. I think I would get the $1 cup then use it twice then realize it was a hassle to bring in a flimsy plastic cup (that probably can't go in the dishwasher) so I would either not bother going anymore or I would bring in my own cup.
You have options. First, you can wash your cup along with other dishes so there is no incremental water usage increase. Second, feel free to use your own ceramic cup or any other coffee mug from home. Starbucks gives the 10 cents off any time someone brings in their own cup.
So this isn't new. They're just promoting it to see if they can get more people doing it.
If you are uncomfortable with the made in china piece, like I said, use your own cup, or Starbucks sells many other ones (more than $1) which are made in USA.
Starbucks sells mugs that aren't made in China? Not that I have seen!
Like any other reusable product, I expect this cup to not last long enough to make it worth it, and this experiment will be over in less than 6 months.
DRINK COFFEE OUT OF PLASTIC ... PLEASE. I'M NOT THAT FAR OFF- IN THE FUTURE! HOT COFFEE IN PLASTIC, YECCCHHH!! TASTES HORRIBLE EVEN THE MONGOL REDS WON'T TOUCH IT ...
The "mongol reds"? Who are the "mongol reds"? An Asian American football team? People from Mongolia? A native American tribe?
Would not buy ,if made in China!
The majority of Starbucks coffee drinkers are A-HOLES,,,save a dime? the tip goes up
The majority of everyone are a$$holes, so what's your point?
Who the h-ll tips at Starbucks? Now go out and tip the cashier at Walmart next time! Silly people tipping... Giving tip is nothing but active support of tax evasion since tip is seldom declared as an income. Tipping causes the salaries in the service industry to be lower than they would otherwise be.
I don't drink star bucks coffee because it taste like burnt diarrhea.
You've tasted burnt diarrhea? sounds gross!
It's underrated. The burning is what makes it.
I see people bringing in reusable cups to my local coffee house (I do not patronise Starbucks because I think their coffee is terrible and their quality consistency worse), and I see the baristas filling them with brewed coffee without rinsing first, often touching the lip of the cup to the dispenser. Rinsing the cup in "boiling" water does not sanitize it, since the water in a coffee hose is short of boiling and a longer exposure to truly boiling water is necessary to kill bacteria and viruses. I tthink it's an unsanitary practice (not to mention the fact that the food preparer handles somethng that has been handled by the customer, and does not wash afterwards). I generally order coffee to consume on site, so I am served in washable crockery. If I get take away, i recycle the cup. I would never go for these reusable things, especially for a dime discount. How cheap!
Good points Fiona. I never thought about the sanitary part of it, just the ecological issue! Thanks.
I agree with you. I love starbucks, but I think it's still nasty to do this. Really who is going to be doing this all the time. People would have bought a mug already. Plus of course they are made in China.
I am going to stick my head under the spigot and have them fill me up directly, thus saving both disposable and reusable resources.
I was going to say the same thing :) My problem mostly is the cups are made of plastic, plastic is horrible for the environment, so if people throw them out eventually it'll do more harm then good, then using recycled cups. I think 100% recycled cups theat can keep being recylcled is a better idea or better yet let people use their own ceramic or aluminum conatiners.
Not to mention plastic is also not something we should be drinking hot liquids from...too many bad chemicals.
Charge a heavy price for the cup and discourage use of disposable cup. Hit them on the price if this is important to you. When ATMs came around people still went in to speak with Martha defeating the entire purpose of the ATM. When banks started charging extra for coming into the teller's window when the ATM is just outside, they started charging the customers a $ 1 charge, and then the customer accepted and went to the ATM outside and soon change happened.
By avoiding this step change will not come easily as expected. They can be from MIT and a CEO, and change doesn't change it's ugly face just because someone is a CEO or is from MIT. Does it?
They should not take away paper cups if they want to keep their doors open...Having a mug at all times is not a national priority, and removes the purpose of paying someone else to make your coffee for you. The dollar mug is pretty good, probably something I'd toss in my car to have at all times. It's like like it's liquid gold either, you have to really know how to order at Starbucks to get a decent cup of coffee. Instead of worrying about Starbucks, go support your local coffee shop, who probably makes a much better cup of java.
Or better yet, stop buying coffee at Starbucks.
Dave's not here
I credit Starbucks with trying a number things that are geared at improving the communities they are in. I'm not particularly a fan of their coffee (I roast my own, so I'm more than a little snobbish about coffee); but they have excellent customer service, offer healthcare benefits to all of their employees. The CEO has called out moron politicians, but not in a partisan way, which is refreshing. They've sold wristbands to try to help small businesses. Now they're attempting to reduce the amount of waste they create. Are they perfect? No. Far from it. But it's a company with some impact in the world and small moves by them can create big effects. It's also difficult for a big company like this to make a significant change overnight. So the cups appear to be a start. I hope they continue finding ways to cut waste, improve recycling, and continuing to seek ways to improve the communities they are in. I wish more companies their size and more CEOs like Schultz would do what they do.
"offer healthcare benefits to all of their employees"
FALSE! Starbucks employees get healthcare benefits if they maintain a certain number of hours per week. Some managers actively seek to keep people under this limit to save money.
Dave's not here
When the product is ready, just pour your coffee into my cup and I am done. Let us do away with more cost of cup processing be it drink-in or drive through or take-out.
It is about saving the world and not saving america. It is mind boggling how all americans can be so narcissistic.
Saving the world by buying a cup. You idiots are so gullible.
Yes, Saruman. We would be wise to give up hope and join forces with Sauron. After all, what hope is there?
Some people will always object to doing anything 'green' no matter whether it could save them a little money. Just lazy, I suppose. These objections are like all the mean people who rag on vegetarians simply because they choose to eat differently – irrespective of whether their motivation for doing so is animal welfare, health, environment, cost savings. It's a pity, but some people are just full of hate for anything that implies it's acceptable to do something differently from the way THEY are doing it.
I would be more impressed if the cups were not made in China. i would prefer to pay $2 for the cup and have it made here!
It is about saving the world and not saving America. It is very interesting how all americans be so narcissistic.
It is about saving the world and not saving america. It is mind boggling how all americans can be so narcissistic.
where's the option "I may be inclined to use these cups if I can see a picture of it first" ??
There's this thing called "google". You should try it.
It looks like....a cup from starbucks.
Hey, I got one of their reusable cups TWO months ago.....and Starbucks coffee costs the same as about ten other places around town...1.95 pus tax.
Definitely costs more than home brewed coffee.
You couldn't find a company here in the U.S.? I chipped in and bought a wrist band from Starbucks to help small companies get their start. I expect better from the Starbucks!
I agree with your sentiment. I am not drinking from the cup made in China. Many will be willing to pay a little more for a cup made in USA.
I could care less about where the cup was made.
Of course we wouldn't need this if Starbucks allowed us to reuse our paper cups but they won't because of the paranoid cross-contamination issue, which is a one chance in a trillion threat to anyone's health. But Starbucks' has to protect themselves from the one in a trillion lawsuit brought by some liberal allergy nut and her liberal lawyer, so none of us can simply reuse our paper cups. Instead they produce billions of PLASTIC cups that will not decompose in landfills, not to mention the tons of petrochemicals belched into the atmosphere to produce them, and not to mention the energy costs required to heat the water that is needed to rinse the plastic cup every time it's used. This is a perfect example of how liberals like to congratulate themselves on being environmentally responsible, but end up ruining the environment with their paranoid, government-must-protect-us-at-all-costs attitudes.
What? Not sure why liberal females are the only ones that sue...
I'm not saying there isn't some green washing happening in the world but you can't say that making a sturdy reusable cup is worse than making a a bunch of plastic or paper cups. It is your own fault if you don't reuse it.
How nice of you to notice that the entire point of this is that the cups are biodegradable, and therefore not as resilient or expensive as actual plastic mugs/thermoses. Starbucks isn't avoiding a lawsuit, it's against the law to reuse paper anything in restaurant. Before you go off on a diatribe, at least know what you're railing against...
These cups are made of bpa free plastics which makes them better for heated materials. "Paper" cups are not just paper. They have a thin plastic lining which is very high in bpa and phthalates(for flexibility), both of which have been proven to be neuro toxins and linked to all sorts of reproductive problems and birth defects. I'm not saying we should used plastic cups but a reusable one with no bpa and no phthalates(no need for flexibility) is way better than the disposable ones. Those paper cups are not as great as they sound. I use a ceramic cup, with a ceramic lid. That only has a rubber seal. I will have it as long as i don't drop it. Btw those plastic lining are in most things. Including aluminum cans and soda bottles. These are not wax coated dixie cups. Also I'm not some dumb liberal. I am just smart enough to avoid as much plastic as possible for my healtha and my families.
I go to Starbucks every day. Towards the beginning of December, my local Starbucks sold me a special coffee mug for $30. I get $0.10 off each cup, and throughout all of January 2013, I get my coffee totally free. You can only get the free coffee if you have that specific coffee mug. So $30 investment is going to get me about $60 worth of coffee. Gain of about $30.
And after January, I'll still keep getting the 10 cents off. I'd say it's a good deal.
And I read the bottom of the cup – Made in USA! Kudos to Starbucks!
Or buy a mug somewhere else, and make you own coffee at home, and save about 60 dollars a month.
This guy works for Congress. You gotta spend money to make money!!!
Spend money to make money? That's actually a valid business saying. I've never heard Congress say that. They don't spend money to make money. They just spend money.
That's an option, but I actually like going there. It's a social hangout for a number of locals who sit around before work for about an hour and chat. There's always a core group of 6 or 7 of us. I'd lose out on my morning socialization if I brewed at home.
So I'm going to be there regardless. Might as well get my money's worth.
if the cups were made in the USA!
I don't have the specific one they are talking about in the article, but I have a different one I bought at Starbucks. It says Made in USA on the bottom.
They also have options for donating money to go to local businesses for small loans. I know Starbucks sometimes is viewed as elitist, but they continue to impress me with their commitment to my community.
Paper is a renewable resource. The pulp comes from managed forests. This industry supplies many thousands of jobs in the U.S. The paper industry in the us needs this business. Why in the world would you pay a dollar for a cancer risk piece of Chinese plastic. This concept is nuts. Ther are now more trees in these managed pulp wood forests than when they were first harvested. Paper is biodegradable!!!
I can't remember to bring my reusable bags for groceries yet, doubt I'll remember to bring my reusable cup.
Drinking coffee out of a plastic cup, not my preferred method.
Cups made in China!! Starbucks you should be ashamed after your promotion of the "American-made Indivisible wristbands" http://www.starbucks.com/blog/help-u-s-jobs-get-an-indivisible-wristband, this is a disgrace!
Which China are you hating on? The "communist" one, or the "capitalist" one. There is a difference.
Has anyone pointed out that China is wicked dumb yet? Cause seriously guys, China's the worst
Obviously China is not that dumb, dumb ass.
Nate why do you hate Taiwan so much? LOL
If China is so dumb, why are we up to our necks in debt to them?
If you want to cut back on waste, why not start with NOT paying four bucks for a cup of coffee. Just sayin'...
You can get a regular coffee at Starbuck for $1.50, and my local Starbuck will knock 25 cents off that if you supply your own cup. Einstein Brothers, however, still has the better deal. If you use one of their cups, they only charge you $1.10 for a refill, and you can fill your cup up as many times as you want during a single visit.
It's so obvious: combine the card and the cup. RFID in the reusable tumbler. You can pay with it, you won't forget it, you can set a default beverage in your account to speed your order, Starbucks can track usage.
This is actually a really really good idea.
I've been using the same coffee tumbler that I bought in Iceland 14 years ago. It has been with me to Germany, Italy, Korea, Qatar and all over the US.
I would not be inclined to drink hot beverages out of a plastic cup. Turn off.
I would purchase one (or two) not to save the ten cents, rather to help reduce waste. I think this is a nice effort my Starbuck's, however, has anyone totaled up the amount of waste a company such as Dell generates? I would like to see the ability to purchase a new motherboard, CPU, etc while utliizing the same plastic case as before.
You stated "I would like to see the ability to purchase a new motherboard, CPU, etc while utliizing the same plastic case as before." I agree with you on gettihg a new motherboard, CPU and put into the old case. But most cases are made out of metal. They might have plastic covers on the front only. At least the ones I have seen & used. Some motherboards are not interchangeable to cases eather. Good idea to recycle motherboards.
It sounds like Starbucks is making an affort but you people just find reason to attack them for it. We control what happens in retail when it comes down to it. And Of course they are made in China because who else will make them? And really, if plastic or paper don't work for you, take your own mug! You have that choice! Starbucks made a goal to improve this and becasue of its customers they had to revise it. Be the change you want to see America.
Totally agree!
Please support your local "Mom and Pop" coffee shop and actually stop, sit down, and enjoy a far superior cup while drinking it out of a proper ceramic cup (gasp....). I have no time for the "generic coffee for the masses" poured by a multi-national company using a "green" marketing campaign to drum up more business. People need to literally wake up and smell the coffee.
No thanks.
I wonder how their customers would react if the customer could write their own name on it and fill out all those checkboxes before they handed it to the barrista. That could save everyone time and avoid mistakes. That alone might be a reason to use these cups. Customers might even buy a different cup and mark the checkboxes for each of their favorite beverages.
What the H- is a barista? I ordered a coffee one time from Starbucks when I went with friends to study for exams. I am not a cheap guy, but 8$ for fluffed up cup of junk seems stupid. SHeep........ Id rather get a sand which. As far as the enviroment goes....DONT GO THERE! Solved
A barista is what Starbucks calls its workers.
I've never had an $8 cup of anything from Starbucks. You're supposed to look at the prices BEFORE you buy.
As far as the environment goes, when I go to Starbucks, I bring my own metal travel mug.
Starbucks should start buying their products from the US! With the exception of their coffee, everything from Starbucks is made in China? Hypocrites! They have no issues in supporting the Chinese economy?
Jimbo, very good point. As long as they are going this far, couldn't they have found cups made in the USA? Bringing your own ceramic mug is even better.....
Hawaii and Puerto Rico both have great coffee, there both part of the USA.
you used the wrong form of there in your sentece....use whatever cup you want...wake up people...
I'm sipping Starbucks coffee from my Starbucks mug right now. Not the one in this article, but I bought it from Starbucks a month ago, and use it always.
On the bottom it says "Made in USA". So I guess not everything there is made in China.
Nice move Starbuck's! First thing I noticed was the cups are made in China and secondly a 10 cent discount, seriously? No thanks. I will keep reusing my paper or Styrofoam cup that I use every time I go to Starbucks
Even if you reuse your paper or styrofoam cups, Starbucks gives you a 10 cent discount. It's not limited to their cups. You can bring in any one you want.
No plastic for me. Like the paper cups. Better for the environment. Starbucks- how about more environmentally friendly K-Cups, not made out of plastic, i.e. like a tea bag.
I wonder if they could have created an inexpensive ceramic mug for this same purpose....
I hate to rain on your parade but I think that most paper cups actually have a very fine layer of plastic applied to the inside surface. Try getting a stainless steel mug, they are non-reatve to acidic liquids. Black coffee is slightly acidic, but adding milk turns the drink base.
I recycle the paper cup I get from them currently. I'll recycle the new plastic cup they want to use, too.
Kathi O. – It is good that you recycle but remember that Reduce and Reuse are the first two"R"s to use.
That is Starbucks plan....By people own admittance in the poll, they will forget and buy a new one.....Profiting on the idea of being green....Well played Starbucks, well played...
They want you to drink from a cup made in China? As in unsafe: dry wall, toothpaste, toys, seafood, drinking water, factories,....uh, is someone here kidding?
Stop asking questions Ed, feed the machine......FEED IT
What would be nice is if I could bring my own reusable cup and be able to get a cheap refill at the Starbucks drive-thru. I may have to ask them if they allow that! The parking lot at my local Starbucks is a mess and I hate paying the high prices for new cups of coffee. Starbucks is usually a treat for me...not something I get on a regular basis.
Not sure about yours, but most locations including the few I know around me take any reasonable cup. Just make sure it can withstand their disinfection method: a shower in boiling water.
You can bring your own cup. Any time Starbucks doesn't have to give you a new cup, you get 10 cents off. You can bring in a ceramic mug from home, a plastic cup from another store, or practically anything.
Still get 10 cents off. I used to do it all the time.
I won't ( and have not been for years ) back in a Starbucks till they lower their prices to fit the working persons wages and the current economic reality that we earn less $$ and spendable $$ now then 5 years ago – THIS OUTFIT IS FOR THE RICH AND WANNABE's I can get a 3lb can of the best dark roast Costco coffee for under $10, at a cup a brew and 6 to 7 cups a day I get about a month of really good coffee- why would I pay their premium wannabe prices? and who cares about saving 10 cents when the image they try to project is to the rich crowd that think they can afford a $4.50 drink?
Perhaps you might like to consider decaf?
That was funny!!!
It would only contribute to unending scar of plastic on the earth.
I would not use these cups because Starbucks has chosen to have them made in China.
Then you should also not wear any of your clothes as they are all made in china too. and the computer that you are using to read and type this is also made in china btw!!
Well you better throw away all of your appliances, car, and clothes then. Also are you sitting down? Stand up. Yea ... that's made in China too.
One has to start somewhere....
brace yourself - they have their beans made outside of the US as well!!!
As a Starbucks Manager here at my store, and all the stores in the city we recycle, coffee grinds, hard and soft plastics, card board, news paper, paper in general, recycle paper cups if customers choose to do so, cans and glass, have numerous for dining mugs and plates, donate our "expired" pastries to a boys and girls club, give many hours to community events. All the "partners" drinks are in glass ware (hot or cold), and food is served on a plate. While not all Starbucks systems are perfect, it's good to see that at least they are taking a step in the right direction with these $1 plastic cups for those customers that want them. Giving people options.
Good. Appreciate your comments and what you are doing.. do you happen to know if the new plastic cups are BPA free??
So all the other stores out there that offer re-usable plastic or metal mugs and cups isn't enough of an option.
I have brought in reusable cups and mugs which were not Starbucks-purchased. Each time, I got 10 cents off my coffee.
So what! You also keep mom and pop companies from having a chance.
Go back to Seattle.
It's not like Starbucks is the only big company out there. There is many difference BIG companies out there that make it difficult for smaller operations to do business. Although I can see it is easy to point the fingure at Starbucks to make it seem like they are evil. The last time I checked Apple, Microsoft, Google, Coke, McDonalds, Pepsi, ect weren't perfect either. If companies didn't try to do anything to make a difference (If it works or not), where would we be?
you guys are a bunch of babies stop complaining about some damn coffee and cups and bpa blah blah blah you brain washed zombies. people in china dont get cancer as much as americans and they drink out of plastic cups that THEY MAKE. so go complain about your fancy mcdonalds you racist idiots
I'd be interested in the Cancer study you are referencing. Any links?
So now we are going to waste water, fuel to heat the water and barista's labor to the end of a plastic cup. Sounds much more wasteful than a cup. 10c savings... NOT worth the effort.
It sounds like you didn't try to calculate the footprint of a factory creating the paper cups and cardboard sheaths. Compare that to your calculation of water/fuel/labor, and I think you'll be surprised.
You're from Arizona so I expect you to have unprogressive thoughts, anyway.
Well, that was just a little bigoted and closed minded, don't you think Craig?...
I usually have a thermo-cup with me, but to me, the cost of Starbucks coffee is out of my price range! Now if they'd drop the coffee cost to $1.00 a cup, then I'd consider buying some; but i doubt that'll ever happen.
Absolutely agree to you Don – I dont see rationale of people paying upwards of $1.75 for a cup of coffee that costs less than 25 cents to produce. Of course the practice encourages employment, commercial space usage, utility usage, taxes, blah blah blah, but it also delivers millions of dollars to the CxO's and peanuts to the employees...
Buck seventy five? Where do you get your coffee? I'd bet most customers of Starbucks are spending three or more bucks for that morning joe...
Nope a large (venti) coffee – not a latte, but just plain roast is less than $2 at my Starbucks.
In my town, unless you order a fancy drink, a plain old coffee costs between $1.75 and $2.06. If you want to save even more money, just buy your own coffee and brew at home. Starbucks has to pay for electricity, employee pay and benefits, advertising, etc. If that is too much for you, there are cheaper places, or you can go home-brew.
Nobody forces people into a Starbucks. If it is too expensive, they will lose customers. They are successful doing what they are doing, so I believe they have found the right price for their target market.
I'll continue to visit my locally owned coffee shop, have a my drink in one of their ceramic mugs and connect with my community. Beats buying poorly roasted, mass produced beverages and supporting the Chinese by purchasing one of these cups.
Why are the cups being made in China? Come on Starbucks, do something for the US economy, at least make the cups in America.
then they'd have to charge $10 for one
Why not charge $10 for a ceramic cup and offer those who use it coffee at $1 a cup? For 10-cents, why bother?
So you are forced to buy between 14 and 20 cups of coffee just to get one free.
No one is forcing anyone to buy anything. If you're a regular starbucks coffee drinker, the $10 ceramic cup and $1 coffee refills aren't a horrible idea. Not much different than buying a $10 ceramic cup and brewing you're own at home.
$10? i have never purchased a coffe mug in my life and have more than I can fit in my cabinet from banks, car dealers, etc. use a free travel mug and brew $0.10 coffeww at home.
Hey Starbucks. Why are you trying to go into the cup selling business. Offer those that bring in there own mug 50 cents off or something and skip the whole plastic cup nonsense. I think enough other stores sell re-usable mugs.
I meant their.
They already offer that.
they only offer ten cents off, not 50.
It would take me a few tries of forgetting and buying a new one, but I would eventually get the hang of always having one with me (probably in my car). I went through the same process with reusable shopping bags and now, in addition to a bag full of bags that I take with me on grocery trips, I also have a bag that folds down into a tiny pouch that I stow in my purse. I am never caught without a bag for spur of the moment purchases.
A collapsible cup with a lid would be a sure winner for something like this. I wish more stores would implement incentives for us to reuse instead of adding to the garbage heaps.
Why must everything be "incentivized" FOR you. Just do it your own self! Oh, but then you wouldn't be able to publicize how good you feel about yourself, would you?
If people want to save the planet, they should quit being lazy. I pretty much try to stay away from anything disposable as much as possible. Just wake up 15 mins earlier so you can go sit down at Starbucks in the morning and have your coffee in a mug. As far as things that are "disposable," many are great for re-use. Take a plastic cream cheese tupper for instance. I keep them and put them to use for the rest of its useful life as tupperwear. I keep every plastic bag and try to get multiple used out of them. If people just used each plastic bag three times, it would make a big difference.
Many of us already do use non-disposable. i think that is why this whole starbucks thing is strange. What incentive do they offer for using a non-disposable cup? 10 cents off. Why not offer 50 cents off and skip the whole plastic cup selling nonsense. Enough other stores sell re-usable cups and mugs .
If it gets more people to do it, because of the marketing, I don't think it is bad. Yes, you can use your own existing cup. But there are probably a number of people who don't. And if you can get some of them to do it by having this promotion, well, I again don't see it as a bad thing.
Until the cup is ensured to be BPA free and is also MADE IN THE USA, I will take a pass on this one. As a former coffee shop owner who used biodegradable plastic and paper products, I found good response to those...but plastic and hot coffee do not mix.
I agree with you about BPAs. Another poster says that the cups say they are BPA free... However, I have experience as an engineer with Chinese manufactured plastics. They are unreliable. They will change materials to save money without telling you, calling the new materials "equivalent". "Equivalent" to their standards, not yours. Sorry, no trust here.
I can taste the plastic in the BPA cups, surely full of cancer-causing chemicals. Nice move starbuck!
You'd have to do it like the old deposit on soda bottles. Bring the cup back and get a new cup. Don't bring the cup back you get charged a surcharge. The old cup gets washed or recycled.
Plastic does not lend itself to deposit style handling since it cannot be made 100% sterile after use #1.
Have you ever been to an average restaurant? good chance they have plastic cups. Which get washed, and re-used.
You must spend a LOT of time at buffets...
Lets think about Charbucks for a moment. Think about this: You go into a Starbucks, order coffee. It's served in a cardboard cup, then carry it to the place you put the milk and sugar in, then carry it to where you intend to sit. After drinking the bitter concoction, you than carry it to the waste basket where you dispose of it. The tipping container is at the cash register. So what I have to look forward to, and after paying hefty prices for this burnt beverage, I am supposed to tip them. Now, for the savings of ten cents, you have the honor of washing your own cup. With luck Charbucks will put a sink with soap next to the garbage so you can wash your cup on the way out. But hey, you saved ten cents. And if your getting it to go, have fun carrying around a plastic cup everywhere you go. Maybe they can sell little canvas sacks to carry your dirty cup around in.
Our Starbucks have no tip jar here in Hawaii
Yeah, we get it. You don't like Starbucks. Some of us prefer it to Bumkin Donuts, though.
Move the D in Dunkin and you get UNKIND DONUTS.
You are not "supposed to" tip anyone anywhere ever. The whole idea with tipping is to reward extraordinary behavior, not to tip everyone and their uncle in the service industry. Besides, tipping is a pretty sad habit that not only keeps the salaries in the industry lower than they would otherwise be, but also in practice constitutes tax evasion. What is it with Americans and their urge to tip? Having too much money in your wallet? Every good and service has a price. If you want to pay more, suit yourself... Now please send tip for having read this to account number 1234567...
It is nice to see that they are trying! I wonder what they are going to do about drive through? that will slow things down if they want us to use our recyclable cups...
I don't like Starbucks, they are gay, the people who work there are gay and there coffee is Gay. Dunkin Donuts is the best!!
Billy...were you abused by your uncle?
You are pathetic. You should take your lousy attitude and go live in a cave. Wait...you already do.
It's about time.... They are the biggest wasters ever with two cups AND a heat-sheath sold with every cup of coffee.
P.S. Starbucks doesn't even really qualify to be a coffee shop....for seven dollars here in Hawaii, I expect more than one kind of coffee too, not just regular or decaf.... even 7-11 has more choices, and for alot less.
Wow. Glad I don't live in Hawaii. My Starbucks uses 1 cup, and makes the sheaths available, but you can decide to put them on or not. And my Starbucks always has 4 kinds of coffee that they rotate, 1 being decaf. Unless you order a fancy drink, you will pay max $2 at my Starbucks. And even the most expensive drink I have ever ordered was about $6.50, but of course you could pay more if you add extra shots or whatever.
Is anyone else as disappointed as me that these are made in China? I thought Starbucks was a promoter of strengthening the U.S. economy?
The location they rape the environment shouldn't matter
Friends don't let friends drink starbucks!!
Lets compare the footprint of all those cups to the foot print produced by one of these 'cup summits'.
I like the concept up until I read that it is plastic. I try to limit the amount of plastic I can potentially consume (however little it might really be) because of concerns of BPA. Also, rinsing with just hot water isn't quite the same as washing it in a dishwasher.
The cups are BPA free and they are recyclable and dishwasher safe. I've had mine for a couple months now and I love it.
You could just wash it at a dishwasher at home...
I always order my double espresso in a ceramic cup.
And they always honor my request. Thanks again Starbucks.
The paper cups are sprayed with PE to keep them from absorbing the coffee. This makes it very hard to recycle in the first place. Even if you put them in your cities recycle box, they will end up in a land fill. 90% of the time. Where they again do not break down because of the coating added. Each cup made, accompanied by its paper sleeve, causes the release of 1/4 pound of CO2, takes about 1/4 cup of clean water, and causes about .93 square feet of habitat loss from the trees it takes to make them.
::wiki "paper cup"
They need to start using thin fully recyclable plastic cups and lids, made from 90%+ recycled content. They also need to charge for every cup so you are aware when you look at your receipt that you should have brought your own re-usable cup.
If they really want to take it a step further, they can use plastic made from organics, that if aren't recycled as intended wouldn't have as bad of an impact on the environment from within the landfills.
Charge for every cup? Are you serious? They are already being called Bigbucks Coffee and now you think they should charge for every cup??
They absolutely should charge for every cup, as well as super markets charging for every bag. This creates an incentive to bring reusable cups/bags or pay a penalty!
Yes I'm serious. No one said they can't lower the price of the coffee by 10 cents, then add the 10 cents back when you use one. That's pretty much what they're offering now, except they don't show you the break down on your receipt so you think about it.
they already charge for every cup, all he is really asking for is itemization on the receipt.
It appears you don't go to Starbucks and if you do you are misinformed on the cost of Starbucks coffee. A cup of coffee from Starbucks is within 20 cents the cost of most popular coffee stores. Unless you are a frequent visitor of your local convenience/gasoline station to get your coffee.
Yes a person can spend several dollars on a cup of specialty coffee, sometimes I could spend $5-6 for a specialty coffee at Starbucks. Then again a person can spend either $3 at McDonalds or they can spend $10 for a specialty meal.
If you are going to try and bash on Starbucks coffee at least be accurate.
Why are we using oil to make plastics when we can use PLANTS (renewable) and degradable? The technology is here, we need to force Starbucks, Coke, Proctor & Gamble to USE it. http://www.wimp.com/plantplastic/
Here, here!!
I like plant plastic because it doesn't use oil, but they have their downsides too... Those plant plastic cups usually end up in the recycling bin (which dilutes the recyclable stock) or in the regular trash. Most types of plant plastics require commercial composting machines to break down the material at high temperatures, even then they are still in the chemical form and may be harmful. Unfortunately there is no magic bullet so far, but hopefully these new Starbucks cups can be recycled at the end of their life.
You're absolutely right! I was hiking with a buddy in Waterton Park (the Canadian park that adjoins Glacier Park at the border) last summer, and everyone was using plant-based plastic cups. I'm looking at these things and saying why aren't we doing this! Of course, conservation is still the most important aspect of all this, even with plant-based plastics. The bottom line is the health of the planet as a whole, not dollars. Life and love over money!
Plant based plastics, as well as plant based packing material (real popcorn) and pant based bio-fuels have their own issues. Using materials that can also be used as food raises an ethical question. Using a plant based disposable cup while others on the planet dont have enough to eat??? Also. it takes more energy to make plant based plastics. Where is this energy coming from?
In the U.S., the primary company manufacturing bioplastics is NatureWorks, owned by Cargill. They can produce 300 million pounds a year of a plastic called PLA, or poly lactic acid, that is made from corn grown in Nebraska and Iowa. Starch from the corn is extracted and converted into dextrose (sugar) and then into lactic acid by fermentation. The lactic acid is further refined into pellets that can be made into different end-products. Other companies manufacturing plant based plastics include Dupont, BASF, Eastman, Proctor & Gamble, and Cereplast
It's not healthy to drink hot drinks out of plastic (still worse: foam) cups.
Yeah ur right about the plastic so bring ur own favorite coffee mug instead!..Or buy one that you love and keep it in ur car. They wash it out too!. This is a great idea!
Someone else in a coffee shop "washing" my cup doesn't really sit well with me. Ick.
I just got one of the new Starbucks cups, and it says "BPA free" both on the lid and the bottom of the cup. Yay!
I only use my Justin Beiber mug.
what about serving the coffee in real mugs by default (to stay, obviously), and offering the paper/plastic ones only upon request, at a 10c extra cost, the extra cost would be waived if you have your own mug.
and the coffee tastes better in ceramic mugs too!
default: ceramic, to stay, washed in the store (like it has been done for decades)
to go: your own mug, no extra cost
to go: disposable mug, 50c extra cost, money goes to recycle/environment effort
YES!!!
A dime savings? Woohoo.. If I am spending $5 on coffee, do you think I care about a dime? I do care about the planet though and for that reason I will try to remember to bring my mug with me, but not a reusable plastic cup that probably leaks BPA into my coffee. No thank you.
Why do foolish people spend so much money for really bad coffee? If you purchased five per week you would average $25.00 a week, $100 per month, $1200 per year. And this is on the low end of the spectrum.
I'm not a big fan of starbucks and prefer frequenting local mom and pop shops in my neighborhood. That being said, it's only that expensive and BAD if you buy the sugary kind of coffee. Stick with regular coffee (the price is pretty much the same anywhere). Also, yes I brew coffee at home, but if I relied on that it would be cold by the time I got to work.
Not if you buy a thermos mug. Got one and it keeps my coffee hot all day.
I support my local, independent coffee houses, so I don't mind splurging every once in a while. I certainly don't make it a daily habit, though.
Forteaneye – i spend $1.80 per day on a cup of starbucks coffee. it's only the fancy drinks that are $4 range. and it's great coffee – but i suppose very different to the McCafe coffee you like!
I don't consider bitter battery acid like brown stank water great coffee.
I pay $2 for my coffee at Starbucks (Grande size). If I went Venti (largest), that would be about $2.15 per coffee.
Maybe you are talking about frapuccinos and lattes.
I would do it if they offered more then 10 cents. The cups they serve now I am sure cost more than that.
Totally agree. Ten cents is a ridiculous 'savings'. Not even close to being enough to motivate me.
It's amazing what people will find to complain about. Can't we recognize Starbacks for at least making an effort? Is McDonald's doing this with their McCafe drinks? Is Jack in the Box doing this? Is Taco Bell doing this? I rather suspect McDonald's accounts for more waste than Starbucks. I don't mean that as an attack on McDonald's. McDonald's made an excellent effort many years back to reduce their use of styrofoam. There are corporations who do a lot of nasty things. We should at least thank corporations when they try to make moves in the socially responsible direction.
It doesn't sound responsible. It sounds like a ploy to get people in under the guise of saving the planet. Ohh and we will even give you a whole 10 cents off the coffee. C'mon.
You can already bring in your own cup and get 10 cents off. Many do. I have for 2 + years. You don't have to buy the Starbucks one.
If this gets some people to start doing it because of a silly promotion, I don't see a problem.
agree
meh...playing off the fears of the stupid is not socially responsible. But think whatever you want, I guess.
It's because American consumers have become a bunch of whiney, self entitled snobs who think no one can ever do enough for them.
They'd be all over my car growing stuff. the thought sounds good but to actually bring a clean plastic cup to starbucks to save 10 cents isn't going to happen for us. I'd just have a car full of starbucks plastic cups. lol gross but I am sure I'd find a cup or 3 under my seats every week.
So I'm going to pay a dollar more for my drink and get a cup I'd have to use at least 10 times before I broke even on that one drink. And have to wash and dry after each use. And remember to have it with me. Sounds like another way for SB to make some extra B.
Who the hell is going to carry his/her own cup to Starbucks? What's next? Carry your own mattress to hotel?
Yes. That is the logical next step.
As bedbugs spread to more and more hotels, your crazy example starts to sound less crazy.
Starbucks is hardly trying to save the planet. The Starbucks I go to (Southwest Austin) doesn't even recycle its own HUGE amount of plastic milk jugs, cartons, or anything else. When I asked about this, one of the managers told me they can't recycle because the owner of the property/complex doesn't offer recycling (as much as I can remember). That seemed a pretty amazing response given that the store is in Austin. So much for being "green".
Nothing prevents the store from sorting anyway, and taking the bags to a recycle center themselves. Oh wait, one thing is stopping them; the willingness to exert actual effort instead of lip service.
I work at Starbucks and we only recycle cardboard. We used to recycle the plastic milk jugs, but management told us that the empty jugs attract fruit flies.
Huuh??....Seriously?.....wow and there are aLOT of Starbucks in the world...
A fold-able reusable cup. That's what's really needed. Something that can be slipped in a pocket or purse. Create that, and I think you will dramatically improve the odds of people remembering/bothering to bring them.
I had trouble remembering my reusable bags...until my store started charging .10 for every plastic bag they issued. Thanks Roxy's, for putting some of the responsibility where it belongs...on me.
it is very hypocritcial that Howard Schultz is such a proponent of job creation in the U.S., but then has all of Starbucks ceramic mugs, tumblers and now these re-usable plastic cups MADE IN CHINA. Something so simple can easily be made in the USA. I'd pay $2 for it instead of $1. But as long as it's MADE IN CHINA I WILL NOT BUY IT!
Same here.
Start turning over random items in your house.... You'll be amazed how many items from China (most likely including the computer you're using) there are. Coffee cups are the least of your worries.
They have other cups you can buy. I have one I bought at Starbucks. It says Made in USA.
And I always get 10 cents off. In fact, you can bring in any coffee mug and you will get 10 cents off.
Nobody is forcing these cups on you. You have lots of options to get your 10 cents off.
They should also
– offer re-usable mugs for people who stay "in" and return their mug before leaving
– offer re-usable mugs for a $5-10 deposit (cost of mug) to refunded when/if mug is returned
– allow people to use their own mugs (not originally bought @Starbucks)
all of these should qualify for a discount equal to "cost" of disposable cup which should include buying/storing and disposing
They have always given 10 c discount if you go in with your own reusable mug.. for several years now.
They already do – you can get any beverage in a "for here" mug. They will also refill your travel mug even if you didn't buy it there.
No Thank you! A "plastic" cup made in "China"????? I regard my health as too important to put myself through many applications of chemicals and poison to save .10. I would rather bring my own glass cup from home.
Okay.... Enjoy a paper cup from China instead...
Paper cups are made in America.. By cutting down your trees, and using 1/4 cup of your clean water per cup, and release 1/4 pound of CO2 into your air. Yay!
I would like to see Starbucks be more proactive with using "for here" cups in their stores. It always seems like they are a little surprised when you ask for one. It is a little silly to see 20 people working on their laptops and drinking out of paper cups. I wonder how many cups would be saved if the just started asking "Would you like that for here?"
women: the ultimate single-use item.
I would do this not for the 10 cent discount but because it is good for the environment. Unfortunately if it is like my grocery shopping bags I will forget them at home 80% of the time. It is worth the effort and I will get mine for sure.
I think it would be better for the planet if they stopped using the plastic lids and the plastic stir sticks. Those are much worse than the paper cups – at least the paper cups will disintegrate. While the plastic lids and stir sticks are technically recyclable, nobody actually recycles them so they go to the landfill where if we are lucky the are buried and if we are not, they get picked up by the wind and carried to streams and rivers and end up in the ocean. Ten minutes of useful life and an infinity in the landfill.......
I don't understand why they cannot have wax paper lids like take-out soup containers have. It's not like NASA needs to design them, they already exist.
Paper cups are OK because they "disintegrate" in the "landfill"? You're seriously missing the point!
Never said it was OK, did I? I said "at least." My point is that if you are going to focus on a problem, then the plastic one is much worse of one.
Unfortunately nothing "disintegrates" in the landfills, although people are to be excused for thinking otherwise. Because of the linings they have to put on the landfills to stop all they nasty stuff from leaching into the ground water, etc, basically everything in the landfills mummifies and nothing really "disintegrates".
NOTHING decomposes in a landfill?? On the contrary... I live in a small Midwestern town. Our county's modest landfill is equipped with five power plants that run off of the methane produced by the landfill. They produce enough power for 35,000 homes. This methane is produced by the decomposition of the organic contents of the landfill.
This is the most idiotic comment I have ever read! Wow!
How is it that all of you are so bent on "correcting" other people's posts that you miss the point entirely.
You guys seriously must have nothing better to do.
Why not focus on the point, which was (in case it seemed to complicated in the original post): get rid of the plastic lids and the stir sticks
Agree on the plastic lids. But my Starbucks has only wooden stir sticks. You might ask your Starbucks why they don't use them.
They now make bio-degradable packing peanuts, is it too much to make coffee cups out of a similar material?
Paper is biodegradable to begin with, so that's not the issue. By the way, the packing peanuts you are talking about are made from corn starch and usually dissolve rather quickly in water. Making a coffee cup from this material could pose a few problems. ;)
Hot coffee would instantly dissolve the cup in your hand. Then you could sue Starbuck's.
Those peanuts break down with water, especially hot water, so that technology isn't applicable here.
There are compostable coffee cups readily available that break down more rapidly or, ideally, can be deposited in a compost specific receptacle. It isn't complicated to set up such a regimen, you can find these bins at Whole Foods and even some smaller (read: locally owned) cafes. But the compost pickup service and compostable cups add more cost, so don't expect to see them at a Starbucks any time soon if ever.
Companies that offer minscule discounts are not serious and should be seen as such. 25 cents should be the starting point and that would make a few people think twice and would probably motivate them. 35 – 50 cents off would be a better motivator and make Starbucks look like they are serious.
I make my own coffee, even when traveling.
Yeah, but do you make your own CUP?
I do.. Luckily I have a clay pit in the back yard, that mixed with some locally source cow patties, I can form a nice new cup or plate (or even fork) whenever I want. I even made a coffee maker, and my own coffee beans!! Yum!
Good idea, it doesn't bother me that the discount is only 10 cents. Here in San Francisco, there is a bag charge of 10 cents if you don't have a bag. What does bother me is that the cups are plastic, (Hello BPA!) and they are made in China. Does the US make anything anymore? Are we too "above it all" to manufacture? I like the idea of carrying your own travel mug and having it cleansed prior to filling it up. I just don't like the idea that an American company chooses to manufacture outside of the US. Starbucks has so much influence, why don't they set an example?
There are TONS of plastics injection molders and fabricators here in the U.S. Starbucks obviously went with the lowest bidder, and awarded the contract to a Chinese plant that likely produces huge amounts of pollution and does not practice US-level industrial waste controls. Their decision to go with a Chinese supplier exposes this campaign as nothing more than a PR stunt with no emphasis on environmental issues.
For a $1 cup, they would pretty much be forced to go with China.
I have a Starbucks coffee mug, and it is made in USA. But I paid more than $1 for it.
If the point of this campaign is environmental stewardship, then why are the new cups being made in a country (China) notorious for lax environmental laws? There is probably a hazardous waste pipe dumping out of the factory, straight into the nearest river.
'Made in China' is an immediate turn-off.
Only if you're a dumbass hipster lol
If coffee shops charged for disposable cups and stores charged for bags there would be a lot more incentive to bring in reusable items. Some of us bring our own cups and bags every time because eliminating single-use items from our daily life is the responsible thing to do. Charging for single-use instead of just rolling in the cost would help others make the effort. Another thought, what if stores had to pay for end of use disposal and passed that cost on to users? What about the cost when they end up in our environment? What was that plastic bag worth to you when it was accidentally eaten by a sea turtle and caused them to choke or starve? Bring your own reusable items.
I only drink trenta tea at this place. They have not offered any sort of reusable cup for that size. It really makes me mad because I would be willing to use a reusable cup regardless of the savings.
"I only drink trenta tea at this place. They have not offered any sort of reusable cup for that size. It really makes me mad because I would be willing to use a reusable cup regardless of the savings."
You can still bring your own cup can't you?
Great, so now let's waste water cleaning these cups??!
It takes some water to create the cup. If I have enough room to add the reusable cup in my dishwasher when I do my dinner dishes, then it takes no additional incremental water to clean it. Almost all of the time, I have the room.
As a lot of people have pointed out above, it's just a marketing and PR move. If they really wanted to create change, they wouldn't offer disposable cups in their stores, you'd have to bring your own cup or mug. Of course they'd never do that because they only sell 2% of their drinks to customers coming in with a reusable container.
This reminds me of the "green" initiative by many hotels where they try to convince you not to change your towels or sheets during your stay. A move which (as luck would have it) saves the hotel money.
Odds are, the cost of Starbucks providing you with a new paper cup, lid, and cardboard insulating thingy is about one or two cents higher than the discount they are offering for using these new cups.
The majority of "green" initiatives save money as a pleasant side effect. You use less resources, you become more energy efficient, of course you're going to save money. So even if you don't care whether we all have to go outside in gas masks in another 100 years, at least you should care about saving money.
Oh I engage in the green hotel initiatives, don't get me wrong. Nothing wrong with hanging up a towel to dry and reusing it the next day. I just refuse to give kudos to the hotel for "offering" these measures, since their motivation is so transparent.
The hotels I stay at give me 500 points for each day I go green (except checkout day, of course). Saves them money, I get points towards my next free stay, and it's better for the environment. Don't see much of a downside.
Seriously though. A dime savings isn't going to get folks to use a reusable cup, if they wanted to use one, they would be already. Second, a dime off bitter nasty coffee means it's still overpriced bitter nasty coffee.
If saving a dime meant anything to Starbucks customers, then they wouldn't be Starbucks customers.
Exactly! I only go once in a great while, and make my coffee at home now – especially since more times than not, the barristas were clueless as to how to make coffee – paying $1.65 for coffee grounds in the bottom of my cup is not a way to lure back customers.
Population control would prevent more waste and carbon emissions than anything else. Starbucks is in a prime position to pump the masses full of birth control.
I don't drink hot drinks from plastic cups. I would use a reusable cup if it was a ceramic cup.
You can, and have been able to for a long time, bring your own cup. If you want ceramic, bring it. This just standardizes it for those who didn't consider it before.
I thought Starbuck's was on a kick to bring have items manufactured in the USA! What's up with Chinese plastic cups?
LOL. Starbucks is obviously on a kick to have OTHER PEOPLE make the investment in America. The biggest shame of this is that there are plenty of plastics manufacturers in the US that could provide this product, but theirs was probably 3 cents more than the Chinese version.
They still are. I have cups from Starbucks. Made in USA – all of them.
But if you want a cup for $1, I don't think USA can deliver. We have minimum wage and other silly laws.
But overall, Starbucks does go USA if possible.
The bottom line is that trees are renewable and paper cups degrade and are more environmentally friendly than plastic. Go friendly with organic ink and you are doing earth a bigger favor.
Ceramic is probably the best, but it's a lousy material for a travel mug because it can break when dropped.
Breuggers Bagels does it right. Solid, metal cup for one large up-front fee good for entire year. All the coffee, hot tea, iced tea or soda that you want for the ENTIRE year at no extra charge at ANY of their locations... They also offer various food discounts for cup holders. If you drink a lot of coffee and are close to a Breuggers, this is the way to go...
http://www.brueggers.com/bottomless-mug/
So once you've owned the mug for more than a year, do you need to buy a new one to renew the deal? If so, that is actually more, not less, wasteful. Hopefully you can just pay a fee to re-up for the following year.
There's not nearly as many Brueggers locations as Starbucks. Not even remotely close.
problem w starbucks is that they broke the 2 dollar coffee rule. A cup of regular non fancy coffee should never cost more than 2 dollars considering it cost them 15 cents to make per cup. think about it. if you are like me and pay cash for coffee, any coffe that costs between 1.01 and 1.99 results in handing them 2 dollars and dropping the change in their change jar. Now anything over 2.01 will cost you 3 dollars unless you don't mind all that change. If you buy one of their cups, the coffee price should drop to below 2 dollars a cup. i know a lot of people who only drink regular coffee who stopped going to starbucks once their cofee went above 2 dollars.
There is no inflation. There is no inflation. There is no inflation. There is...... wait.
Get the card or the app. I use cash just to fill up the card. Plus the card/app gives you benefits, like 13th drink free, other discounts, free birthday drink, etc.
This may seem counterintuitive, but it seems to me that am extremely inexpensive cup ($1) is more likely to be discarded and treated as disposable than a slightly more expensive cup, limiting its advantage.
Sounds to me like you need a poll option that says "I could always bring my own reusable metal mug, but I'm too lazy to bother. I'd rather just continue my thoughtless, wasteful ways. Besides, it's all about ME! A mere dime isn't enough to convince me to contribute to making our planet better for future generations."
i agree. most places who offer a discount for bringing in your own mug is about a 40 percent discount.
If Starbucks is serious about this, they need to offer more than a 10 cent incentive. I doubt the cost on their end for a paper cup is under 10 cents – this looks like a profit driver to me, not social responsibility.
Wow- you are finally getting what "green" and "social responsibility" really mean to a company!
Well, my company's office supplier provides similar paper cups & lids for right around 10 cents per cup, and we don't order it en masse or have any kind of special deals, because it's not a major function of the company.
It makes logical sense that Starbucks would pay less than that for one of their primary supply chain costs.
So, offering a 10 cent discount would likely be costing Starbucks a little bit more than it brings in.
But, even if they pay more than 10 cents for the cup & lid, who says that being environmentally-responsible means you can't have a profit? That's the problem with FAR too many people: they think it's one or the other, which discourages companies from getting involved at all.
Fact is, you as the consumer would be saving money (since the reusable cup would pay for itself in 10 drinks, or one week for many people). You would also be reducing your waste...10 cups in a week equals 520 cups in a year for one person. And finally, Starbucks would also be saving money and reducing their waste...if one-tenth of their customers went for this program, that would be 400 million fewer cups wasted, and $40 million less spent (if it were 10 cents apiece). Why can't both consumer and producer win?
Bring in your own cup. You'll get 10 cents off even if it was not purchased at Starbucks.
But if you want to buy an official cup, that's your prerogative.
I've had one of the cold Starbucks tumblers. Because I go through the drive thru, they make my drink in one of their regular plastic cups anyway, pour it into mine, and throw the plastic one away. Dumb, but I guess thats the way they have to do it. So much for saving the world....
Hey guys and gals.... its not going to be like a solo cup or the plastic cups they give you with your frap. they are like the travel mugs you buy already.
China put lead in the paint used for our kids toy's then poisoned our pet food which killed hundreds if not thousands of our beloved family members.Yeh,I want coffee in Chinese plastic!
Or more generally, we are going to replace paper with plastic to save our environment? What a joke. Majority of these "reusable" plastic cups will sooner or later end up in our garbage and on their way into the ego system.
We as a society must say NO to the pervasive overuse of plastic!!!
People need to learn about the realities of the waste disposal system.
First off, people talk about biodegradability and that paper cups will dissolve over time in landfills. This DOES NOT HAPPEN. Fact is, nearly all landfills are specifically designed to PREVENT biodegradation. They're packed too tightly and have too little dirt for the enzymes, organisms, and oxygen to have an effect. Studies have shown that 25-year-old hot dogs are still intact, as are 50-year-old newspapers that are completely readable.
Second, paper cups can NOT be recycled in the vast majority of circumstances. They have biowaste, which prevents recycling, and they're not strong enough to be properly cleaned. Reusable cups, of the type Starbucks is selling, can be properly cleaned prior to disposal, so you could recycle them...furthermore, you'll be dramatically reducing the amount of landfill waste. One of these cups would replace 250-500 paper cups...that's BIG, when you extend it to all of the Starbucks customers.
I really wish people would learn about how to properly help the environment before they go off half-informed and behaving in manners that are counterproductive.
The root of the problem is not the retailer....its the consumer. And consumers do not care. If they did, they would be bringing their own cups already. Consumers want convenience and carrying a dirty cup around in your car or purse is not going to happen.
Wowwee. Save a dime off your drink. They need to do better than that to get folks to use a reusable cup. How about half price if you use the reusable cup.
The modest 10 cent discount is why I don't bother. I wouldn't say they needed to halve the price, but bump it up to at least 75 cents, and I'd think about it.
I totally agree! 10 cents, but half price that would make me remember my cup!
Your obviously missing the point of this. It is a campaign to help conserve resources. People that care about this will participate. Plus, if you are buying your coffee at Starbucks and your worried about the cost – you probably shouldn't be buying your coffee at Starbucks.
Nope, not gonna happen...at most, the paper cups & lids currently used cost about a dime (and that's for companies that don't use them on a major basis).
No way is Starbucks going to take off half the cost of the coffee just to save themselves a dime or less.
The cup itself is NOT the primary driver of coffee costs at Starbucks.
The cost of the paper cup is not the point.
If Starbucks wants to make themselves out to be an "environmentally friendly" company and to encourage customers to bring their cups, then they should provide more of a discount for doing so.
"Breaking even" isn't performing a great service to anyone. This is why they only have ~1% participation in reusable cups.
While I agree halving the price of the drink is a bit much, they can do more. At least a 50 cent discount would get them up toward 5% reusables, I would wager.
How about this: When I go to Starbucks and want to drink the coffee there, they put the coffee in a REAL cup? I have had trouble getting anything other than a paper cup when I am going to sit down in the store. They could save quite a few paper cups by serving "to sit" coffee that way, yet I swear the last time I asked, they looked at me as if I was an alien and had to hunt up a *dusty* cup and rinse it out.
This is one reason I seek out other coffee shops instead of Starbucks.
Back when Starbucks was a real coffee shop you got a ceramic mug if you had your coffee there. They need to go back to that. These plastic cups will create MORE WASTE than the bio-degradable paper!!! People will pay the $1, then toss the cup when the keep forgetting to wash-return it. Nice idea, poor execution.
http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/ Tell them.
Biodegradable cups are a misnomer...because, in all American landfills (and most throughout the world), they are specifically designed to prevent biodegradability that could result in materials leeching into the groundwater supply.
25-year-old hot dogs are still commonly found completely intact, and 50-year-old newspapers are completely readable.
So, in a realistic sense, it doesn't matter if you throw away paper or plastic...both are going to take up the same space in the same landfill for an EXTREMELY long time.
However, the reusable plastic can be cleaned and recycled, whereas the paper cups can NOT.
Advantage: Reusable plastic cups.
Spot on.. Everywhere in Europe Starbucks actually serves coffee to stay in ceramic mugs. They should follow the same in the USA.
So their great plan to reduce waste is to sell us more crappy products? Are those cups BPA free? Starbucks should just give a discount for bringing your own cup. If the local coffee places I frequent can do it Starbucks certainly can. The residue from good coffee might even help out the burnt and bitter taste of Starbucks!
Did you read the article? Starbucks does offer a 10 cent discount if you bring a cup.
The cups are BPA free. I work at a Starbucks and we do offer ceramic mugs to people who wish to stay in the cafe and drink there coffee. We also do ask if they want there coffee/ and or food for here or to go so that we can give them a real cup/plate/utensil instead of paper cup/paper bag. At some point the consumer is the one who should be held to some responsibility. At least the company is making an effort to cut down on waste. Also for others who are complaining that the discount for using your own cup is "only .10" why do you have to constantly be "rewarded" for doing the right thing. Perhaps you should feel good just knowing that you are helping the environment out.
Amen
Plastic? Probably not the best idea to put hot coffee in. As for helping with the planet, why not have stores stop asking you if you'd like plastic or paper and, like Costco, make you carry out the groceries with you own recycled, reusable bag. It's going to happen eventually. Think of the trillions of plastic bags that won't have to be made or the forests that won't be chopped down for the paper ones. And of course that troubling question, "paper or plastic".
other: Gave up Starbucks. Saves lots of dollars. On average you spend $3 on a venti cup of coffee or $5 on a latte of your choice. Lattes are 500 calories average of extra food you don't need.
Instead I purchased 10 flavors of budget priced tea at $2 a box 12 bags a flavor, $5 for a budget priced sugar case, and that is zero calories. Buy a milk frother if you want latte based coffee for a cappucino and use any type of milk.
Why do they need to be plastic? I am not so sure I would want to drink a hot liquid in a container made from plastic. Especially plastic from China. What kind of chemicals would I be drinking. I think a good option would be to offer in house cups for those people drinking on site. That would be my suggestion. Why do people feel it necessary to walk around with a paper cup? It's tacky. Sit down and enjoy your expensive coffee with some friends. Relax.
Maybe because the want to walk around, and don't want to be forced to sit there.
So a cup is going to "Save the Planet". Geez, how gullible does CNN think it's readers are?
they could make the price of the cup $10 and the coffee $1.00 B.T.W. whats with the O.C.D. plastic/toxins issue
Hey Starbucks you want to make a difference charge a dollar for the cup and give the first coffee free in it.
Sounds nice but is anyone thinking of the waste in water to rinse the cup?
I'm sort of thinking of the waste in money for paying $4 for a cup of coffee by going to Starbucks.
they probably use the rinse H2O to make the coffee thereby continuing to recycle for your health.
To me personally, $.10 is a joke of a discount especially when the price of regular coffee is around $2.00. I will stick to the free terrible coffee my work provides and splurge once a year for a pumpkin spice latte (over $5.00 with $.10 off) thank you.
Reusable cups...this is something revolutionary?
Did you read the article?
its not that revolutionary because there are a lot of coffee companies out there that use recyclable or compostable cups. the wax coating inside a starbucks cup makes the cup 100% non-recyclable. they announced about 6yrs ago they would have the issue fixed by 2015 (which means they were just waiting for their contract to run out on their current cup supplier). charging $1 for a reusable cup is just starbucks way of making money on the issue instead of following suit with other companies.
People need to quit carrying drink cups around everywhere they go. It is obnoxious, and has become an epidemic. IT IS THE NEW INTERNATIONAL SYMBOL OF IGNORANCE.
No, that is the people who walk into things while they are texting while walking.
Somebody carrying a cup is obnoxious? Life must be hard for you.
How is it obnoxious? Here's an idea, why don't you worry about yourself and not worry so much about what other people are doing.
anything that cuts waste is worth a shot...I will definitely do it....for me it would be great if Starbucks had the option of drinking coffee or tea in a coffee house type ceramic mug....where they wash it and reuse it for those of us who love to spend time at Starbucks....I'm for it...
They do offer that. You have to ask for it, so it's a pain, and most people don't know it, but they do have reusable porcelain (or something nice) cups.
How much more energy, whether from gas or electricity, will be consumed to heat water for the sole purpose of rinsing plastic cups? Where will that energy come from and what are the consequences of consuming more of it? What are the consequences of producing more waste-water? What are the relative environmental impacts of manufacturing and distributing the cups? What becomes of the plastic cups that will undoubtedly end up on the side of the road vs the paper cups?
Does switching really "save the planet", or is it only window dressing?
Excellent questions. Maybe this is all just "green washing" on Stabucks part.
If people actually reuse these plastic cups then this can be a good thing. The majority of plastics set aside for recycling, end up in the landfill as trash. It's cheaper to produce new plastics vs the recycling process.
Atleast Starbucks is trying to make improvements. Our government certainly isn't.
Our government can't even handle it's most basic tasks. Don't load anything else on them.
How will this work with drive through?
You just tell them you have your own cup when you order. I do it all the time and it's never been a problem.
Wouldn't that slow down the drive-thru?
Unless they're making your drink in another cup and then pouring it into your tumbler when you get to the front, it would slow down the drive through. Of course, that defeats the purpose of not wasting a paper cup. I worked at Starbucks a few years ago before graduating from college and I was always glad that we didn't have a drive through. I don't go to Starbucks often but the service inside is much worse at the locations with drive throughs. The staff are always overly focused on keeping that line moving and they ignore those inside.
I don't support China. I will not buy a cup made in China. U can use other recyclable cups that support the USA. Give a discount on all reusable cups.
Karen, they do give a discount when bringing your own cup. I have been doing this for years. They are just trying to get more people to do it.
Good for you Karen! I agree with you 100% on not buying anything made in China-if possible. Come on Starbucks, why are you buying cups made in China! SHAME ON YOU!! If all Starbucks has is China made cups, I will not drink Starbucks anymore!
All of the Starbucks mugs I have seen say Made in USA. But they cost more than $1.
If you want a $1 cup, you will have to deal with Made in China.
If you want to support the USA, buy one of their other cups.
Either way will get you the 10 cent discount. In fact, bring in your own cup from home and you will get the 10 cent discount
You sound like a racist.
How is that racist to support American made v/s China made products?
Seems racist because the statement was "If all Stabucks has is China made cups, I will not drink Stabucks anymore!" versus "I will only drink Starbucks if they have American-made cups."
I tried using a reusable cup when buying my frappuccinos. I was told that because of the machine that they make the frappuccinos in they couldn't use a reusable cup and that they would have to use one of their's anyway. I have stopped buying Starbucks because I only drink frozen coffees, and Starbucks won't reuse my cup.
I'm on the same boat as you, but this still makes absolutely no sense. Yes, they use special blenders to make their frozen drinks...that they then poor into a plastic cup. WTH?
I agree with those who have criticized the use of BPA-laden plastic cups from China (of all places). Second, there is more than enough profit in all Starbucks drinks to afford a larger discount for those bringing their own containers: at least 25 cents. If Starbucks - and everyone else, like municipalities - truly wants to encourage recycling, they must make it more enticing economically. Put at least a quarter on each and every bottle and can, and watch recycling increase significantly.
I have been using my personnel mug at Dunkin for years. 99 cents for a refill. Starbucks charges me a grande price..
I think they underestimate Americans' willingness to throw away money on coffee. People will impulsively try to do the right thing, but without the re-use mindset we'll see an increase in plastic Starbucks cups in landfills.
Just when I thought I'd seen it all from CNN, then I see THIS article. Blatant marketing to the feeble minded, but the worst part was the sad demographic/marketing survey they solicit at the end of the article, furthering the apparent business relationship CNN shares with Starbucks. And the sheep keep bleating at each other
Apparently it works. The CNN readers are not the brightest people in the world.
what?
Although I might remember I thought "plastic" never degades and paper does and what about the BPA in plastic. I don't think I WANT to buy a plastic cup to drink my Startbucks. I would rather use the paper cups that even if you can't find a recycle company at least they will degrade in landfills and not poison the customer.
Or.... bring your own coffee mug...?
I think they can control the quantity being poured if they use they're own made one....... However, I'll bet a form of pouring a liquor shot couild be done on a coffe machine to pour only say 10 oz. or 12 oz. or whatever amount of coffee
What the heck. This isn't new, nor is it rocket science. Its been done for years. Just not by Starbucks........ Okay, give them a Pat-on-the-back and get on with it....... Should be a good Beer cup for sure... :-)
I'm not drinking a hot beverage from any plastic cup made in CHINA.
I will buy one to put beer in. Carry it at sporting events,the park in the car....people would just assume there is coffee in it. GREAT IDEA!!!
I've been putting booze in mine for years now!!
Gas station coffee vendors have done this for years. Years ago I remember one where you bought their travel mug and you got refills at 55 cents for about six months. And they kept their coffee fresh and hot.
How about this, Starbucks, offer ten cents off of anyone who brings in their own mug, cup or thermos? Wouldn't that be the most environmentally friendly and generous option?
Uh... you've obviously never brought in your own mug, because Starbucks doesn't offer ten cents off in you bring in your own mug, they offer something like 20% off if you bring in your own mug.
And if your starbucks doesn't do that, You need to call Howard Schulz (Schultz?) and tell him that one of his stores is breaking his rules.
I have been bringing in my own cup for years.
Starbucks has always given me 10 cents off because of it.
Everything is a marketing gimmick. Starbucks hardly cares about world or environment. By making plastic cups, they are creating more junk in households, and in trash cans. Money is what drives individuals, companies, government and world. These are just new ways to cheat each other, and keep us all excited. We stand in line to buy this new cup, show it off to friends by keeping it at our desk, kitchen counters and cars. Starbucks is assured of repeat customers, as they have a cup.
Hold much jaundiced views, do you? :)
But it keeps the herd happy. Look I am drinking my coffee from a cheap plastic cup, I'm "Saving the Planet".
good
I carry my "mug" around with me all the time. But it doesent hold much coffee.
Roger.
LOL :)
Everything is a marketing gimmick. Starbucks hardly cares about world or environment. Bymaking plastic cups, they are creating more junk in households, and in trash cans. Money is what drives individuals, companies, government and world. These are just new ways to cheap each other, and keep us all excited. We stand in line to buy this new cup, show it off to friends by keeping it at our desk,kitchen counters and cars. Starbucks is assured of repeat customers, as they have a cup.
I would be more impressed by Starbucks if they stopped using off-shore tax havens in order to avoid paying tax and recognise their moral obligations to support the countries in which they trade. All this is just window dressing. IMO they are morally bankrupt
....or why doesn't Starbucks ALSO have recycling bins next to trash bins. They're a day late and a dollar short on being environmentally responsible.
? They do in every Starbucks I've been in.
I think it depends on what country we are talking about. I have never seen a recycle bin at Starbucks, and I have been to many Starbucks, although never in North America. Maybe you, Amy, are talking about Starbucks in North America. (Just a guess. I assume there are many Americans in this column.)
My local starbucks here in Cincinnati does not recycle which is unfortunate. Our city provided everyone with large green recycling bins. I had a plastic bottle I wanted to recycle and asked the barista where the recycling bin was. She told me just to throw it in the trash. I took it home and recycled it. I also take home the paper "java jackets" and recycle those if I use one. Last year I was so excited about starbucks having some mugs made by a company in Ohio. What a crock that was!! They made X amount of mugs and certain local SB's carried them. Starbucks' faux concern is disheartening.
Unfortunately many customers are just too lazy to sort them out. Starbucks and Chipotle have both experimented with using recycling bins in their stores, and too many times customers will throw perishables in the recycling. If one person throws fluids into recycling that contains paper, nearly all of the paper in the bin can no longer be recycled. Also, paper cups with fluid in them cannot be accepted at most recycling centers. There are many challenges to recycling, but educating consumers is probably a start.
Some Starbucks stores have recycling bins but most of the ones I have been in do not. I do not know why it is not more widespread. it takes a very, very short amount of time to separate one's trash from one's recyclables. I at least take my plastic cup lids and paper heat wraps and save them for a recycling bin if the store doesn't have one.
I have never seen a recycling bin in Starbucks, either. I live in New England and have been to Starbucks in many different states. I, too, carry my own cup. I recycle almost everything that I use and even bring things home to recycle if I can't do it at the place of business. I think that Starbucks is again trying to make itself look good to consumers, but have consistently stayed far from the line of change.
Thanks, Starbucks, for the effort and setting a good example for trying. I'm amazed you're going to China for the cups, and ten cents is almost insulting. I'll try it, but I'd appreciate an upgrade on cups and rewards.
If you are concerned about the China aspect, either buy one of their other mugs (higher price) or bring one of your own from home. Both ways you will get 10 cents off. I've done it for years. And all their higher price mugs are Made in USA, as far as I've seen.
The cup might help the environmental issues with regards to emissions, but it certainly will not when it comes to transmitting disease and other germs from customers, to staff back to other customers. I am pretty sure their new cup will be going Viral.
Ummmmm "informed person".....I guess the money changing hands before was alright?
You don't put money in your mouth or next to your nose.
Maybe YOU don't...
I have one friend who used to put all his money up his nose.
Maybe not literally, but basically, yes.
not always worth it as there is still (more) waste after cleaning the cup at work with water, soap, paper towels, etc. unless you wait for the next dishwashisng schedule, so use your own cup, and starbucks should still give you the 10cents off . . .
Did you read the article? They aren't using paper towels and soap! They are just rinsing the cups out with boiling water then reusing them.
i feel like a few years ago, i read about (a japanese?) company that was making plates/cups and small bowls out of pressed oats. it was completely edible, and could hot a hot liquid in it for 4+ hours before it became soggy and fell apart. most of us finish our drinks by 4 hours, i'd pay a little more if i could throw my cup in a compost heap and let it become mulch in a few hours. or eat it. maybe i just imagined that i read that, and someone's going to turn it into a billion dollar idea lol
People in Europe drink coffee from coffee shop's ceramic cups. So no need for paper cups or plastic or anything else. By far America is the worst polluter in the world. Always been and always will be.
Are you on crack? It's the exact same as in the u.s. Have it in the cafe, you can have a ceramic mug...take it to go and you get paper. Get off your horse Chachi.
No I'm not on crack like you Chachi boy.
America itself is responsible for 58% of the paper cup use world wide. Fact. Umm I mean, Cracked!
You all realize you can have far superior coffee without the environmental waste, without the wait, and without the hit to your pocket book?
Ummm, try making it at home when you wake up! A tenth the price, no driving or waiting in line... Just invest in a quality espresso maker and splurge on excellent coffee. Let the masses drink the dregs at Starbucks.
But, oh noes! that would require 30 seconds of work to load the espresso! And how would anyone see me with my logo'd cup?
Yeah...it's so convenient to drag a coffee machine around town. "Why eat out at a restaurant? Just cook your food at home! I feel so superior!"
Why would you drag a coffee machine around town? Most people only have a cup or two shortly after the wake up.
If you need your fix throughout the day and into the evening, you might just be addicted and should work on that.
And thanks, we had awesome Halibut fillet in lemon butter sauce with our homemade Pinot Gris for dinner tonight.
But yeah, I guess investing effort into developing skills in things you enjoy for their own sake is much more elitist than paying 4 times so that you can conspicuously consume them in front of others.
An actual quality espresso machine costs at least $1000 dollars.
True, an excellent espresso machine does cost a lot. But, an espresso machine that makes a better cup of coffee than you'd ever get at Starbucks costs about $150.
In a word..."no".
I make my morning cup of caffe latte every morning at home. I've owned a number of obscenely expensive espresso machine over the years (they tend to malfunction after a while and require hundreds $$$ in repair). Now I use an excellent Krups model I bought for $15 at the thrift store!
I'll go to Starbucks when there's no alternative, but they'll never match the cuppa I make at home, not even close!
Yeah, Dr. Zen. And another thing people, quit buying those damn Keurig (or similar) coffee makers. It is far more expensive to use than buying coffee in a bag or can.
Drag a coffeemaker all over town? What kind of brainfart are these people having? Yes, I agree. Much cheaper to make it yourself at home. You don't need to invest in an espresso machine – a stovetop mokka pot makes great espresso and it runs about $30 to $50 depending on how many tasse you want. And you don't have to buy premium coffee if you roast your own at home. I've been roasting my own beans since about1989 and they cost me between $4 and $6 a pound. Given that a latte will cost you around $4 or so, that's a huge savings and it's much fresher than anything you can buy at a coffee shop, unless they roast their own beans a few times a week (most don't / cannot). As for dragging the items all over town, no, that's not necessary. I drink two large, strong cups of coffee in the morning before I leave the house. I don't drink coffee throughout the day so why lug around a bunch of coffeemaking stuff? It doesn't make sense.
They should use paper cups made from north american trees! Is better than transporting chinese plastic around the world!
? You do understand that most new paper is made from pulp harvested in China right? You don't just use any tree to make paper. Besides, the paper cups at Starbucks are, in most places, made from recycled paper (which is often worse for the environment than new).
Thank you for the explanation. But a look at wiki tells me that Pulp is:
cellulose fibres from wood, fibre crops or waste paper.
So we are back again. It is still mostly wood !
A dollar to save a dime? Brilliant. Good luck with that.
It is a dime each time you idiot... Frequent Starbucks customers can easily recoup the initial investment (10 visits) and it helps reduce waste.
Lame.
These people are trying to help you by extending your "LAME" existence. GTF on board already and contribute positive and constructive comments. Whether they do it for profit or not is a moot point, because many businesses bulldoze ahead and make their profits regardless of how it will effect the Earth.
You must be fun to live with.
Oh geez, you've bought into this hook, line and sinker. Try thinking for yourself for once.
@Really – you're right of course, and those who enjoy polluting and wasting will never be won over to the idea of not doing so, even if it could benefit them a little bit financially. Lazy.
they are made in China start using items made in the USA and I will start supporting your efforts we have 1000's of people out of work yet your are putting more people in chine to work than over here that is nuts. I love Starbucks but will not drink out plastic cups made in chine when we have plastic cups bring made in the good ol USA. Every one needs to start supporting and buying only goods made In America not Japan, korea or China. But our AmericNS AND VETS BACK TO WORK !!!
Can you be more inherently prejudiced? Why only ban Korean, Japanese and Chinese products? Are there not millions of products made from other countries floating around on the American market? Do you know how many things you use on a daily basis that are made in China (including the computer you are using)? Yes, many Chinese products are notoriously bad but there's really no need for you to discriminate against ALL Asian products. Not everything made in these countries are sh*t. Do you realize how many American companies employ Americans people to sell these Chinese products? If you do not want anything made in China, then do not go to Wal-Mart, Target, Macy's, etc. or use online retailers like Amazon or Overstock. Ban all products Nike, Juicy Couture, Dell, Nokia. Hell, even European designers have things made in China.
FYI, Chinese labor costs are going up and companies are outsourcing to other countries. Don't be surprised when you see many products from Bangladesh, Turkey or Morocco. Oh wait, but you will buy them right because they're not Asian? Or not, because they're "terrorists?"
Additionally, if you learned how to spell, then maybe more American companies would employ people like you. You are a horrible, intolerant "AmericN." You should really learn Mandarin because you, your children or grandchildren will need it one day, I promise you.
I always reuse my paper cup from Starbucks at least 3 or 4 times. I works just fine if after using you remove the lid and let the cup dry so seams don't become soggy. It really isn't a big deal and it cuts down on waste and in my opinion is way better than a plastic cup.
This is stupid!
How so?
First, I do not want to buy anything from China. Second, as a nurse of 30 years, this is an infection spreading nightmare. I know they are going to pour boiling water into the cup, but just touching the cup of a variety of people who have been touching who knows what will contaminate other people's cups, then an outbreak...flu, colds, etc.
You don't want to buy anything from China? Why? It's the companies using shoddy factories that are responsible for any standards they have to adhere to. I take it your computer was organically grown in a community garden? Also, if you are so worried about viruses and you are a supernurse...then make sure you don't touch the door handle, stir sticks, table, chair, money etc. Unless they are shoving their hands inside the cup, I don't think you have much to worry about.
If it's the Starbucks in the U.S. we're talking about, then as long as it's made from kevlar, it may stand a chance of saving a few lives...but I seriously doubt the planet will benefit from this corporately created "money makin' ideaaar".
to save 10 cents?!?!? I'm thinking the egos at Starbucks executive offices are a bit out of whack. It's a PITA to remember the cup all the time much less to clean it out to for it's reuse. Many convienient stores and donut shops offer similar deals with with a greater return savings (25, 40, 50 cents.) Nice that Starbucks is finally thinking 'green' but they are waaay missing the mark.
Since nobody will remember to bring a flimsy plastic cup back, net effect will be more non-degradable petroleum based waste and bigger profit margins for starbucks. Well, at least the pretentious yuppies will slowly be poisoning themselves from leeching plastic while being parted with their money a bit faster.
I never return recyclables because the time is not worth it. Yes I recycle as much as anyone but I give the bottles and cans away. I reuse my travel mug,or at least I make an effort. The 10 cent savings is not enough in this hectic world to make me stand there and wait even longer.....sorry but it's true
Agreed. It's more about company image than them thinking people will actually do this on a large scale.
If being "environmentally friendly" isn't reasonably convenient then people aren't going to do it in large numbers.
I do not want to use made in China cups.
me either
Me neither. No thanks to Chinese cups.
Why? It's Starbucks' responsibility to make sure they meet safety standards. Where they are made has nothing to do with it unless you are thinking of the economics of having the jobs localised.
we are trying to get the estrogens/xenoestrogens out of our food/water supply so it seems like a terrible idea. i could see selling mason jars or something if you want to buy a cup, even for leftovers at other places, but not plastic. i actively avoid plastics. petrochemicals in my food supply. same with oxalates (coffee/tea/spinach/etc). starbucks just loses out on all sides for me. never liked their coffee, tea, or snacks (too much sugar). they seem to have a nice ceo, but like a lot of men...not well informed about health. mostly contributing to making us sick. estrogens (xenoestrogens) feed cancer tumors. oxalates deplete calcium. looks like a cancer trap to me. like they work at it.
actually i wouldn't go to mason jars either because that white stuff (approved by FDA <--not trustworthy) under the lid is BPA. WECK makes something better. unless there's something about rubber that isn't healthy for us. most petrochemicals aren't that great for us. its just that it barely touches the surface in those (unless its so bad that even that's too much), but its not sprayed under the lid like mason jars. i would lose the plastics altogether, and search for low oxalate coffees/teas (camomile) and healthier snacks (not grain so much, and definitely not corn or corn derivatives). maybe a nice peach or cherry snack (leave out the high fructose corn syup, maltodextrin, citric acid, anything that comes from corn or corn derivatives in it, and if it is in there, label it). i would use very little to no grains (they raise blood pressure). no soy either.
maybe you could move to more green smoothies with low oxalate food in glass or paper if its not sprayed with petrochemicals, or paraffin wax (also known to be a problem).
small, medium, and large are adequate designations also. for the most part, you have a terrible product line. white chocolate might be better than brown chocolates for oxalates. and nobody needs high fructose corn syrup. change the whole product line to something smarter.
you need strong bones to keep cancer from getting into your bones. not depleting calcium with high oxalate foods. sorry starbucks, but you're going backwards. do you hate us? why?
You realize that the current paper cups are actually coated with a thin layer of plastic, right?
Jeezus.....I feel sorry for your home-schooled, organically vegan-fed children. "We were better off living as cavemen!"....oops...shouldn't say "cavemen"...cave-people sorry. I'm sorry, I'm just a man and I'm "not well-informed about health".
This is a fantastic idea, but also not generously rewarded. Although the price of the cup is modest (if anyone remembers to wash it, dry it and remember to put it in their car everytime they crave Starbucks), the 10 cent discount is rather insulting to consumers. What is my motivation, other than environmentally? If someone spends roughly $5 a day on Starbucks (ridiculous if you do, but that's the reality for some), 5 days a week... this would only save you 50 cents a week. That adds up to a measly $26 a year. I mean, if I buy a bag of Starbucks coffee, I can bring the bag in and get a free small drink. THATS more of a discount. Come on, you guys have more flexibility to motivate than that!
I agree. A measly .10 is nothing compared to the price of a cup of coffee there! Get serious!! I don't want to have to reuse a flimsy dirty cup. And it's frustrating to buy their mugs for hot drinks because you can never microwave them to heat them up and I have not seen a venti size for hot drinks. You'd have to do more to motivate me to reuse.
Could CNN pull a photo from Getty Images that didn't have power lines cutting right through the Starbucks logo?
How nice, another way for university students of well-off families, the epitome of our disposable culture, to feel good about themselves. Make sure it's organic soy milk so no animals are harmed. I'm going to go have a fukken cigarette.
Huh? "University students of well-off families"? So the university students from families who aren't well-off are alright? Not sure what your point was.
I think his point is that he smokes...at least that's all I got out of it.
great idea if it makes it out of my car.or kitchen sink
That is Starbucks plan....By people own admittance in the poll, they will forget and buy a new one.....Profiting on the idea of being green....Well played Starbucks, well played...