- submitted by asavona on 04/21/2009
Earth Day Special: Starbucks And The Cup Sleeve Of Doom
By Anthony Savona*
So, apparently the Earth is in bad shape and, according to my local Starbucks barista, it's the fault of my sensitive fingers and me.
I found this out the other day. Everything had been going well. I ordered caffeinated beverages for my wife and I, and was patiently waiting for them at the end of the counter. My drinks were delivered just as requested, and I grabbed the cups in preparation to leave.
The cups were hot, and, after noticing the cup sleeve dispenser that is normally left out on the counter was missing, I asked if I could have them.
That's when it turned bad.
"Oh," my formally pleasant barista began, "we only give them out when people ask for them." She handed them to me with a disappointed look on her face. "We're trying to save the Earth." Emphasis on the we. Implying that the me is an Earth-killer.
Now I have heard this from other Starbuck's employees before. Sometimes it's thrown out quickly and sometimes there's silence when it should have been said. I understand that this is just some corporate rhetoric that the employees are forced to say regardless of their feelings, and most get through it almost apologetically. But this particular barista said it with a conviction and look that implied that she believed what she was saying. That Starbucks was going to save the Earth by limiting the number of cup sleeves -- already made from recycled paper -- that they hand out.
As I received her disdain, I was standing next to one of those "Free Download from iTunes" card dispensers. You know, the cardboard ones they fill every week with new cards. The ones that I've never seen empty or even near-empty. The ones that give you the download code that they could easily post on one of the big-screen LCDs that are already in their stores, or even on the bulletin boards also already in their stores.
People could copy the code right into their laptops, or store it in their mobile devices until they got back to their computer. For a low-tech fix, I've been in a bunch of Starbucks stores that have a "Question of the Week" box that has little slips of paper and a nearby pencil. That'll copy the codes, too.
And what about that little green plastic stopper that was stuck into both of my drinks? I actually like those things, as they keep the foam from creeping out on the way home, but they're not necessary, and, from what I hear, plastic isn't good for the environment either.
So why is the cup sleeve the tipping point in the war against global warming? Well, it's true that some trees could be saved, but seeing as the sleeves are mostly made from recycled paper, it seems fairly minor compared to the amount of paper the company is using for cups, promotional items, and the like. And I can easily put the sleeve into my curbside recyclables, so it'll get to live on. (I know, judgmental barista: I'm too evil to recycle because I asked for the sleeve in the first place...)
And if it really would make that big a difference, then stop carrying them altogether. Starbucks offers them because their customers like them and find them convenient, but if you're going to get sanctimonious over it, ditch them.
I know this seems like an attack on Starbucks, but it's really not. For starters, I like their coffee. And, as a corporate identity, they display a social consciousness that's rare. What I have a problem with is their handed-down scripts that seem to only attack those of us who wish to carry their cups in comfort.
So, to the barista who thinks she's saving the world by shunning those who want cup sleeves, lighten up. There's lots of ways to be green, and for our 2-minute interaction you shouldn't assume otherwise. And to my fellow Long Islanders, when the ice caps finish melting and send raging floods our way...sorry. My fault.
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*Anthony Savona is a regular contributor to Burbia. You can check out his other pieces in his Burbia Blog.
If you take John Mellencamp's (or whatever he was called back then) song "Small Town," and changed the "small town" lyric to "suburbs," then you'd pretty much get Anthony Savona's life. Born and raised in the 'burbs, Anthony currently raises his family in suburbia and works in the Big City as Editorial and Creative Director for a mid-sized B2B publishing company.
If you Google his name (or the variation "Tony Savona"), he is the one credited with the book Console Confessions and the magazines EQ, Surround Professional, Car Sound & Performance, and so on. He is not the one involved in any class action lawsuits, the "DC Application Details" (whatever that is), or the Office Manager for Office of the Prime Minister (who really seems to be a Tony Savona that has made something of himself).
His essays have appeared in GQ magazine (a long time ago, but it still counts) and director Kevin Smith's unfortunately named entertainment news site, Movie Poop Shoot (now the less scatologically named Quick Stop Entertainment). ...read more rants
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