Starbucks' Claims 1. Recycling Its a big challenge and were making big progress.

Were trying to develop more environmentally friendly cups and are working hard to expand our recycling program in an effort to reduce the waste we create. 2. Energy We are proud of the work we have done to be more energy efficient and were committed to further minimizing our energy consumption and using renewable sources of energy to lower our impact on the planet. 3. Water We all have to work carefully with one of our most valuable natural resources and were evaluating our store design, equipment and operations to identify ways to continue to reduce the amount of water we use. 4. Green Building Were making our stores as green as we can by using responsible building materials and energy efficient designs to reduce our environmental footprint. 5. Climate Change Climate change poses a serious threat to the worlds coffee-growing regions and were aggressively pursuing strategies to address this problem and help farmers mitigate the impact.

Starbucks served about 26 million beverages in reusable cups and mugs in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. in 2009, keeping nearly 1.2 million pounds of paper from ending up in landfills.

T.O.P The treadmill of production model emphasizes the role of citizens (polity) and workers (labor),rather than as consumers. Consumer can choose Mc Donald's coffee or coffee from the greener Starbucks. Yet this is largely irrelevant if the ownership and control over all these products is in the hands of producers who are simultaneously displacing workers, taxing the states resources, and placing great burdens on the ecosystem. The treadmill is organized under the premise that producers, not consumers, are the major driving factor in the political economy. EMT Focus on production Believes that technology can solve problems of unsustainable of resources

HOW GREEN IS STARBUCKS? In 2011, Starbucks successfully:

Decreased energy use by 7.5%. Replaced more in-store lights with LED. Achieved LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) in 75% of newly built company-owned stores.

Made progress toward goal of 100% renewal energy by purchasing an energy equivalent of 50.4% of energy use from renewable sources (global companyowned stores).

Sourced 86% of their coffee ethically under C.A.F.E., up from 84% in 2010 (2015 goal is 100%).

Reached $14.7 million in loans to farmers (2015 goal is $20 million). ToP Doubled employee and customer community service hours (442,353 hours).ToP Exceeded 2015 goal of 50,000 youth engaged in community activities through the Youth Action Grants program.ToP

Continues to help farmers gain additional income in the carbon market. ToP Struggle Starbucks water consumption increased by 5% from 2010 (overall decrease of 17% since 2008), believed to be a result of higher beverage sales and a change in blender pitcher rinsing processes.

And while Starbucks ranks as one of the highest in use of green food packaging compared to other fast-food companies, their efforts to push the use of reusable mugs has proven to be disappointing:

Only 1.9% of total beverage sales were served in reusable containers last year despite offering a 10-cent discount to customers who bring their own mug.

Starbucks has since reduced its original goal to serve 15% of beverages in personal tumblers by 2015 to just 5%.

Reflection on us. Starbucks can place their reusable mugs for sale front and center, but its up to you to take the initiative and start bringing your reusable mug with you. If we all did this, think if the multitude of trees we would save! Still, Starbucks has made progress with front-of-store recycling in the U.S. and Canada:

Up 18% in 2011 from 5% in 2010 Goal of 100% by 2015

But,

80% of containers leave the stores. Plastic-lined cups are hard to reprocess. Disposal cups contain only 10% recycled material, the other 90% comes from virgin sources (goal is to have 100 percent of their cups reusable or recyclable by 2015).

Starbucks sells approximately 4 billion cups globally every year. Disposal cups are very energy intensive to produce. As of November 16, 2012, Starbucks is present in 61 countries

Starbucks is largely on track and trying to improve their weak points, looking for ways to improve recycling infrastructure, providing reusable options in stores, and monitoring water use. But it also comes down to personal choices. Remember to bring your reusable mug the next time you pay your local Starbucks a visit. Starbucks will have more than 20,000 retail stores on six continents by 2014

After all, it's been around since 1971, and, as of today, there are 16,300 locations around the globe.