Starbucks contradictions irk caffeine addict

Posted: Thursday, April 03, 2008 9:41 AM

 DALLAS – I drink a lot of Starbucks. By my calculations, I average at least ten trips a week to Starbucks, where I order either:

A: A triple grande latte (if I feel thin)

Or

B: A venti Americano with room for half-n-half (if I feel like I actually look)

Without Starbucks, I fear, I might actually die.

It’s not just about caffeine addiction. I think a big part of it is that having a 20-something with dreadlocks call me "dude" and ask how my day is going makes me feel young. Maybe not cool…but not like the 42-year-old dad I am, trying to figure out how to pay for two kids to go to college.

I’m not someone who typically goes out of my way to protect the environment, but for some reason a seemingly minor practice at my beloved Starbucks really bugs me.

For the record, I have never (not even once) brought my own mug with me and had the barista simply fill it up. If I did, I’d save a dime off of my order, and I’d be able to walk around telling people how I did something good for the environment…but I don’t.

I don’t recycle nearly as much as I should. And I don’t lecture people about their carbon footprints. I drive 30,000 miles annually and fly about 50 round-trips every year. I do use compact fluorescent light bulbs in my house (mostly because it saves money) but I don’t like them. I eat meat…a lot of meat. I’ve never owned anything made of hemp. In short, Al Gore would consider me bad for the environment.

Starbucks, on the other hand, takes great corporate pride in being green.

Surely you’ve seen the "Arctic Tale" DVDs sitting on store shelves:

"…inspiring animals face countless challenges in a beautiful icebound world that is rapidly melting beneath them."

Starbucks has used its considerable marketing clout to promote this film, which according to critics delivers a "powerful message" to kids "…of how global climate change is challenging our furry -- and blubbery -- animal friends."

Starbucks’ Web site last month included a link on the home page encouraging java junkies to take part in World Water Day. A little navigation will take you to the company’s "Environmental Affairs" site, where Starbucks explains its numerous environmental initiatives in great detail:

"…Starbucks is committed to minimizing our environmental impacts throughout our entire supply chain, from coffee bean to coffee cup."

It’s that last part about the cup that has me curious. Why on earth do I get two paper cups when I order one cup of coffee? By my highly un-scientific count over the past four months or so, I’ve been "double-cupped" roughly 60 percent of the time. And not just here in Texas. I travel all over the country and get the same results wherever I go.

"Double-cupping" is Starbucks’ word for the practice, which it has tried to end.

The first effort came in 1996, when the company held a design competition "…to develop a new disposable hot cup as an environmentally preferred solution to "double cupping…"

But the challenges of designing a paper coffee cup that holds a hot beverage without burning the fingers of the person drinking it proved too daunting. Instead, Starbucks adopted an interim solution: the corrugated paper sleeve, made from 60 percent post-consumer material.

I should point out here that in my double-cupping experiences, I get two cups AND the paper sleeve.

So back to the Web site I go, where I discover that in 2006, Starbucks did begin using new cups in its stores made with 10 percent post consumer fiber content – in other words 10 percent of the cup comes from recycled paper. That breakthrough, according to Starbucks, took three years of research and development and "…will lower Starbucks dependence on tree fiber by more than five million pounds annually."

The Environmental Defense Fund estimated the savings at 78,000 trees annually, noting that Starbucks uses 1.9 billion paper cups each year. That was 2006. Today, the company uses even more paper cups.

So, back to the double-cupping. How many trees do you think Starbucks would save by figuring out a way to serve one cup of coffee in one paper cup instead of two cups, plus a sleeve?

Is the technology really that elusive?

I’ve called Starbucks headquarters, and over the past few weeks have had some really pleasant conversations with their media relations people. They have all pointed out that their cups use 10 percent recycled content.

"But why do I keep getting two cups and a paper sleeve, instead of one cup?" I ask.

"You shouldn’t be," they answer.

"I know," I say, "that’s why I’m calling."

"Oh," they say, "we’ll get back to you on that."

And they did. First, by sending me their standards regarding double-cupping and cup sleeves:

• We do not put cup sleeves on or double cup our milk-based hot beverages (Caffe Latte, Caffe Mocha, etc.). However, due to the cup design a cup sleeve is required on all Venti cups.
  
• We do put cup sleeves on but do not double cup our water-based hot beverages (brewed coffee, tea, Americano, etc.).
  
• Short cups are the only cups that require a double-cup (cup sleeves do not fit short cups).

"So I shouldn’t be getting two cups when I order a Triple Grande Latte or Venti Americano," I say when I call back.

"Right," they say.

"Then why am I?"

"We’ll get back to you on that."

And again, they did. This time with Brian Grandbouche, their Director of Retail Implementation, who told me the company "constantly tests new ideas." But, he added, Starbucks is "looking for a solution always that’s environmentally sound and meets the needs of the customer, and sometimes those needs don’t marry up."

"Alas, the answer!" I think to myself. "The technology really is that hard."

I picture a room full of scientists working tirelessly on a coffee cup breakthrough. But I’m wrong again.

"Actually," he tells me, "we feel we have that cup, if a milk-based beverage is in there."

Then what, ultimately, is the root of the double-cupping dilemma?

People.

Baristas double-cup despite Starbucks rules against it because they think it’s what consumers want. Consumers don’t stop them because it is what we want.

As for Starbucks? They’re pushing stores to provide more "serveware" for people who drink coffee in the store, and they’re encouraging consumers and employees to use refillable travel mugs. They’ve also launched a Web site, MyStarbucksIdea.com, for consumers to offer their input.

"We’re refocusing ourselves," said Grandbouche. "We can do more, right. I like the fact that actually this is something that we can do something about."

Meanwhile, I’m developing my own action plan: 

•  I’m going to seriously consider bringing my own mug to Starbucks. Seriously. That doesn’t mean I’ll actually do it yet, but I’ll definitely think about it.
  
• When I see the dreaded second cup come out, I’ll heroically intervene, saying something clever like "are you crazy, you’ll kill us all."
  
• When I do get double-cupped, I’ll save the second cups at home, re-using them at social occasions when I’m giving my guests Folgers, but want them to think its Starbucks. They’ll know it’s not Starbucks, but I’ll deny it.

Finally, I should point out that Starbucks isn’t the only company facing the hot cup dilemma. Other big chains have been criticized over the years for, say, using Styrofoam coffee cups.

They’re all looking for solutions…while I’m looking for my next caffeine fix.

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