The Sydney Morning Herald, The Dallas Morning News and The Sun published articles today that estimated that the Starbucks wastes up to 6 million gallons of water every day. The Sun said,
As part of a company policy aimed at preventing germ buildup in its taps, Starbucks stores are directed to keep water running constantly into a sink, called a dipper well, to clean utensils and wash away food residue.
As a result of running water all day, every day at each of the company’s 10,000 worldwide coffee emporiums, Starbucks wastes water in an amount The Sun estimated, to be enough daily water for the entire 2 million strong population of drought-hit Namibia in Africa or fill an Olympic pool every 83 minutes. A single Starbucks tap left running for just over three minutes wastes the amount of water one African needs to survive for a day in drought conditions.
I hate waste, but I hate greenwashing and hypocrisy even more. I recently wrote a piece on Ethos Water, a company currently owned by Starbucks which uses PepsiCo to distribute its water to wholesalers and retailers across the country. Five cents from each bottle purchased is donated to a foundation the gives grant commitments to humanitarian water programs that alleviate the world water crisis.
Add that Starbucks’ mission statement posted on the company’s Web site, claims that it has a commitment to
understand environmental issues, to strive to buy, sell and use environmentally-friendly products, and to instill environmental responsibility as a corporate value.
I don’t know about you, but I’m confident that if you look up “hypocritcal” or “greenwashing” in the next revision of The New Oxford American Dictionary you’ll find a picture of Starbucks.
Shame, shame!
Stuart Stein
When it comes to regional, market-driven cooking, many chefs talk the talk, but few walk the walk quite as ardently as Stuart Stein. Showcasing sustainable artisans across the U.S. has become a mission for this chef, author, culinary instructor and restaurateur. Chef Stein's first cookbook, The Sustainable Kitchen - Passionate Cooking Inspired by Farms, Forests and Oceans brings home the thrill of tasting fine cuisine made from the best seasonal ingredients grown locally. Designed for people who want to make food choices that promote the economic, environmental and social health of their communities, this book gives seasonal cuisine new flair using recipes adapted for exciting home cooking. A talented chef shares his passion for the culinary arts and his regional focus that inspires home cooks everywhere to connect with local farmers and purveyors to obtain the freshest produce available. These connections encourage regional food supplies and a strong local economy, maintain community, foster earth stewardship, and protect the future of family farms.
14 Responses to Starbucks: Wasting Up to 6 Million Gallons of Water Every Day
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Seriously? THIS is what you’re worried about? You realize that water is paid for by these companies, right? And that the reason they leave the taps on is so people don’t get sick? Please, please, please find something to do with your life that doesn’t involve inane pointless yammering and ’causes’ you don’t really understand.
For heavens sake the water is not wasted it is recycled as it goes back into the rivers and the sea.
I really am getting tired of everyone complaining about this company and that company. Put your energy into helping your cause. The people that are complaining probably leave the water running while brushing teeth, take long showers and flush the toilet every time.