At the height of the midterm season, many Colby students are feeling stressed, anxious, and even overwhelmed with the weight of academic expectations looming in their heads. Coupled with these worries: cold weather, little sunlight, and additional homework certainly don’t help. However, there is a ‘liquid elixir’ that many students turn to, which can increase their energy, maximize their bandwidth, and even boost their mood: coffee!
Although the drink is commonplace in many students’ routines, and for some has become a ritual of sorts, analysts have found that during exam season coffee sales increase up to 50 percent. At the College, there are no exceptions to this statistic, so they must consider the ethical implications behind their decisions. Starbucks, the nation’s most profitable and popular coffee company must hold itself to a higher standard concerning its environmental practices.
Although Starbucks may be America’s favorite spot for a cup of coffee, the Earth would beg to differ. Although their coffee is sourced relatively sustainably, the way their coffee is distributed, along with their business model, is not conducive to modern eco-friendly business standards. For starters, unlike their competitor Dunkin’, Starbucks cups are extremely unsustainable. Each cup is lined with non-recyclable plastic, even though the company claims their cups are recyclable. They even went as far as to compare their cups to “paper” when it comes to recycling a statement far from the truth.
Furthermore, Starbucks drive-throughs are among some of the most unsustainable in the country. This comes as a result of long wait times and outdated technological methods of distributing food and beverages at many of their drive-through locations. Vehicles tend to idle while they wait for their order which contributes to large amounts of vehicle-based pollutants being admitted into the atmosphere.
However, there are certainly numerous environmental pros in buying your coffee from Starbucks. The company’s coffee is sourced with the environment in mind, boasting on its website that, “Starbucks coffee is 99 percent ethically sourced, and the company is on a mission to make coffee the world’s first sustainably sourced agricultural product. We purchase coffee verified by C.A.F.E. (Coffee and Farmer Equity) Practices.”
Not only does the company value the sourcing of their coffee, but they’re adaptable to using novel methods in growing their coffee. The company noted that they’ve “equipp[ed] farmers with precision agronomy tools that help reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.” Although the company’s business model may not be sustainable, their coffee is relatively environmentally friendly. Concerning this, Dunkin’ should follow in their footsteps.
Overall, America’s two most profitable coffee companies, Starbucks and Dunkin’, fail to adequately make sustainable changes and fall short of rising to the occasion to combat the climate crisis. Both companies will continue to erode the resources of the natural world while profiting billions. However, when considering the ethical choice to make in this scenario involving two environmentally-deficient stores, consumers should take note of how they consume their coffee, to make the most moral decision.
Starbucks’s coffee products are more sustainably produced than Dunkin’, so if consumers are willing to invest in reusable cups and not wait in long drive-thru lines, then ordering at Starbucks is the more eco-friendly option. Despite their coffee being less sustainable, their business model and operations are more green, so purchasing a coffee from Dunkin’ is a better option for consumers who are more comfortable using the drive-through, or didn’t bring a reusable cup.
~ Peter Ryan `27
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