Starbucks Seeks More Socially Responsible Coffee

[Catch22Dem]

Saw this and thought it was interesting. I searched DU and didn't see anything about it.

Starbucks Seeks More Socially Responsible Coffee (Reuters)

Fri, 29 Oct 2004 16:27:09 GMT

Reuters - Starbucks Corp. has launched an aggressive plan to ensure coffee sold in its stores comes from environmentally friendly farms paying workers a fair wage, Chief Executive Orin Smith said in an interview.

[GHOSTDANCER]

1. They have also agreed to not use GM beans.

[MidwestTransplant]

2. Charging less would be socially responsible too.

[govegan]

3. Good to see them working harder on this.

A number of shops in Seattle sell ONLY shade-grown, fair-trade and organic coffees (such as Cafe Ladro shops, PCC Deli counters and others -- if visiting or living in Seattle check them out). If Starbucks wants to compete in their home town, they need to get with the (organic and fair-trade) program.



:donut:

[cprise]

4. Read somewhere Starbucks uses fair trade beans for less than 2%

...of their coffee.

I hope this is more than an empty PR campaign to draw attention away from their union-busting activities.

[bemildred]

5. Bullshit. Their coffee sucks too.

Cheap beans, bitter, over-roasted. The only thing you can say
is they don't let it go rancid like most of the Folgers grade
stuff you get at Denny's.

[TO Kid]

6. Yet another excuse

To keep their coffee overpriced. Anytime someone uses the term "organic" or "fair trade" in their marketing material my BS detector overloads.

[govegan]

7. Those terms are genuine and of value

Of course, rBGH, GMO's and all sorts of toxic substances don't need to be marketed to consumers. Why? Because the insolent bastards are going to shove down the unwary consumer's throat regardless.

Do yourself a favor and look that stuff up.

Terms like fair trade, shade grown and organic are some of the few protections that we have. Many have worked long and hard to establish the credibility and foundation for those terms.

Maybe you could use a new solar powered battery for your "BS detector".