One afternoon day, I suddenly began to taste distinct notes of paper blended in with the sweet caramel of my frappuccino. The drink itself, which had tasted delicious just minutes ago, was now inaccessible through the disintegrating paper straw. As the straw became mushier and more shapeless by the second, I decided to throw the drink away altogether, now lost in a can full of plastic cups and wrappers.
Walking around Ventura and Sportsmen’s Lodge, the uptick in “environmentally-friendly” initiatives such as paper straws or wooden spoons is painfully apparent . Over the last few years, food and drink companies have put an emphasis on moving toward one-off, supposedly monumental changes —many of which derail the consumer experience without any significant detraction from their carbon footprint.
For example, Starbucks has fallen short of the majority of their environmental goals. They produce over 6 billion cups per year, and a negligible amount of this waste is recycled, according to Greenpeace. Even their paper to-go cups —which amount to 1.5 million trees cut down per year— are lined with non- recyclable plastic. At minimum, corporations can only hope to maintain their carbon footprint by using paper and plastic cups — through manufacturing still release millions of tons of carbon dioxide. .
Although the movement away from plastic is undeniably a positive change, the ideas that companies like Starbucks have promoted are neither solutions to their carbon emissions nor enjoyable for consumers. Wood has an unusual taste and texture; wooden utensils add adds an unwanted earthiness to the taste of whatever is being eaten, and the dry texture can detract from the experience of eating. Meanwhile, paper straws are inconvenient because they soften and break easily. Poor initiatives are less attractive to consumers, nullifying the companies’ appeal to consumers without actually contributing towards environmental consciousness.
It can be argued that these movements towards environmentally- friendly options are better than no action at all. Despite the truth in this, companies should be held accountable for their massive carbon output, and should not be applauded by consumers for their minimal efforts. Around 36 percent of all plastic produced is from single-use packaging such as food and beverage containers, the vast majority of which ends up in landfills, according to the UN Environment Program.
In order to meaningfully reduce their carbon emissions, , companies need to promote not only a shift in products but a shift in their philosophy itself. A consistent, environment- friendly option is switching to reusable cups and utensils. They preserve the taste of our foods while reducing waste from disposable options. Coffee companies should offer reusable cups for patrons who are dining in-store . Furthermore, consumers should be encouraged to bring their own to-go cups or silverware. Rewards programs and price cuts have long been utilized by corporations to encourage customers to buy new products or to buy in bulk, so using them to encourage environmentalism is entirely feasible.
Although companies such as Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee and Dunkin’ Donuts support reusable cups by offering discounts to customers that provide their own, the policy is inconsistent across stores and often does nothing to reduce waste. For example, if a customer brings a reusable cup to the Starbucks on Ventura, the barista will put the drink in a plastic cup and then hand it to the customer so they can put it in their own cup. Making reusable cups a solution across the board requires fundamental changes to the way that food and beverage businesses operate. This idea must be incorporated not only in company policies but also clarified in employee training.
Companies across the world have worked to paint themselves as pioneers of environmentalism, yet they advertise solutions that make minimal changes to the environmental harm that is inflicted yearly. These companies pour billions of dollars into ensuring that every customer tries the newest refresher, or the best soft serve flavor. Why, as our planet warms year by year, can they not use this influence to create a more sustainable consumer mindset?
