Washington, DC – Starbucks announced today that it intends to become resource positive in the coming decades, starting with 2030 targets of a 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions, a 50 percent reduction in water withdrawal for its operations, and a 50 percent reduction in waste sent to landfills. As part of the multi-decade effort, Starbucks plans to expand plant-based options; shift from single-use to reusable packaging; invest in regenerative agricultural practices reforestation, forest conservation and water replenishment; identify better ways to manage waste; and develop more eco-friendly practices for its operations.
In response to today’s news, Greenpeace USA Plastics Campaigner Kate Melges said:
“While it’s a welcome development that Starbucks is revisiting its sustainability strategy, the company still has a lot to figure out as to how to make it happen as quickly as possible. When it comes to the climate crisis, increasing deforestation, water shortages, and mounting plastic pollution, we don’t have decades to wait for action. Companies like Starbucks needed to be shifting toward truly sustainable, circular practices yesterday.
“Starbucks’ new sustainability commitments are light on specifics. Without more detailed plans on how Starbucks will make this happen, it’s difficult to say the solutions Starbucks pursues will be taking us in the right direction. Just last year, Starbucks touted a new plastic lid that is not recyclable in most locations and actually uses more plastic than its previous lid and straw combined. If the company is planning to get serious about sustainability, it must prioritize shifting from throwaway packaging to reusables — and we don’t have ten years to wait.”
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Contact: Perry Wheeler, Greenpeace USA Senior Communications Specialist, P: 301-675-8766
