Mobilizing Community Partnership With Starbucks to Reduce Plastic Waste, Protect Wildlife & Environment

Plastics pollution and the resulting dangers to wildlife have been well-documented, and it is frightening. We can all do better, and we can seek help from businesses to be community leaders to effect positive change.

As Arizona State Chair for The Humane Society of the United States, I express deep gratitude to our local Fountain Hills Starbucks for being one of the aforementioned community leaders by partnering on the “Your Cup, Our Planet” initiative. The signage reads:

OUR COFFEE...YOUR CUP...EARTH’S HEALTH

Join Us in Protecting the Environment and Wildlife

REPLENISH REUSE REJOICE

Starbucks sells reusable cups with straws, as modeled here by barista Gillian. This promotion seeks to encourage the public to adopt the reusable cup model and curtail the use of throwaway plastic cups. I hope you’ll support this campaign, perhaps even purchasing one of the reusable Starbucks cups.

Thank you, Starbucks! (I brought this concept to the manager of the local Starbucks, with the strategy of creating awareness about the harm to oceans and marine life caused by plastic waste while helping Starbucks' pursuit to lessen plastic waste and increase the use of reusable containers. We launched this initiative at a couple area stores, with great success!)