Coffee giant Starbucks announced today that it plans to use “greener cups” in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver, and London.
The company has been under pressure to change their policies surrounding the vast amount of disposable products it produces. The company will test several different cups that are recyclable and compostable.
Starbucks went on to announce it’s launch of a redesigned strawless lid in all its stores in the United States and Canada throughout the next year. Starbucks says the lids will have 9 percent less plastic than the current lid and straw.
“It was at our shareholders meeting one year ago that we launched multi-year initiatives around greener cups and digitally traceable coffee,” said Kevin Johnson, president and ceo of Starbucks. “Today thanks to many valuable collaborations, we’re seeing significant, tangible progress toward a greener future.”
“We are pleased to see Starbucks exploring more ways to reduce its overall plastic footprint less than a year after first announcing its decision to phase out plastic straws,” said Susan Ruffo, managing director for international initiatives at Ocean Conservancy. “Redesigning products and packaging to be more sustainable is a long-term commitment, not a one-time decision, and Starbucks is clearly in for the long haul. We look forward to seeing how the company continues to do its part to fight ocean plastic and we hope others follow suit.”