GVSU Focus
Starbucks Pew Campus
By Sierra Barnes
Important Video Points
Benefits of Fair Trade Products
Raises the standard of living for producers in third-world countries
Pays farmers fair market wages
Builds communities through Fair Trade co-ops
Ensures ethical and humane treatment of farmers
Encourages sustainable agricultural development
Disallows slavery and child labor practices
Reusable Cup Benefits
Cheaper than other Starbucks because it is located on a college campus
Successful Current Practices
Waste sorting systems
Meatless options
Reusable Cups
Successful Current Principles
Strengthing communities
LEED Certified
How does Starbucks Create Opportunities?
Enhance inclusion and accessibility to the Starbucks Experience
100% pay equity by race and gender for similar roles in the US, China, and Canada
Recommendations
Really emphasizing Food Share programs, it would be incredibly beneficial
Starbucks should offer cute metal or silicone straws for purchase with their other merchandise
Starbucks hot cups are very very bad for the environment, they have to be changed!
Coffee industry as a whole is NOT sustainable, but Starbucks is devoting a lot of time, energy, and resources to making sure they can be as sustainable as possible.
GVSU has already done a very good job incorporating sustainable practices into its everyday activities. They have made it easy for students and staff to recycle and compost, reduced energy consumption and increased use of renewable energy, and made a habit of buying local food.
They do, however, have room for improvement in other areas, such as their landscaping. GVSU has a lot of outdoor areas that are a monoculture of green grass. These areas could easily be transformed into wildflower meadows full of species favored by native pollinators in order to increase their populations and keep them happy and healthier. Favorite flowers of pollinators include goldenrod, lavender, milkweed, and sunflowers. In addition to this, less grass means less mowing, which can be harmful to pollinators and can lead to air pollution (and reducing landscaping needs can save money in the future). It would also be beneficial to plant more trees around campus, not leaving too much area without food sources, since many pollinators don’t like to travel too far from their homes. Tree species favored by pollinators include silver and red maples, as they start producing nectar earlier than most other trees, as well as tulip trees and most fruit trees.
Triple Bottom Line Approach
People
Aesthetically pleasing landscaping can improve mood and mental health of staff and students
The better health of pollinators can improve the success of nearby vegetable gardens
Planet
Reduction of monoculture (grass) improves soil quality
Trees and larger plants better filter water than grass, leading to less water pollution,
Healthier pollinators improve food availability all the way up the food chain
Profit
Some plants, especially trees, provide services which save money in the long run, such as producing air and filtering water
Improvement of vegetable gardens reduce external food costs