Ooooo… Starbucks. Shame on you. You’re busted.
I just read on Environmental Leader (as reported by BusinessGreen) that Starbucks has a standard practice of continually running a water tap, non-stop, in ALL of their stores. Really? And I constantly yell at my husband and
kids to turn off the water!
They claim the dipper well for utensils requires a constant stream of running water because it “keeps the utensils clean, prevents bacterial growth and stops allergen cross-contamination”. Again, oh please. It’s wasteful and shameful. Get a dishwasher! Maybe they don’t think it’s important that this practice wastes 23.4 MILLION liters of water each day!
We may not have the power to conserve like they do, but here are some simple things we CAN do, in our homes, to conserve water in our daily lives:
- run only full loads of laundry or dishes
- turn off the water when you brush your teeth or shave
- take showers, not baths – turn on music and limit yourself to two songs
- fill and tightly secure two plastic bottles with sand or pebbles and submerge them in your toilet tank
- don’t defrost food with running water
- capture water while you wait for the temperature you need and use it to water plants
- replace your shower head with a low-flow version
- keep a cold water container in your fridge instead of running your faucet until it gets “cold enough”
- check for leaks in your plumbing and toilets
- if you hand-wash dishes, use your double basin – wash, transfer to a rack on the other side and then rinse everything in a second phase
This list could go on and on, and it doesn’t even consider conservation for outdoors (watering lawns and gardens, washing the car, etc.). I just want us to consider the fact that just because the water runs every time we turn on the faucet doesn’t mean we should let it! One day, maybe that won’t be the case.
Save water. Don’t be a Starbucks.
(And by the way, after extensive testing, Environmental Working Group just reported that bottled water is no better for us than tap water. All 10 major brands tested contained chemical contaminates – and let’s not forget that wonderful BPA! Read it here.)
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That is insane! Leaving water running, job or not, would make me sick to my stomach to think of about the amount of waste.
Robert Rowes last blog post..Put it to good use.. [Blog Action Day, 2008]
I do not understand how people can continue to do such stupid things KNOWING the consequences!!!! That really makes me angry. Shame on Starbucks.
Doreen, what size water bottles do you recommend putting in the toilet tank? I would be happy to do that, I had never heard of it!!!
Thanks – Frannie
OneGreenMommys last blog post..Lunchbox Fillings
Robert – isn’t it pathetic!?! And to think, no one spoke up until they got caught!
OneGreenMommy – It makes me angry too. I really don’t want to support a company that allows this to happen. As for the bottles, it depends on your tank size. It just can’t obstruct any of the operating parts inside. Standard water bottles often work best. Give it a try!
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