01/12: Starbucks and Me
Category: American Culture
Posted by: an okie gardener
I feel ambivalent toward Starbucks. On the one hand, I really like their coffee/on the other, spending that much on coffee seems self-indulgent. On the one hand, they are a national chain and on principle I favor small independent businesses/on the other hand, they offer good benefits even to their part-time employees. On the one hand, I really like their coffee/on the other hand I believe we would be better off in many ways doing more for ourselves, including brewing coffee at home. On the one hand I'm ambivalent about Starbucks/on the other, my wife is a big fan.
The other night my wife and I did some Christmas shopping and finished the evening at Starbucks, and they did something to help win me over. They gave me free used coffee grounds, maybe 5 or 6 pounds. At least at this Starbucks they'll do it for anyone; they are saving their grounds and have a small sign on the counter offering free used grounds. For those of you who are not gardeners, coffee grounds make good compost material.
Good for them.
The other night my wife and I did some Christmas shopping and finished the evening at Starbucks, and they did something to help win me over. They gave me free used coffee grounds, maybe 5 or 6 pounds. At least at this Starbucks they'll do it for anyone; they are saving their grounds and have a small sign on the counter offering free used grounds. For those of you who are not gardeners, coffee grounds make good compost material.
Good for them.
A Waco Farmer wrote:
The Gardener's theme for this (on one hand/on the other) is exactly right.
I often use Starbucks as a foil in explaining republican frugality in my history class. I recently watched a wonderful presentation on financial management for my student government kids, and the speaker kept coming back to Starbucks as the perfect example of how not to be a good steward of your money. He was hilarious.
Having said that, I agree with the Gardener: the coffee is good; they are very green in an unobnoxious way; and, most importantly for me, I have had a lot of students work for Starbucks, and they all give the same report: great place to work.
Vive Starbucks!