How can Starbucks reduce its effects on the environment?

Every company needs to carry out environmental impact analysis so that it complies with the friendliness that is prescribed by the ministry. In this regard, therefore, it is important to mitigate the environmental pollution through a number of strategies that are eco-friendly. Starbucks is one company that emits a lot of refuse that is dangerous to the environment. There are a number of strategies that it can embrace to reduce its effects. According to Horne, Strengers and Strempel (2016), a company can help reduce the environmental effects through proper waste management and revised order of operation. Maintenance of the environment is at the core of every company’s agenda. At Starbucks, a number of measures can be taken to reduce the rate of environmental pollution. Some of these are applicable to Starbucks and are as identified and illustrated below.

To begin with, Starbucks can reduce its effects on the environment through manufacturing cups that are recyclable. It is true that for a long time, the cups that have been used are plastics that are not friendly to the environment. In the words of Horne, Strengers and Strempel (2016), although the whole process of getting biodegradable items in any company requires a lot of money, it is important that mitigations are made using the most friendly vessels that can be disposed of without dirtying the environment. Presently, a number of policies have been put in place to steer the recycling so that people use healthier materials. Instead of using the current cups that are lined with plastic, there may be adopted a policy of composting all these and replacing them with degradable ones. This will greatly reduce the extent of pollution.

Secondly, Starbucks can reduce environmental pollution through the use of renewable energy. As Shin et al. (2016) demonstrate, Starbucks is presently leading in the use of energy saver lighting in many of its outlet. As opposed to other bulbs that release mercury, the light saver bulbs used in Starbucks can radically reduce the emissions that are dangerous to the environment. Bearing in mind that mercury is a dangerous poison on humans, any step to replace the lighting is a great effort to attain environmental friendliness. Furthermore, Starbucks is attaining this height by reducing the warming that is otherwise caused by the bulbs that generate a lot of heat thus making the rooms and the entire atmosphere warm. It is on record that among 500 companies, Starbucks is a leading company in the purchase of the renewable energy that is not harmful to the environment.

Another manner in which Starbucks can help achieve environmental pollution is through reduction of greenhouse emissions. In the words of Shin et al. (2016), 81% of the total gas emissions in Starbucks come from electricity while 18% is from coffee roasting. The company can, therefore, undertake efforts to install devices that use natural gas to reduce the emissions of smoke to the environment. It is established that the current equipment consumes more fuel thus emitting more smoke to the atmosphere. Smoke is a very destructive emission which must be countered. According to Davis et al. (2015), smoke emissions account for a great percentage of environmental pollution in the whole globe. It is therefore prudent to devise burners that use clean energy thus limiting the cases of global warming. Further, Davis et al. (2015) add that most companies in America turn on thermostats in summer to regulate the amount of energy consumed. This system, if adopted by Starbucks, will sustain the environment that is friendly due to reduced temperatures. This is possible because the thermostat regulates the inside and outside temperatures thus giving room to evaluate the effect of this heat on the immediate environment.

The Starbuck stores can also be made friendly to the environment. By 2010, Starbucks had cooperated with Conservation International and the Environmental Defense Fund agencies to enhance awareness. According to Jam, Kim and Lee (2015), the whole world is currently obsessed with the notion of environmentally appropriate stores. Starbucks cannot be left out. This can be achieved in a number of ways.  By way of example, the packaging of the coffee can take natural and organic materials that can easily decompose when disposed of. It has been reported in many countries in the world that the use of polythene papers for any business service is directly responsible for soil pollution. This transformation can even move to the furniture materials such as wood, bamboo, and other organic matter that promote environmental safety.

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Partnership with customers is yet another way Starbucks manages to reduce its effects on the environment. By encouraging customers to come with reusable cups, the general awareness is enhanced. For instance, when customers are given discounts every time they carry reusable cups, the effect of plastic cups is avoided. According to Davis et al. (2015), every company must come up with ways of motivating its customers to cooperate in the environmental agenda. Starbucks is not left out in this strategy. For every customer with a reusable cup, a discount of about 10 cents is given. In the recent past, corrugated cup sleeves have assisted in saving the lives of thousands of trees. The cups can further be reinforced through a recycled fiber that conserves the environment. The ultimate goal of this recycling is to conserve land, water, and energy. Starbucks has therefore set a desirable environmental record that other companies would like to copy. Continuing in this manner, a number of trees will be conserved thus a greener environment.

Water conservation is another strategy that Starbucks can embrace to enhance environmentally sustainable life. The company can embrace a new water saving strategy according to the requirements of the government. The safety of the environment is therefore enhanced when Starbucks saves water in all the processes of production. According to Horne, Strengers and Strempel (2016), water is a key resource that has to be properly used in the production process. Further, a lot of water goes to waste especially in companies that produce large amounts of goods and require large consumption of water. As a company with leading branches in Canada, Germany and United States of America, the use of water should be monitored. Where possible, Starbuck should embark on a mission to recycle all the water so that natural resources are not depleted. As Agana, Reeve and Orbell (2013) notes, the most successful organization is that which relies heavily on the recycling of the waste products. This, they argue, reduces the amount of disposable waste that dirties the environment. Starbucks is, therefore, an organization that can adequately achieve this objective by recycling the water that is used in the production process.

In conclusion, it is evident from the above discussion that environmental agenda is a great issue of concern to every organization that deals with production and consumption. With the whole world increasing its debates about global warming and environmental pollution, all the operations should address the role of an environmentally-friendly work place. As explored in the text. Starbucks is a coffee outlet with many branches in a number of countries. A number of strategies can be embraced by this organization to reduce the effects of production the atmosphere. Most importantly, one should consider recycling, energy use, construction of stores, packaging and involvement of customers in the debate. It is equally important to partner with certain bodies that conserve the environment for these bits of advice organizations on the most appropriate measures that mitigate the damage. Done in this manner, human activities that pollute the environment will be significantly reduced.