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In support of the company’s goal to <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-solidifies-pathway-to-a-planet-positive-future/">reduce waste by 50 percent by 2030</a>, Starbucks is shifting away from single-use plastics, championing the use of recycled content, and promoting reusability, driven by a broader shift towards a circular economy.

To learn more, read on for an at-a-glance look at Starbucks Greener Cup milestones:

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Tests<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2022/starbucks-emea-cups-share-pilot-phase/"> new returnable cup program</a> in the company’s Europe, Middle East, and Africa region – allowing customers to opt for a reusable in the same way they would a single-use cup.

Pilots borrow-and-return <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2022/starbucks-launches-a-reusable-borrow-a-cup-program-at-three-stores-in-singapore/">reusable cup program in Singapore</a>.

Rolls out <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2021/oatly-oatmilk-coming-to-starbucks-nationwide-in-the-us/">oatmilk nationwide in all U.S. stores</a>.

Pilots borrow-and-return reusable cup programs in the <a href="http://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2021/seattle-starbucks-stores-go-even-greener-this-earth-month-with-new-borrow-a-cup-program/">United States</a>, <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2021/starbucks-korea-eliminates-disposable-cups-at-12-stores-in-seoul/">S. Korea</a> and <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2021/starbucks-japan-announces-circularity-innovations/">Japan</a>. Commits to offering reusable cup program in all stores in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region by 2025.

Fully transitions four stores in S. Korea to a reusable cup format and <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2021/starbucks-korea-announces-aspirations/">commits to the full discontinuation of disposable cups</a> nationwide by 2025.

Expands its <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2021/starbucks-circular-cup-expands-to-30-countries-across-europe-middle-east-and-africa-recycling-450000-cups/">Circular Cup</a> program to 30 countries across Europe, Middle East and Africa, recycling 450,000 cups.

<a href="https://stories.starbucks.ca/en-ca/stories/2021/starbucks-canada-eliminates-all-plastic-straws-and-brings-back-personal-reusable-cups/">Eliminates all plastic straws in Canada</a> and introduces a new paper straw.

Completes <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-announces-rollout-of-new-strawless-lids-throughout-u-s-and-canada/">rollout of strawless lids</a> in the U.S. and Canada.

Began <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-trials-a-nextgen-cup-solution/">in-market testing of a more sustainable cup technology</a> from the NextGen Cup Challenge.

Rolls out&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2020/starbucks-rolls-out-5-cent-paper-cup-charge-across-germany/">5-cent paper cup charge in Germany,</a> with 100 percent of proceeds going to the World Wildlife Fund.

Starbucks markets across Asia begin the new year by phasing out plastic straws, including Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Announces new sustainability commitment to be <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-announces-multi-decade-aspiration-to-become-resource-positive/">resource positive</a>, including goals of reducing carbon, water, and waste 50 percent by 2030; signs the <a href="https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/our-work/activities/new-plastics-economy">Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s New Plastics Economy Global Commitment</a>

Announces the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/closed-loop-partners-announces-12-winners-of-the-nextgen-cup-challenge/">winners of the NextGen Cup Challenge</a> and a commitment to&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/greener-cups-fewer-straws-and-tracing-your-coffees-journey-via-app/">conduct market tests</a>&nbsp;with the cup technologies in select stores.

Conducts the first-ever&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/starbucks-uk-launches-first-ever-airport-reusable-cup-trial-at-gatwick-airport-in-london/">airport reusable cup trial</a>&nbsp;at London’s Gatwick Airport to drive consumer behavior around reusables.

Introduces&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/say-hello-to-the-lid-that-will-replace-a-billion-straws-a-year/">improved strawless lid</a>&nbsp;made with 9 percent less plastic in several markets in the U.S. and Canada.

Launches&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2019/uk-cup-fund-boosts-recycling-by-35-million-paper-cups-per-year/">UK Cup Fund</a>&nbsp;recycling program in the United Kingdom with environmental charity, Hubbub.

Eliminates straws in all Starbucks stores in S. Korea through strawless lids and paper straw alternatives.

<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2018/starbucks-rolls-out-5p-paper-cup-charge-to-all-stores-across-britain/">Rolls out 5p paper cup charge</a>&nbsp;in Starbucks stores across Britain, with proceeds dedicated to efforts to reduce plastic pollution across the U.K.

Co-founds the&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2018/starbucks-and-closed-loop-to-develop-recyclable-compostable-cup-solution/">NextGen Consortium</a>, a partnership convened by Closed Loop Partners to improve recycling infrastructure and launch the NextGen Cup Challenge to develop a widely recyclable, compostable and/or resuable cup.

Announces commitment to&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2018/starbucks-to-eliminate-plastic-straws-globally-by-2020/">eliminate plastic straws globally by 2020</a>&nbsp;and launches innovative strawless lid for cold beverages.

Completes global rollout of&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/earthsleeve-global-rollout/">new cup sleeves</a>, which are made from less paper and more post-consumer fiber.

Offers a $1 reusable cup in the U.S. and Canada, and a £1 cup in the United Kingdom to help reduce cup waste.

Rolls out&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2012/new-starbucks-earthsleeve-blends-performance-with-environmental-sensibility/">cup sleeves</a>&nbsp;made from less paper and more post-consumer content, saving nearly 100,000 trees each year.

Hosts second Cup Summit in Boston and announces Paper Recovery Alliance with the Foodservice Packaging Institute.

Hosts first Cup Summit in Seattle, inviting local governments, cup manufacturers, recyclers, and stakeholders to find a comprehensive recyclable cup solution.

Introduces a new polypropylene plastic cup that uses 15 percent less plastic than previous cups and emits 45 percent less greenhouse gas during production.

Launches the retail industry’s first hot beverage paper cup with 10 percent post-consumer recycled fiber (PCF).

Develops a cup sleeve made from recycled content to help eliminate the practice of double cupping.

Establishes a relationship with the nonprofit Environmental Defense Fund to explore ways to reduce the environmental impact of its cups.

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Starbucks Greener Cup Timeline - Starbucks Stories

Stories to inspire and nurture the human spirit

Starbucks Stories

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Starbucks Corporation

Read on for an at-a-glance look at Starbucks Greener Cup milestones.

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Starbucks Greener Cup Timeline

This page shows data from our 2019 Report. For the most up-to-date goals and progress, see our <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2022/starbucks-global-environmental-and-social-impact-report-2021/">2021 Global Environmental &amp; Social Impact Report</a>.

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Expanding on our <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-sustainability-timeline/">history in sustainability</a> and progress in building a more sustainable <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/building-a-sustainable-future-for-coffee-together/">future for coffee</a>, we announced in January of 2020 a multi-decade aspiration to be a <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-announces-multi-decade-aspiration-to-become-resource-positive/">resource-positive company</a>,&nbsp;giving more than it takes from the planet. The announcement included science-based preliminary <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/infographic-starbucks-sustainability-commitment/">target reductions</a> of carbon, water and waste&nbsp;by 2030. Informed by an <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/uploads/2020/01/Starbucks-Environmental-Baseline-Report.pdf">environmental baseline report</a> it&nbsp;outlined five strategies to move forward, such as shifting away from single-use to reusable packaging, and finding better ways to manage our waste. We’ll share new commitments in the spring of 2021 as we celebrate Starbucks 50th anniversary.

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Goal: 100% ethically sourced coffee For the fifth year in a row in FY19, more than 99% of our coffee was verified as ethically sourced under <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2020/cafe-practices-starbucks-approach-to-ethically-sourcing-coffee/">C.A.F.E. Practices</a>. Although we are constantly striving for 100%, the last 1% is where some of our most important work happens, bringing on new farmers and cooperatives to help ensure the long-term future of coffee. We continue to work as part of the <a href="https://www.sustaincoffee.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sustainable Coffee Challenge</a> to make coffee the world’s first sustainable agricultural product and improve the lives of at least one million people in coffee communities around the world.

Goal: Provide <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2017/starbucks-100million-coffee-trees/">100 million coffee trees</a> to farmers by 2025 Starbucks has donated coffee trees over the past four years to farmers in Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. These climate-resilient trees replace ones that are declining in productivity due to age and disease, such as coffee leaf rust, and help improve the quality and yields of their harvests. As of June 2020, the next 10 million are being distributed, with close monitoring of potential complications related to COVID-19.

Goal: 100% ethically sourced tea We continue to work toward our goal of 100% ethically sourced tea, making significant progress from 95% in FY18 to 99% in FY19 by sourcing tea from farms that have been certified through Rainforest Alliance, UTZ, or Fair Trade. *As purchased by Starbucks global tea sourcing team.

Goal: Train 200,000 farmers by the end of 2020 Our Global Agronomy Center and Farmer Support Center at <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/this-earth-day-meet-some-of-the-people-working-to-make-coffee-sustainable/">Hacienda Alsacia</a> in Costa Rica and our eight other Farmer Support Centers around the world provide open-source training and other resources to coffee farmers. In FY19 alone, we trained nearly 88,000 farmers.

$46 million invested in farmer loans; $20 million in FY19 emergency relief funds

Goal: Invest $50 million in farmer loans by the end of 2020 As of June 2020, we have invested more than $49 million in the Starbucks <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/starbucks-more-than-doubles-global-farmer-loan-commitment/">Global Farmer Fund</a> to support farmers. This comes in addition to relief funds, such as the $20 million we dispersed in FY19 to many of our smallholder farmers in Central America who experienced the effects of low global coffee prices.

Goal: Empower at least 250,000 women and families in coffee, tea and cocoa growing communities globally by 2025 Through 18 grants totaling more than $5 million since 2018, The Starbucks Foundation is <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/the-starbucks-foundations-origin-grants-to-empower-women-and-girls/">supporting women and families</a> in coffee- and tea-growing communities across Africa, Asia and Latin America in many ways, including leadership skills, income-generating activities and healthier homes.

12 major cities recycling Starbucks cups; trialing of new cup technologies

Goal: Double the recyclability of our cups from 2016-2022; develop 100% compostable and recyclable hot cups by 2022 In 2016, 24% of Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada accepted our hot cups for recycling; in 2019, this number increased to 25%. Work accelerated in 2019, as the NextGen Consortium, of which Starbucks is a co-founder, identified 12 winning <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/closed-loop-partners-announces-12-winners-of-the-nextgen-cup-challenge/">cup technologies</a> of the NextGen Cup Challenge. In-store <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2020/starbucks-trials-a-nextgen-cup-solution/">market testing began</a> in the spring of 2020 with a cup that is industrially compostable as well as recyclable in markets that accept hot cups. We continue to research and test cup liner solutions that will make our cup easier to recycle and compost, while also working with the Consortium to improve recycling and composting infrastructure. In Europe, Starbucks launched a £1 million <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/emea/stories/2019/uk-cup-fund-boosts-recycling-by-35-million-paper-cups-per-year/">Cup Fund</a>&nbsp;supporting ambitious recycling projects in conjunction with the environmental charity Hubbub.&nbsp;

Starbucks cups currently are accepted for recycling in Amsterdam; Boston; Chattanooga; Dallas; Denver; London; Louisville; New York; San Francisco; Seattle; Vancouver; Washington, DC; and many smaller cities.

Goal: 20% recycled content in our hot cups by 2022 Starbucks hot cups currently contain 10% post-consumer fiber (PCF), and we are working to double the recycled content to 20% as well as reduce the environmental impacts of sourcing virgin wood paper fiber we source.

2.8% reusability rate in measured markets

Goal: Double the use of reusable cups from 2016-2022 In 2019 we implemented new ways to track reusable cup usage, and we tracked a 2.8% reusability rate in company-operated stores in the U.S., Canada, Japan, and EMEA. This meant that customers received a discount for bringing their own cup or used a ceramic mug offered in store, saving more than 105 million disposable cups. China is not yet included in this metric, with a tracking program now in development there. In Europe, Starbucks conducted the first ever&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/starbucks-uk-launches-first-ever-airport-reusable-cup-trial-at-gatwick-airport-in-london/">airport reusable cup trial</a>&nbsp;at London’s Gatwick Airport.&nbsp;

We continue to conduct research and evolve our strategy to encourage customer adoption of reusables.

Continued rollout of strawless lids and sustainable material straws

Goal: Eliminate single-use plastic straws globally by the end of 2020 In 2019 Starbucks continued the expansion of <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/say-hello-to-the-lid-that-will-replace-a-billion-straws-a-year/">lightweight strawless lids</a> for cold beverages, as well as rollout of alternative material straws. By the end of calendar year 2020, we anticipate that all company-owned stores and the majority of licensees will have eliminated single-use plastic straws. However, regulatory and manufacturing challenges in light of COVID-19 threaten the ability to fully roll out a new sustainable material straw in the U.S. and Canada by the end of 2020, with a new anticipated goal date of spring 2021. Starbucks will continue to provide straws to customers who <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2018/follow-up-to-starbucks-sustainability-news/">need or request them</a> in our stores.

741 stores globally that reflect the Greener Stores framework

Goal: Build and operate 10,000 greener stores globally by 2025 Starbucks has built more than 1,600 LEED®-certified stores around the world, and in early FY20, the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/asia/stories/2019/starbucks-reserve-roastery-shanghai-celebrates-leed-platinum-achievement/">Shanghai Roastery</a>&nbsp;set a new benchmark in green retail as the first in mainland China’s food retail industry to be certified LEED Platinum. Now in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund and in collaboration with other nongovernmental organizations, we’re going beyond LEED, expanding the scope and breadth of our greener stores commitment with an open-source <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2018/starbucks-announces-global-greener-stores-commitment/">Greener Stores framework</a> for design, construction and operation.

Goal: Empower 10,000 partners to be sustainability champions by the end of 2020 In FY19, we surpassed our goal and as of April 2020 have more than 26,000 Starbucks partners enrolled in the Greener Apron sustainability training program through <a href="https://www.starbucksglobalacademy.com/greener-apron" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Starbucks Global Academy</a>.

72% of global operations powered by renewable energy

Goal: Invest in 100% renewable energy to power global operations globally by the end of 2020 Starbucks purchases enough renewable energy to power 100% of its company-operated stores in the U.S., Canada and the UK. Worldwide in FY19, 72% of Starbucks operations were powered by renewables. This is down from 77% in FY18, driven in part by&nbsp;a transition away from company-owned renewable energy-powered markets in EMEA, as well as an increase in stores in markets where Starbucks is still building a path toward renewable energy, such as China and Japan.

As we work to buy more renewable energy, we also continue to invest in solar and wind farms, with 2019 highlights being investments in a large&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2018/solar-and-wind-power-fuel-starbucks-store/">wind farm</a>&nbsp;in Illinois and&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/starbucks-and-cypress-creek-solar-farms-team-up-to-power-360-stores-in-texas/">solar farms</a>&nbsp;in Texas.

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2019 Report: Leading in Sustainability - Starbucks Stories

Starbucks 2019 Global Social Impact Report: Leading in Sustainability goals and progress.

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2019 Report: Leading in Sustainability

This page shows data from our 2018 Report. For the most up-to-date goals and progress, see our <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2022/starbucks-global-environmental-and-social-impact-report-2021/">2021 Global Environmental &amp; Social Impact Report</a>.

Our vision is simple: to produce sustainable coffee, served sustainably. For more than two decades, Starbucks has partnered with Conservation International on C.A.F.E. Practices, our ethical coffee sourcing program. We now source 99 percent of our coffee this way,&nbsp;promoting quality, economic transparency and social and environmental impact with a vision to make coffee&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sustaincoffee.org/">the world’s first sustainable agricultural product in the world</a>.

Climate change represents significant immediate and long-term risks to coffee farmers around the world, and we are taking steps to help ensure the supply of high-quality coffee for future generations. Core to ensuring the long-term sustainability of coffee is also ensuring&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2018/starbucks-commits-20-million-for-emergency-relief-to-farmers/">the economic profitability for farmers</a>. We are investing in innovation to offer farmers new&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2017/starbucks-hacienda-alsacia/">climate-resilient coffee tree varietals</a> and support coffee-farming communities through our&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/starbucks-more-than-doubles-global-farmer-loan-commitment/">Global Farmer Fund</a> to make sure farmers have access to low-interest financing that will help them reinvest in their farms. We continue to&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2018/starbucks-farmer-support-centers/">share what we have learned</a> with others through agronomy training for farmers, whether they sell to us or not. We are also supporting women and families in coffee- and tea-growing communities through&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/the-starbucks-foundations-origin-grants-to-empower-women-and-girls/">Starbucks Foundation Origin Grants</a> that are focused on strengthening their leadership skills and&nbsp;income-generating activities to diversify their income.

We’re also working toward a goal of 100 percent ethically sourced tea and cocoa for beverages by 2020. We are investing in sustainability, issuing our&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/starbucks-completes-issuance-of-third-and-largest-sustainability-bond/">third sustainability bond</a> in May 2019 for investors to participate in socially and environmentally focused projects and leveraging&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/knowledge-is-valuable-coffee-journey-going-digital-for-customers-farmers/">new technology</a> to bring real-time digital traceability to our coffee supply chain.

There is perhaps nothing more recognizable for the Starbucks brand than our cup. Yet our cups and packaging remain one of our biggest environmental challenges.&nbsp;We are looking for new ways to promote reusable cups and better manage the lifecycles of disposable ones. We are testing a variety of greener cups that are both recyclable and compostable in&nbsp;select cities through the&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/closed-loop-partners-announces-12-winners-of-the-nextgen-cup-challenge/">NextGen Cup Challenge</a> and are&nbsp;launching a lightweight strawless lid with a hope to&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/say-hello-to-the-lid-that-will-replace-a-billion-straws-a-year/">eliminate 1 billion single-use plastic straws</a> annually.

Over the past decade we have struggled with our goal to significantly increase the use of reusable cups in our stores. We are continuing to test new ideas and approaches to the challenge. In the UK we conducted a trial of a&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2018/london-stores-cup/">5-pence disposable cup fee and a 25-pence reusable cup incentive</a>, which increased reusable cup usage for hot drinks sold in stores nationwide from 2.2 to 5.8 percent.

We know that designing and building green stores is not only environmentally responsible, it is good business. We already operate more than 1,600&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2016/starbucks-opens-1000th-leed-certified-store/">LEED certified stores</a> around the world, making us the world’s largest green retailer. We are building on that legacy by developing a new Greener Store framework for&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2018/starbucks-announces-global-greener-stores-commitment/">10,000 stores globally by 2025</a>, which could save $50 million in utilities costs over the next 10 years.&nbsp;And we’re empowering our partners to help us in that effort by offering sustainability certification through our&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/starbucks-partners-for-sustainability/">Greener Apron</a> program.

Over the past two years, Starbucks has committed to more than $140 million in renewable energy to power our stores, reducing our environmental impact and supporting access to green power. It’s enough to power 100 percent of our more than 9,000 company-operated stores in the United States, and 77 percent of our global operations.&nbsp;

We plan to locally source more than 50 percent of our renewable energy in the U.S by 2020, including from our&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2018/solar-and-wind-power-fuel-starbucks-store/">new solar farm in North Carolina</a>, which delivers enough clean energy to power the equivalent of the energy consumed by 600 Starbucks stores. And we are partnering with developers to bring new projects online, including a wind farm planned near Olympia, Wash., and a new wind farm in Illinois that will power 360 stores in that state, including the future Chicago Roastery.

Goal: 100% ethically sourced coffee For the fourth year in a row, more than 99% of our coffee was verified as ethically sourced under&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2017/sustainability-is-at-the-heart-of-starbucks-coffee-sourcing/">C.A.F.E. Practices</a> – that’s nearly 650 million pounds of it. Although we are constantly striving for 100%, it’s that last 1% where some of our most important work happens, bringing on new farmers and cooperatives to help ensure the long-term future of coffee.

Goal: 100% ethically sourced tea by 2020 Our tea is verified as 95% ethically sourced by third-party organizations including the Ethical Tea Partnership and Rainforest Alliance to ensure the tea Starbucks sources is produced with sustainable practices and under safe and humane working conditions.

Goal: Provide 100 million trees to farmers by 2025 Starbucks has donated more than 31 million coffee trees over the past three years (9.4 million in 2018) to farmers in Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador. These&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2017/the-next-generation-of-coffee-trees/">climate-resilient trees</a> replace ones that are declining in productivity due to age and disease, such as coffee leaf rust.

Goal: Invest $50 million in farmers loans by 2020 In 2018, loans reached thousands of farmers in 14 countries to strengthen their coffee farms through tree renovation and infrastructure improvements.

Goal: Train 200,000 coffee farmers by 2020 Our expert agronomists have provided free training to 52,240 coffee farmers through our nine&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2018/starbucks-farmer-support-centers/">farmer support centers</a> in coffee-producing countries around the world in the past two years, including 27,938 in 2018. We will explore new ways to further scale our efforts.

Goal: Develop 100% compostable and reusable cups by 2022 We are currently testing a dozen promising cup technologies developed through the&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/closed-loop-partners-announces-12-winners-of-the-nextgen-cup-challenge/">NextGen Cup Challenge</a> with the goal of creating an entirely recyclable and compostable cup.

Goal: Double the recycled content of our cups by 2022 Our hot cups currently contain 10% post-consumer fiber (PCF) and we are working to double the recycled content.

Goal: Eliminate single-use straws worldwide by 2020 Since we announced our intention to eliminate single use-straws in July 2018, we developed and engineered&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/say-hello-to-the-lid-that-will-replace-a-billion-straws-a-year/">a new strawlesslid</a> that eliminates the need for a plastic straw and reduces the amount of plastic by 9% versus the traditional lid and straw.&nbsp;We have launched this strawless lid as the default for all iced beverages in Seattle and Vancouver, with&nbsp;sevenmore major markets planned for summer 2019.&nbsp;

*Estimated reduction once fully implemented

10+ Major Cities Currently Recycle our Cups

Goal: Double the recyclability of our cups by 2022 Our cups are accepted for recycling in: Amsterdam; Boston; Dallas; Denver; London; Louisville, Ky.; New York City; San Francisco; Seattle; Washington, D.C.; and Vancouver, B.C.

Goal: Double the use of reusable cups by 2022 In 2018, 1.3% of customers in company-operated stores in the U.S., Canada and EMEA received a discount for bringing their own mug or tumbler, saving more than 42 million disposable cups. We are working to find new ways to encourage customer adoption of reusables, and to begin to track for-here beverages in our reporting.

Goal: Build and operate 10,000 greener stores globally by 2025 Starbucks has 1,612 LEED-certified stores in 16 countries, including all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.&nbsp;We are also developing a new open-source framework to ensure that all Starbucks stores are delivering high standards of environmental performance.

This year, we will launch the Greener Store framework in 300 stores and will be verifying that these stores are: •&nbsp; 100% powered by renewable energy •&nbsp; 25% more energy efficient •&nbsp; 30% more water efficient •&nbsp; Recycling and diverting waste •&nbsp; Sourcing responsible materials •&nbsp; Delivering a healthy environment •&nbsp; Empowering partners to be sustainability champions

Goal: Invest in 100% renewable energy to power operations globally by 2020 Starbucks purchases enough renewable energy to power 100% of its more than 9,000 company-operated stores in the U.S., Canada and the UK with clean energy. Worldwide, more than three-quarters of Starbucks operations are powered by renewables.

Goal: Empower 10,000 partners worldwide to be sustainability champions by 2020 More than 7,200 Starbucks partners have enrolled in the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2015/starbucks-partners-for-sustainability/">Greener Apron</a> sustainability training program through the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.starbucksglobalacademy.com/">Starbucks Global Academy</a> with Arizona State University in the United States, Canada and Britain.

<a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/2018-starbucks-global-social-impact-report/">2018 Global Social Impact Report</a>

2018 Report: Leading in Sustainability - Starbucks Stories

We are committed to 100 percent ethically sourced coffee and reducing the environmental impact of our operations with greener stores, power, cups and packaging.

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2018 Report: Leading in Sustainability

Leading in Sustainability

Learn how Starbucks is working to ensure a better future for people and the planet from ethical sourcing to stores powered by the sun.

We are working to make coffee the world's first sustainable agricultural product.

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We invest in clean, green energy to power our stores, reduce our environmental impact and support access to green power.

We are committed to design, build and operate the world's largest green retail business.

We are working to reduce waste promoting reusability and making packaging sustainable.

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Sustainability commitments at a glance - Starbucks Stories

At a glance: Starbucks sustainability commitments go from farm to straws﻿.

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From ethical sourcing to stores powered by the sun

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Sustainability commitments at a glance

Starbucks announces latest progress and plans for sustainable coffee, served sustainably

Company will trial new greener cups in several markets worldwide in the coming year, roll out new strawless lids in the U.S. and Canada, and provide customers an opportunity to digitally trace their coffee’s journey from seed to cup

SEATTLE – Sipping your hot coffee from a paper cup that you can recycle or compost in your community. Enjoying a cold coffee beverage with a recyclable, strawless lid instead of a conventional plastic straw. And checking the Starbucks mobile app to see the journey of your packaged coffee beans as they were grown, processed, traded and roasted. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Starbucks leadership will unveil progress and plans on all these fronts at the <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/coverage-of-starbucks-2019-annual-meeting-of-shareholders/">company’s annual meeting of shareholders</a>, noting that sustainable coffee, served sustainably is an area of particular passion for Starbucks and its more than 380,000 partners (employees) around the world.

“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.”

Over the next year in several markets worldwide, the company will trial new, greener cups. Shareholders will hear the news today as they sip coffee from one of the cup technologies that will be trialed. Starbucks customers in New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Vancouver and London will help test a few different cups that will be both recyclable and compostable in those municipalities’ facilities. Starbucks will choose the cup technologies from <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/closed-loop-partners-announces-12-winners-of-the-nextgen-cup-challenge/">NextGen Cup Challenge winners</a> announced earlier this month, working with expertise and support from the <a href="https://www.nextgenconsortium.com/">NextGen Consortium</a>.&nbsp;

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Starbucks initiated the Consortium last spring with Closed Loop Partners, and its mission includes identifying cup technologies that can be both recyclable and compostable on a global scale. In addition, the Consortium aims to leverage the scale of its powerful members and industry experts – which a year later include not only Starbucks but also another founding partner McDonald’s, along with supporting partners The Coca-Cola Company, Nestlé, Yum! Brands, Wendy’s and advisory partner the World Wildlife Fund – to work with municipalities to increase acceptance of these new paper cups in recycling and composting programs by showing their value and ability to be recovered and diverted from landfills. 

The Consortium’s work supports Starbucks many efforts to <a href="https://www.starbucks.com/responsibility/environment">minimize its environmental footprint</a>, which include a goal made in 2016 to double the recycled content, recyclability and the reusability of its cups by 2022.

“It is with great intention that we move forward with highly collaborative and innovative work to bring both recyclable and compostable cups to scale around the world,” Johnson said. “We are reimagining the future for Starbucks, and for the more than 30,000 communities we serve each day, with a great sense of responsibility for a more sustainable planet.” 

“We applaud Starbucks speed in committing to test NextGen winners that were identified less than a month ago, and the innovative collaboration at work here among so many global food and beverage companies,” said Kate Daly, Executive Director of the Center for the Circular Economy at Closed Loop Partners. “We look forward to continuing to build on this momentum, so that we can help recyclable and compostable options be the norm rather than the exception for to-go cups.”

Starbucks will roll out new lightweight, recyclable strawless lids to all stores in the United States and Canada in the next year. This is a key milestone as the company works to phase out plastic straws from its more than 30,000 stores worldwide by 2020, eliminating more than 1 billion straws a year – a goal that was <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2018/starbucks-announces-environmental-milestone/">announced last July.</a>

Newly redesigned, lightweight recyclable strawless lids will roll out this summer to Starbucks locations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C., Indianapolis and Toronto, while the rest of the U.S. and Canada will receive them by early 2020. 

The new lids have 9% less plastic than the current lid and straw. Frappuccino® drinks and other blended beverages will continue to have a different, domed lid made from recyclable plastic and will be accompanied by a straw, except where local law prohibits it. Starbucks is testing alternative material straws for blended beverages and is exploring some of this month’s winning NextGen technologies that could apply to straws. (Plastic straws will continue to be available upon request for Starbucks customers who need or request them.) 

“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.”

“Starbucks is invested in developing solutions that seek to improve the sustainability of their products,” said Erin Simon, Director of Sustainability R&amp;D at World Wildlife Fund. “When companies begin to rethink their plastic footprint, innovation, research and measurement are the key elements needed to set them on a path toward continuous improvement.”

Starbucks will preview a feature for the Starbucks mobile app that shows its coffee beans' journey from bean to cup. Senior vice president of Global Coffee &amp; Tea Michelle Burns will unveil for shareholders a future feature for the Starbucks mobile app. The reveal will accompany an on-stage tasting of digitally traceable Starbucks Pike Place® Roast, the package of which, in the future app feature, can be scanned to see its journey &nbsp;from origin to the package.

As the audience will sip their Pike Place from one of the new greener cups the company will trial, they’ll learn that 80% of their cup’s coffee beans came from Colombia and 20% came from Brazil. They’ll see the beans are verified as 100% ethically and sustainably sourced; information about Starbucks responsible sourcing standards and open-source Farmer Support Center in Colombia; where the beans were roasted, (in Kent, Wash.); and brewing tips for a perfect cup.

Now one year into a two-year project to explore the benefits of digital traceability, Burns emphasizes Starbucks ambition of <a href="https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2019/knowledge-is-valuable-coffee-journey-going-digital-for-customers-farmers/">greater empowerment for coffee farmers</a> as customers better understand where their coffee comes from and who grows it. Eventually, customers will be able to use the Starbucks mobile app to trace the journey of their Starbucks packaged coffee.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Starbucks and its suppliers on engaging coffee farmers in real, two-way dialogue on this topic,” said Bambi Semroc, Vice President of Sustainable Markets and Strategy for Conservation International, which is conducting farmer interviews in Costa Rica, Rwanda and Colombia for the project. “We are innovating to help connect coffee drinkers with coffee communities, with the goal to return more value to farmers by first listening to their stories, their knowledge and their needs.”

Costa Rican Coffee Institute (ICAFE) has also been focused on the importance of access to information in coffee farming communities. Xinia Chaves, Executive Director of ICAFE said, “We’ve learned in the past year that collecting and communicating transparent information throughout the entire coffee value chain of Café de Costa Rica has an enormous impact for all the actors that take part in it.” 

Greener cups, fewer straws and tracing your coffee’s journey via app - Starbucks Stories

Greener cups, fewer straws and tracing your coffee’s journey via app

Starbucks announces latest progress and plans for sustainable coffee, served sustainably.

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Greener Cups, Fewer Straws and Tracing Your Coffee’s Journey via App

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greener cups

greener cups - Starbucks Stories

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