iPalimpsest

I wish I could say that I don't go to Starbucks, but I do. Lately, I've been trying to wean myself off onto Teechino, a tasty coffee substitute that has no caffeine and is made of figs, chicory and nuts. However, if you still get your morning cup 'o joe from them, here are some interesting ways you can make your addiction work for the planet. Starbucks will give you their spent coffee grinds for use composting your garden. We don't have a garden, but I still think that's pretty neat. Whatever happened to the discount that used to come with bringing your own reuseable cup? When I was in SF in 2001, it seemed like reuseable cups were ubiquitous and the discount was second nature. I feel like I rarely see anyone with a reuseable cup (in a Starbucks in New York) besides me. Is it just because New Yorkers already schlep so much around with them? If you drink milk, Starbucks are supposed to have non-bovine growth horomone milk available, but I think you have to make a special request for it. This site has lots of good info on how to make Starbucks use more Fair Trade coffee. I heard somewhere that new espresso line from Dunkin' Donuts is fair trade and shade-grown, but I don't remember the source. If Dunkin' Donuts is your poison, you might want to read The Food Revolution by John Robbins, the Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin-Robbins heir.