Intersections of Marketing, Economics, Environmentalism...and Coffee?

One of my favorite movies, You've Got Mail, has a great quote regarding Starbucks. Sure, the technology they use throughout the move is outmoded. Who has to listen to the whir and chips of dial-up? Let alone actually hear the three words of the title? Nonetheless, the character Joe Fox's attitude towards Starbucks is hilarious:

So people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino.

Recently, however, Starbucks has been trying to seriously change their image. And in the process bring about more eco-friendly changes. In an article in the Chicago Tribune today, Melissa Allison writes about the company's plan to convert their paper cups into napkins for their stores. While their current napkins do list their post-consumer recycled content, this move will hopefully produce larger changes. With 3 billion paper cups per year, the company can keep the recycling internal to produce other needed products.

Other critiques however also need to be appeased. For example, the article discusses how recycling efforts may be blocked because of the lack of markets for paper products. Starbucks wants to step up demand through its paper napkin project.

What the article doesn't mention however, is what will happen to the 1 billion used plastic cups. These are made from #5 plastics, which can be difficult to find recycling centers for in some communities around the country (see this website for more info). These issues make the importance of reusing very evident! When grabbing some coffee, bring a reusable mug if possible. If you forget (and let's be real, it can be so easy to!), ask the barista/o for a house ceramic mug. This is an option that many people may forget about! Although they may not be available at all times throughout the day/ at all locations, using a ceramic mug will cut down on waste. Even though the paper cups will be recycled in greater numbers, producing less waste will still be better for the environment.

Through this example we can see how paper clearly trumps styrofoam! Paper can be turned into useful products, but this is not possible for styrofoam. Luckily, Starbucks is currently using paper cups and not styrofoam ones or these changes obviously wouldn't be possible.

You can read the full article--> here.

No Foam's New Summer Intern!

Hi everyone,

I'm Kristen and I'm interning for Summer 2010 with No Foam Chicago! I'm so excited to have the opportunity to see the 'behind the scenes' functioning of a non-profit organization. I'm helping to run this blog, so you'll be hearing from me fairly often.

I'm going to be a Junior at DePaul in September. I'm double majoring in International Studies and Women's Studies with a Minor in French. I'm also studying abroad in Paris in January, which I'm ecstatic about! I love all things French. I also love animals, dancing, and living in the city. My concentration in International Studies is Sustainability (or Political Ecology...I'm still working out the logistics because we choose our own courses for the concentration).

If you have any questions, would like to know more about me, or have suggestions about things to blog about, feel free to comment!

--Kristen Maddox

No Foam Chicago, Summer 2010 Intern

Where's 'No Foam'?: Chicago Green Music Fest 2010 and Farmers Markets

Wondering where No Foam Chicago will be or when we'll be in your neck of the woods? Look no farther than the section of our blog called, "Where's 'No Foam'?" to stay posted on NFC happenings, actions, educational opportunities, events and MORE.

This Saturday, we will be romping through the Chicago Green Music Fest with clipboards to let people know how they can support our cause and learn more about styrofoam and NFC. The event looks like it will be a unique, awesome time! Who doesn't want to enjoy a Chicago summer by listening to eco-friendly bands, stroll through a "vendor village", and sample the "craft beer booth"? We're sold and we hope you are too! The event runs from June 26 and 27 from noon-10:00pm on both days. It's located on Chicago Avenue between Ashland and Noble and there is a $5 suggested donation. Can't beat that for a full day of live music! More information and the music line up is found on their website.

Also, this Friday (June 25), July 16th, and August 6th, we will be attending Uncommon Ground's Farmer Fridays! We start this Friday so come get your fresh, organic produce and stop by to sign a postcard that will be sent to Mayor Daley to show citizen support behind the proposed ban! From the looks of it, this appears to be no ordinary farmer's market. Oh no, instead, there are organizations, shops, and even breweries present. The folks at Uncommon Ground are always looking for ways to push the green and activist envelope and this market seems like a great way to entice people to do the same. The Market will be right in the parking lot of the Devon location and more info is found on the website.

YES! It IS Possible to Save Money AND Be 'Green'

Inspiration found here.

It can sometimes seem that going 'green' is only for those who can afford fancy new 'green' gadgets, or have knowledge on the latest and greatest scientific research. Though this can sometimes be the case, there are also stories of individuals who transform the green movement into an everyday, lived reality. These people know the power of conserving. This applies to various parts of their lives from energy, space, resources...and YES even money.

Also, when talking about the costs and benefits of being Green, one can't be too caught up in just the 'here and now'. The costs of practices harmful to the environment and humans will only multiply in the long run!

But what about the short-term costs?? Sure it's easy to say these things, but not always easy to implement changes. You may feel held back by financial restrictions, especially in today's economy and of course saving money is a valid concern. Still, in order to incorporate a Green lifestyle, we all need to change the ways we view consumption and daily habits (myself included!!). Being involved in the environmental movement (and indeed any other social movement) means countering what is believed to be 'common sense' or the dominant way of doing things. Scholars call this 'hegemony'. At the root, most social movements' goals are to implement their own counter-hegemonic reforms. Think of the Civil Rights Movement, for instance. These activists envisioned a different society. One with equality granted to people of any race, instead of the institutionalized racism they were raised to take for granted.

The Environmental Movement is attempting to do the same thing: change people's thinking about daily life. These things can start small, and build into larger and larger projects. By thinking creatively, these projects can save money as well. A great example is this blog post from Yahoo's blog, called Shine. It details how a woman has saved more than $10,000 by 'greening' her life.

This was the point of this post. Please excuse my ramblings, I find research on social movements to be fascinating :) [don't get me started on the Danish Redstockings]. But seriously, CHECK OUT THIS LINK! Kudos to you, Nancy (shame they don't give her full name). This story is really inspiring. I was expecting the usual fluff from Yahoo, or the old-standby "green" tips. But alas! I was pleasantly surprised!

She even discusses how her spirituality (she's an Episcopal priest) is tied to her eco-consciousness. She talks about the interconnectedness of nature and how her path to saving green and being green have lead her to see spirituality and her surroundings much differently.

HOWEVER, several of the price estimates do seem to be off. Regardless, they are things that people might skip over when thinking of ways to save money. That being said, do take the price estimates/ how much she claims to have spent before with a grain of salt (okay, more like a good tablespoon).

Finally, in a lovely bit of irony, check out the ads for other posts on the same page. In an article about a woman choosing her needs over wants, many of the other headlines are for products trying to make your life better. And no, these aren't really your run of the mill, "Buy this!" kinds of things. They just might be the clutter that Nancy cut out.

So in case going green doesn't work, at least you'll know where to find, "10 fun and functional ice cream accessories" or a handful of kitchen gadgets. Just kidding.

Link to article

Know Your Alderman?

Pop quiz! How many aldermen serve the City of Chicago?...Don't know? Check out the Office of the Chicago City Clerk to learn this answer and other information about what the Alderman position is all about, as well as learn who your alderman is (psst: the answer is 50).

The City of Chicago is divided into 50 districts and each one elects an alderman, who will be in office for 4 years. The job of each Alderman may be dependent on the particular Ward that he or she serves, however each Alderman must sit on the City Council. This is part of the legislative branch of government and meets about every month. City ordinances are discussed at these meetings.

So why write about Chicago's Aldermen on the No Foam Chicago blog? Because we are proposing a City-wide ordinance to ban styrofoam.

Soon, you may be asked to call your alderman and discuss this issue. It is important for citizens to be actively aware of what is occurring in their local government; knowing your alderman and how to contact him or her, is an important first step.

--No Foam

Additional Information:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_City_Council

http://www.chicityclerk.com/key_legislation_votes_2009.html

No Foam-Created Resource Sheets

Here are some good PDFs that are located on the No Foam Chicago website:

The first is called "Intro to No Foam". It gives an overview of the cause including why NOW is the time to act and what sparked the first anti-foam actions. Click the title to go to the link!

--Intro to No Foam

To understand the movement in a snapshot, we've created a "Top Ten List" of reasons Chicago is working to ban Styrofoam. This is a great, quick read if you're in a hurry but still want to become more educated!

--Top Ten Reasons Chicago is Banning Styrofoam

Next, we have "The Facts on Styrofoam". This sheet describes what Polystyrene is, particularly what makes it so harmful. It discusses why it cannot be recycled, damages to the ozone layer that occur because of styrofoam, as well as alternative products and what YOU can do.

--The Facts on Styrofoam

For the more scientifically-inclined among us, we have "The Chemistry and Properties of Styrofoam". This resource is particularly useful in getting at the heart of the issue: the chemical reasons why the product is so dangerous. It illustrates the complexity of the issue, as well as the scientific proof behind the movement's claims.

--Chemistry and Properties

Finally, here is a list of cities that have already banned polystyrene. This can be a great starting point to find out what methods have worked elsewhere!

--Cities That Have Banned Styrofoam

Hope these help introduce you to our cause as well as spur your interest in our current and future efforts!

-No Foam

Welcome to a new era...of a foamless Chicago

Welcome!

If you've found this blog, we assume you've already seen our website, http://www.nofoamchicago.org If not, go check it out!

This blog is meant to enhance our website and provide YOU with all kinds of tools to be a more powerful, environmentally-conscious, civic-minded Chicagoan. We'll routinely post interesting items we find online that pertain to our determined struggle to ban styrofoam packaging in the city, as well as articles and tips about eco-friendliness and the environmental movement. This blog is meant to be fun AND useful.

So come follow our cause. Hopefully through our peaks and valleys you'll learn more about us. We hope to learn more about you, as well.

There may be times when we call on you to help us. If you'd like to become involved, hopefully you'll be able to use this blog (and our website) as resources.

Thanks for reading. You'll hear from us again...promise :)

--No Foam Chicago