Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Kyle's right. They are Evil.

Kyle and I bought really good travel mugs, which I try to bring with me whenever I meet someone for coffee. Last week at Starbucks, I handed the woman at the till my travel mug and ordered a drink. Then, like a good customer, I walked to the bar to wait quietly for my coffee. I watched in stunned silence as the barrista made my drink in a cardboard cup, poured the drink from disposable cup into my travel mug, and tossed the cup in the garbage.

I understand that she probably wants to make sure I get the same amount of drink as I ordered. But it's a Starbucks mug, which I figure must be a standard size. Or maybe she was confused and didn't notice the mug until after she started making my drink.

Regardless of the reason, I was a bit irritated. The sad thing is that my irritation wasn't because of the environmental impact of such waste. It was because of my deep love of disposable coffee cups. When I drink from a cardboard cup, I savour the warm feeling of heat transfering from the drink to my hands. I relish the rough texture of the paper. I delight in the colourful cheer of left-over Christmas cups. For me, the cardboard cup is a big part of the experience of going out for a five-dollar coffee.

It was all I could do to not launch myself over the counter, intercept the cup before it hit the garbage can, and fill it again with my lactaid latte. Instead, I watched in slow-motion horror as that beautiful cup sailed through the air, ricocheted off the side of the giant garbage can and fell on top of a cold pile of coffee grounds.

All that beauty... wasted.

Why Starbucks, why!? I try to do the right thing by bringing my own cup and you just taunt me!

ps. For fun, you coffee drinkers should check out the Oracle of Starbucks.

8 comments:

Paige said...

Starbucks does so much wrong and epitomizes everything I dislike about our modern Capitalist society, yet I can't stay away from the place.

Also, I couldn't get that link to work. I'll try again later.

Jamie said...

Thanks for the head's up Paige. It should work now.

DaveJenn said...

Aww, they called me lame! Since when is a latte lame?? What do they know anyway???

Hey I can lend you that book if you want? We should get together soon. Since we've changed services we haven't seen you and Kyle in months.

Geegee said...

I love feeling a warm disposable coffee cup in my hand. It is like mittens, but YOU CAN DRINK IT TOO!!!! Sometimes I wait almost an hour to drink it just so I can savor the hear of a full cup in my hands.

Jamie said...

We definitely should hang out! I'll send one of you a facebook message. Dave, as for the Oracle, she's wrong about the lame part but I'll bet you do use the word "friggin".

DaveJenn said...

... yeah I totally friggin do ... dang, they were right! tomorrow I'll order an espresso! livin on the edge!

Paige said...

That Oracle sucks. It says I'm fat and can be seen on Jerry Springer. Do they think I'd be looking at their site if I was rich and famous from my appearances on Jerry?

They don't know me!

Anonymous said...

Hi Jamie,

This is completely unrelated to your blog (which by the way is just as delightful as Karen promised!), but I saw this ad in the parish bulletin and thought of you...driving around nuns...and it made me smile! I do hope you are having a good week. Here's the ad (is this the house by your house?)

Lesley Jeannotte (lesley_jeannotte@yahoo.ca)

SISTERS OF CHARITY OF ST. LOUIS WELCOME VOLUNTEERS

The Sister's of Charity of St. Louis at St. John's Convent, located at 409 10A St. NW have a home for 7 of their elderly Sisters. The Sisters are in need of volunteers who could donate their time to be with the Sisters for the following:

1. Walk with the Sisters
2. Read for the Sisters
3. Pray the Rosary
4. Sit & Visit
5. Take the Sisters for a drive
6. Take the Sisters for a shopping trip
7. Have tea and cookies with them

Volunteers are welcome any day and in the following times:
Mornings 10:30-noon
Noon: Lunch
Afternoon: 3:00 - 4:00pm

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED PLEASE CALL SR. LOUISE McIVOR AT ST. JOHN'S CONVENT 283-2366

 
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