Starbucks in hot water over cold water tap scandal

I'm not entirely convinced that anyone ever took Starbucks' claims to greenness seriously in the first place, but those who were taken in now need to wake up and smell the coffee, after it emerged that the global megachain is wasting unthinkable amounts of water every day in most of its branches. According to Ecosalon, the 'average' branch of Starbucks has something called a 'dipper well'; a type of sink that uses a constantly running tap for quick and easy cleaning.

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Shocked that such a wasteful system should be used in a chain notorious for its sheer number of branches, many have already spoken out against the wastage, which is estimated at millions of litres of water every single day. Barrie Clarke of Water UK told PA: "We think that it sounds like a serious waste of water and an unnecessary waste of water because we are at a loss to know what that purpose of it is."

The company has hit back at criticisms from green groups, claiming the taps run at a 'very low pressure' (but not denying they are left running for hours at a time) and are part of the chain's commitment to high health and safety standards.

Sounds like yet another good reason to avoid Starbucks to me, which is no biggie when there are so many other options for ethically-minded caffiene fiends. Check ouy Delocator's search tool to find an independent, eco-aware coffee shop near you.

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