The Starbucks Campaign
Source: http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/food/dairy/the-starbucks-campaign
Food and Water Watch

Injecting cows with artificial growth hormone harms cows and may harm people. Cows “treated” with this hormone get more infections, which leads to more antibiotic use. Overuse of antibiotics in animal production creates antibiotic resistant bacteria, a serious threat to treating people. Additionally, there is a potential link between rBGH and higher risk of breast, prostate, and colon cancer.

Starbucks promotes itself as a socially responsible company and, with more than 6,000 stores nation wide, buys a lot of milk. If Starbucks made the switch to rBGH-free milk it would send a strong message to the dairy industry about consumers distaste for recombinant bovine growth hormone.

On Tuesday, December 5th, tell Starbucks to buy better milk! Let Starbucks know you object to its continued use of milk produced with artificial growth hormones.

Call Starbucks at:
1 (800) 235-2883
The line should be staffed Mon – Fri 5 AM – 6 PM (PST)

It should take just a few minutes of your time to let Starbucks know that its decision to use rBGH milk is bad for cows and may be bad for people. By making the call, you let Starbucks know that it’s also bad for business. Feel free to use one of our Top 10 Reasons Starbucks Should Go rBGH-Free:

10 Reasons Starbucks Should Go rBGH-Free
Top 10 Reasons Starbucks Should Switch to Milk Produced without the Artificial Growth Hormone rBGH

1. It Makes Cows Sick: rBGH increases the risk of infections in cows
2. It May Make You Sick: When cows have infections they are treated with common antibiotics such as penicillin. Increased antibiotic use in food animals is a serious problem and contributes to the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria, which make you sick and are harder to treat.
3. It May Cause Problems in Humans: When cows are injected with rBGH it increases another hormone, called IGF-1, in the cow and the cow’s milk. Too much IGF-1 in humans is linked with increased rates of colon, breast and prostate cancer. While it’s not clear that rBGH given to cows increases IGF-1 in humans, why take the chance just so dairies can produce more milk?
4. It’s Banned Elsewhere: rBGH is banned in Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and ALL 25 Countries in the European Union.
5. Starbucks is a “Socially Responsible Business:” Starbucks markets itself as a “socially responsible business and stated that it “champions…business practices that produce social environmental and economic benefits for Starbucks communities globally.” These practices should also include treating cows humanely an providing customers with milk produced without genetically engineered hormones
6. The Impact Would Be Huge: Demand breeds supply. Starbucks can require that dairies selling to them stop using rBGH. Starbucks can expand the market for rBGH-free milk as it did for Fair Trade Coffee. If Starbucks made the switch to rBGH-free milk it would send a strong message to the dairy industry about consumers distaste for recombinant bovine growth hormone.
7. Starbucks Can Afford It: Starbucks is in a position to spend a few cents more per gallon of milk. In 2005, its profit were almost $500 million, and one-year net income growth was 26 percent. In just one year it sold over $6 billion worth of goods.
8. Starbucks has already acknowledged that there needs to be a change: In a 2001 letter to the Organic Consumers Association, Starbucks pledged: “Starbucks will begin to offer RBST-free milk as an option upon request… we expect rBST-free milk alternative will be available in all our company-owned U.S. Stores by the end of the summer.” Not much has happened since 2001, five years later, Starbucks still uses rBGH milk. Although Starbucks offers an organic milk upon request, the availability is not well publicized. Furthermore there is no rBGH-free option for bottled Frappaccino drinks and ice creams.
9. Other Companies Are Doing It: In the last several years, due to consumer demand and company ethics, many brands and dairies have pledged to be rBGH free. Ben & Jerry’s and Tillamook Cheese both have banned the hormone and made their dairy producers pledge to ban rBGH with out going organic.
10. Consumers Deserve Better!: Milk made with out genetically-engineered hormones should be the standard, not a luxury item. Let your local Starbucks know that you deserve better and ask them to stop using milk from cows injected with rBGH!!

Be sure to have your friends and family make the call too!

What to do if the line is busy:
Try again later or send an email.

What Else Can You Do:

Circulate the Starbucks National Call-In Day announcement to email lists, like-minded groups, friends, family, or include it in your upcoming newsletter.
Organize a Call-in Day Event. Your organization could host a calling party to Starbucks. All you need is a phone! And it’s the perfect opportunity to educate about this hormone, and ways to get off the market.

Promote the event by hosting these fun National Call-In Day banners on your website or blog.

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