Hasta La Ideas

Today we bring you news out of Starbucks that can only deepen your complex love/hate relationship with the ubiquitous brand and its efforts to simultaneously take over the world and make it a better place to live. The company has just opened a state-of-the-art roasting plant in Calhoun County, South Carolina. Dear reader, it is LEED Silver-certified. While the plant supplies coffee only to Starbucks stores in the southeastern U.S., it’s part of the company’s goal to reduce its environmental footprint by 2015.

In constructing the new plant, Starbucks used recycled building materials (for 20% of the materials used), and more than 75% of construction waste was recycled. The facility also features efficient lighting and water fixtures, and a portion of its power will be supplied by wind energy. According to the company, many of the green design elements used in the South Carolina project are being integrated into the company’s other roasting plants and retail stores. Next on Starbucks’ to-do list? Seek LEED certification for stores worldwide. The company has committed to LEED certification for all new company-operated stores by the end of next year.

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