Activists protest Starbucks

Since Starbucks Coffee opened its doors at 110 S. Indiana Ave. a little more than a year ago, it has had an intense relationship with the community.\nTuesday, local activists rallied against the shop they say mistreats its workers and uses unsafe products. But Starbucks maintains that the company has been responsible.\nOrin Smith, CEO, president and spokesman for Starbucks, said the company seeks to please local communities such as Bloomington.\n"Starbucks takes seriously its commitment to the communities it serves both here in the United States and throughout the world, and is dedicated to continuing our role as a responsible and caring corporate citizen in all the regions and countries that we touch," Smith said in a release.\nAbout three dozen protesters clamored around the sidewalk touting signs that read, "Hit the road buck! Don't support local greed!" Although protesters made their voices heard around the mid-town coffee shop, many local customers weren't persuaded.\nBloomington resident Robin Larson helped organize the protest to give a voice to the people affected. He said he is against Starbucks' treatment of workers and genetically modified organisms, or GMOs. Smith said GMOs are used in 70 percent of the products sold and might be in 95 percent of the milk supply. Larson said they hurt the environment.\n"I'm here to help the Earth. I'm here to help people. They treat their workers horribly," he said. "They get paid half or less than what it would take to live in that society."\nLarson spent the late afternoon passing out handbills and providing information about workers' rights to passersby and customers. He exhorted customers to give patronage to locally run coffee shops. \nWhen customers didn't listen, Larson kept talking.\n"If you support Starbucks, you're supporting anti-human rights," he said as two women walked past him.\nBut Smith said Starbucks is making an effort to provide high-quality products that are socially and environmentally safe.\n"Starbucks' first priority is to provide high quality, safe products that fit into our long-standing commitment to address the social and environmental effects of our business," he said.\nBut the group is not completely against Starbucks. Sophomore Mandy Skinner said the group supports Starbucks selling fair trade coffee, which workers grow environmentally with better wages and working conditions. But she said it's more expensive and Starbucks doesn't advertise it. \nSkinner said Starbucks could stop sub-contractors and other people who are involved in the process. She said she wants to see local coffee shops supported. \n"There are a lot of community-run coffee shops that lost business because of Starbucks. We want to support our community of workers."\nCapt. Bill Parker of the Bloomington Police Department said the protest was peaceful. He was one of four officers there. Parker said people probably won't be compelled to change their coffee drinking habits, but protesters are getting their message out.\nGraduate student Rebecca Ball was one customer who talked with the protesters and then headed inside the store. While she said she doesn't support Starbucks' actions, she will likely return to buy coffee. \n"It's nice to see people who care," she said. "I feel bad for what's going on there. You can't get past it. Every corporation in America does something that's unethical. If you look at it, I could have gone down the street, but my car is parked here and I'm on my way to work"