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Tell Starbucks to Buy Safer Milk!

Target: Starbucks
Sponsored by: Care2

When you grab a latte from Starbucks, do you know what's in the milk?

Unfortunately, probably more than you bargained for. Starbucks uses milk from cows that are injected with a genetically engineered, artificial hormone called recombinant bovine growth hormone, also known as rBGH or rBST.

The problem is, this hormone is known to cause harm to cows and may pose harm to humans. Use of rBGH can contribute to the growth of antibiotic resistant bacteria. rBGH increases the rate of udder infections in cows, which are then treated with antibiotics. Use of rBGH could also pose a cancer risk to people. Injections of rBGH increase another hormone, called IGF-1, in the cow and the cow's milk. Too much IGF-1 in humans is linked with increase rates of colon, breast, and prostate cancer.

This hormone is banned in Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and all 25 countries of the European Union. And until we can get it banned in the U.S., we need to urge major food producers to use safer milk. Starbucks has already increased its use of hormone-free milk to 37% based on activist letters and calls. Let's keep up the pressure - sign the petition today to urge Starbucks to use milk that is free of artificial hormones!

deadline: 5-7-2008
goal: 20,000

24,279
signatures!

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Dear Starbucks,

I am concerned about the use of recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) in your dairy products. While I applaud your pledge to make 37% of your milk supply free of artificial growth hormones by the end of January 2007, I believe you can do better. As the largest coffee specialty retailer in the world, you are well positioned to require rBGH-free dairy for 100% of your products.

Specifically, I am concerned that the use of rBGH may lead to more antibiotic-resistant bacteria. When cows are injected with rBGH, it increases their likelihood of contracting painful udder infections, which are treated with common antibiotics. Overuse of antibiotics in agriculture is a serious concern of numerous health organizations, such as the American Public Health Association, because it creates antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Another major concern I have with Starbucks� use of rBGH is that there are potential cancer risks from this genetically engineered hormone. rBGH increases another hormone in cows and cows� milk, called IGF-1. In numerous studies, too much IGF-1 is associated with higher rates of breast, prostate, colon, and lung cancer in humans.

The reality is that recombinant bovine growth hormone offers no consumer benefit. Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the entire European Union have banned rBGH. So why should your customers have to take this unnecessary risk?

In the past several years, many dairies and companies alike have responded to consumer concerns and decided to go rBGH-free. As the industry leader, Starbucks has unique buying power. Your company can and should require all of your dairy suppliers to ban recombinant bovine growth hormone. Your customers deserve nothing less.

[Your comment here]

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

We signed the “Tell Starbucks to Buy Safer Milk!” petition!

# 100:

4:42 pm PDT, May 17, Jacqueline Combs, Maryland

# 99:

4:37 pm PDT, May 17, Denise Lytle, New Jersey

# 98:

4:30 pm PDT, May 17, Candy Bowman-LeBlanc, California

# 97:

4:24 pm PDT, May 17, Linda Lindsay, Colorado

# 96:

4:19 pm PDT, May 17, Lisa Huffman, Florida

# 95:

4:18 pm PDT, May 17, Miriam Garcia, Puerto Rico

# 94:

4:17 pm PDT, May 17, Ginni LaRosa, Maryland

# 93:

4:16 pm PDT, May 17, Stephanie Wiltse-Smith, Florida

# 92:

4:16 pm PDT, May 17, Carole Bamford, Canada

# 91:

4:13 pm PDT, May 17, Mary Knisley, Virginia

# 90:

3:52 pm PDT, May 17, Nicky Meyer, South Africa

# 89:

3:49 pm PDT, May 17, David Peters, United Kingdom

# 88:

3:48 pm PDT, May 17, Karyn Keyes, California

# 87:

3:41 pm PDT, May 17, Susan Diem, New Jersey

# 86:

3:38 pm PDT, May 17, Kimberly Dalton-Chaney, North Carolina
I am a patron of Starbucks and I have health issues. Until Starbucks starts to use milk that is rBGH-free, neither my family nor I will be buying from them. These hormones are dangerous for both animals and humans. STOP USEING rBGH TREATED MILK!

# 85:

3:34 pm PDT, May 17, Anthony Costa, New York

# 84:

3:31 pm PDT, May 17, Carrie Zeigler, Ohio

# 83:

3:29 pm PDT, May 17, Oscar Gallardo, Spain

# 82:

3:26 pm PDT, May 17, Katie Sinnott, Maryland

# 81:

3:22 pm PDT, May 17, Name not displayed, Oregon
When we drink milk from cows treated with hormones we are drinking the homrmones as well. Not only can having excess hormones in our bodies cause adverse effects in how we develop, especially in children, but consuming these hormones should be a choice for us in every establishment.

# 80:

3:16 pm PDT, May 17, Alison Lambert, Florida

# 79:

3:00 pm PDT, May 17, Adrienne Ferrari, California

# 78:

2:59 pm PDT, May 17, Carolyn Peterson, California

# 77:

2:51 pm PDT, May 17, Gene Ulmer, California

# 76:

2:43 pm PDT, May 17, Robert Rutkowski, Poland

# 75:

2:40 pm PDT, May 17, Meww Gomez, Virginia

# 74:

2:35 pm PDT, May 17, Steven Stiller, Maine

# 73:

2:29 pm PDT, May 17, Carol Barnes, Pennsylvania

# 72:

2:28 pm PDT, May 17, Name not displayed, Washington
We get enough added hormones in everything, at least leave it out of the m ilk you use.

# 71:

2:23 pm PDT, May 17, Dana Knox, Nevada

# 70:

2:22 pm PDT, May 17, Phil Webb, United Kingdom

# 69:

2:19 pm PDT, May 17, Noelle SeaCloud, California

# 68:

2:15 pm PDT, May 17, Chris Nicosia, Florida
how can you do this and NOT tell us, who make you rich

# 67:

2:13 pm PDT, May 17, Elizabeth Graf, Texas

# 66:

2:13 pm PDT, May 17, Nasreen Karim, California

# 65:

2:10 pm PDT, May 17, John Jones, Texas

# 64:

2:07 pm PDT, May 17, Ms Zentura, Wyoming

# 63:

2:07 pm PDT, May 17, Robin Garvey, California

# 62:

2:04 pm PDT, May 17, Name not displayed, Iowa

# 61:

2:00 pm PDT, May 17, Quinton Quebodeaux, Louisiana

# 60:

1:55 pm PDT, May 17, Dani McDaniel, Oklahoma

# 59:

1:51 pm PDT, May 17, Elizabeth Anselmo, North Carolina

# 58:

1:51 pm PDT, May 17, Kelli Hicks, Kentucky

# 57:

1:44 pm PDT, May 17, Rene Friberg, Washington

# 56:

1:39 pm PDT, May 17, Allison Anselmo, North Carolina

# 55:

1:32 pm PDT, May 17, Maria Militsi, Greece

# 54:

1:19 pm PDT, May 17, Matthew Pintar, Pennsylvania

# 53:

1:16 pm PDT, May 17, Whaleofatime S, Canada

# 52:

12:57 pm PDT, May 17, Kathryn Hamilton, Massachusetts

# 51:

12:55 pm PDT, May 17, Name not displayed, Georgia

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Tell Starbucks to Buy Safer Milk!

This petition has been closed.