Starbucks customers in Seattle Washington super glue themselves to the Starbucks counter to protest upcharge for non-dairy milk. Two activists were protesting because they believe that the upcharge for non-dairy milk is unacceptable. They wore black T-shirts that read “Not Your Mom, Not Your Milk” and “End Vegan Milk Upcharge”. They yelled “Save the planet, save the cows, stop the vegan upcharge now!” and “We’re heading into a climate catastrophe, and Starbucks is still charging up to 80 extra cents for people to get the vegan milk, a sustainable option. It’s time for Starbucks to end the vegan upcharge now.” ” While having their hands glued to the Starbucks counter.

The activist posted pictures on twitter about their protest to inform others about the upcharge for non-dairy milk. One of the activists tweeted, “We’re demanding Starbucks end the vegan milk upcharge because it’s better for humans, other animals, and the Earth.” The activist’s hands remained glued on the counter for about two hours until police arrived. It was believed that they were arrested but then released after being interviewed.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), is committed to ending animal abuse by informing the public and promoting kind treatment towards animals. PETA is also against the upcharge for non-dairy milk, arguing that it discriminates against vegan and lactose-intolerant customers. The organization also retweeted the activist post and captioned it “We’re not going anywhere Starbucks… Literally, we are superglued to your counter”

Paul McCartney, a vegetarian and animal activist, partnered with PETA to work together to influence the former CEO of Starbucks, Kevin Johnson, to end the charges for alternative milks. Workers from Starbucks have also stated that, “dairy is the biggest contributor to Starbucks carbon footprint”. However, Starbucks does not do anything about this issue like making non-dairy options more affordable. 

Non-dairy milk can help our environment by generating less greenhouse gasses. Greenhouse gasses can cause climate change by trapping in heat and can cause air pollution. The production of dairy has a big impact on global warming and climate change because of the gasses released into the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Not only does dairy production create greenhouse gasses, it also takes up a lot of land to raise cows. Statistics show that cows milk requires nine times as much land and produces three times as much carbon emissions than non-dairy milk.

Many people also wonder if non-dairy milk is a healthier option compared to cow’s milk. Unsweetened non-dairy milks have fewer calories, less sugar, and less fat. Meanwhile, cow’s milk is a good source of protein, calcium, iodine, and magnesium, which is important for muscle function and bone development. However, many dairy products contain cholesterol, which can increase the risk of heart disease. 

The up-charge for non-dairy milk at Starbucks is still in place and many customers feel affected about paying more for non-dairy milk than before.