Sue Harnly might have seen zombies and witches sipping lattes and mochas, but only because on Halloween morning happy hordes of customers “mobbed” her store, the Eugene Coffee Company, to reward the shop for its “green” practices.
The leader of that mob, Katie Wilson-Hamaker, is the organizer of the local chapter of Carrotmob, a group designed to reward businesses that practice environmentally
sustainable habits.
Wilson-Hamaker has been working with Carrotmob since last February, after she watched a short video on the first Carrotmob event in San Francisco. The group asked 23
different convenience stores if they were mobbed with customers what percentage of that money would go to energy efficiency improvements to the store. Once they found the store with the highest dedicated percentage, the mob ensued.
Wilson-Hamaker says arranging a mob is like coaxing a donkey to walk.
“Carrotmob, in essence, is dangling a carrot in front of these businesses instead of slapping a stick at them,” Wilson-Hamaker said. “It’s a buycott instead of a boycott.”
Cue Eugene Coffee Company.
Harnly, along with the owners of Perugino’s Coffee Shop and Gary’s Coffee Shop, were all approached by Wilson-Hamaker and the Carrotmob to participate in an energy efficiency investigation that would determine which coffee shop would do the most to save energy, buy locally, recycle, waste less, compost, educate, and support the community.
Brooke Standifer, a University graduate student, works on the Carrotmob team as the “supply-chain specialist,” researching the recyclable and reusable cups the coffee shops use. She found that while each shop uses good environmentally conscious practices already, some changes would be needed. Thus, Carrotmob brought in more specialists.
Throughout the process, Carrotmob brought in members from Eugene Water and Electric Board and BRING Recycling to walk through the coffee shops and find what they are doing right and what they could improve.
By sorting through their trash, examining the lighting and supplies sold and used in the store, the Carrotmob team created videos for other “mobsters” to watch and vote on their
Web site.
At midnight on Oct. 27, the polls closed and Eugene Coffee Company won with 50 percent of the votes.
“I was so excited, I had to stay up until midnight to see,” Harnly said. “But what I tell everyone is that all the coffee shops are winners because we all gained awareness about our shops’ sustainability efforts.”
Carrotmob found that by changing out the incandescent lighting, educating their customers on sustainability practices and giving them incentive to reuse, the shop could not only save money but also become more sustainable. On the other hand, the coffee shop was complimented on the practices that have already been set in place.
Harnly’s shop only buys locally roasted, fair-trade shade-grown coffee from Café Mam and sells locally made pastry products. It is also a member of the BluePath Accessible Businesses, providing accessibility to people with disabilities and also dedicating one position in the store to someone who has disabilities.
“We already are doing a lot to support local trade, and that will continue,” Harnly said. “What has changed dramatically is that I have raised my awareness to a whole new level.”
That is what Carrotmob is about, Standifer said. As a general rule, Standifer tries to practice what she preaches, and she hopes that groups like Carrotmob will encourage others to do the same.
“Eugene is considered one of the ‘greenest’ cities in the nation,” Standifer said. “Events like this will enforce that mentality.”
On Saturday morning, constant waves of customers crowded the coffee shop, causing Harnly to look around with a wide smile.
“It is going pretty well,” Harnly said. “We have had a steady flow of people come, and (Eugene Mayor) Kitty Piercy came, which is great.”
Though she may not continue to organize Carrotmob events, Wilson-Hamaker hopes to find a way to legitimize the meaning of sustainability in the community.
“What is sustainability? Well, there hasn’t been a way to totally define that, or have a tool to do that.” Wilson-Hamaker said. “It’s hard to quantify, but Carrotmob is one way to do it.”
Environmentally Sustainable and community-oriented Practices at the Eugene Coffee Company:
- Buying only locally roasted, fair-trade coffee
- Selling locally-made pastries
- Employing one disabled person
- Community involvement through volunteering
- Member of Green Lane Sustainable Business Network
- Charter member of BluePath Accessible Businesses
- Drink discounts for customers who bring their own cups
- Using environmentally safe cleaning products
- Recycling program
- Setting aside coffee grounds for local gardens