Starbucks, going greener ... sort of

Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) is in a new venture with Paramount Classics and the National Geographic Films unit to build awareness and foster discussion around "Arctic Tale," the new family-friendly wild life adventure which begins its limited theatrical engagement July 25. A wider release will occur in mid-August, and Starbucks will be promoting the film throughout the summer.

This is a tale of a walrus pup and a polar bear cub growing up over a five-year period in the arctic and it discusses how their habitat is literally melting out from under them. The words "An Inconvenient Truth," climate change, Green, environment, socially responsible, renewable energy, and energy conservation are sprinkled throughout the press release. BUT there is not one single use of the phrase "GLOBAL WARMING" throughout the entire press release. I wonder if their focus group determined that they couldn't use that term for another 17 or 18 months.

This is actually the second 'green initiative' that the company has gone into. In April, 2007, Starbucks partnered with Global Green USA to launch the "Planet Green Game," an interactive, educational online game that educates players about climate change through engaging play, and advocates individual action to inspire players to become part of the solution.

This is another attempt to bring about more awareness of a growing problem. It is obvious that businesses are headed in this direction more and more, even if they have to tiptoe carefully and gradually into it.

Jon Ogg can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he does not own securities in the companies he covers.