Filmmaker Takes Manhattan, 171 Starbucks Stores
by Jasmin Malik Chua, Jersey City, USA on 07.28.07
Comedian and filmmaker Mark Malkoff was a man on a mission. His goal: To visit every Starbucks outlet in Manhattan in 24 hours—all 171 of them.
Zipping along the mean streets of Gotham on a brand new Schwinn from Kmart, Malkoff (avec cameraman and intern) hit a Starbucks store every seven minutes for more than 20 consecutive hours, taking sips from a grand total of $369.14 in espresso shots, lattes and frappacinos.
"I consumed a purchase at every store," Malkoff says on his Web site. "And I have the receipts to prove it."
But after 14 hours on his bike, a dehydrated and disoriented Malkoff had to call in a car for the last leg of his race. Six hours worth of gas and 170 disposable plastic and paper cups of partially imbibed java later, the world blinked, shrugged, and continued to spin on its axis. TreeHugger, on the other hand, had a less-than-genteel reaction.
Malkoff chronicled his day in Radar, but we've thoughtfully included his video below, as well. Scroll down beyond that for a visual of how many cups we estimate Malkoff added to the waste stream with his wholly unenlightening stunt—one that he could have redeemed in part by using a reusable commuter mug (as a statement against disposables), or by requesting Cafe Estima, Starbuck's only fair-trade-certified blend, to draw attention to the fair-trade issue. ::171 Starbucks
See also: ::Black Gold: A Coffee Film That Has Starbucks Scared, ::Starbucks Challenge: Fair Trade Coffee, ::How to Green Your Coffee and Tea
Is anyone else thinking who cares? What a waste of time. Yet here I am commenting on the waste of time. Maybe I shouldnt be wasting time, haha, Whatever.
he probably saw it on futurama the other night on adult swim. poser.
....and this is related to treehugger and the environment, how?
Think he should have used a reusable mug?!?! anyone
then maybe this would have been entertaining
What a waste and why? Is this a copy of "Super Size Me?"
Don't really get the point...Did he use his own mug or Starbucks cups?
This is pretty irrelevant. I mean, maybe its interesting (or alarming) to know that there are 171 Starbucks in a city, but it doesn't really go anywhere
It's a youtube video with slightly better production values and the familiar kind of attention seeking. What next on Treehugger? Diet Coke & Mentos?
So let's give him some publicity? Sheesh. . .
I wanted to say that Supersize Me was an extremely relevant film with much to teach about the food industry in it's relation to health issues, as well as the political and corporate influences. Second Treehugger did a good thing here by showing and telling of the waste and easy solution (reusable mug) that could have made this short something of more entertainment value.
P.S. This may not be an absolute 100% match on environmental issues, such as tidal power or so, but give Treehugger a break they know the business; and as for diet coke and mentos next Mary lee, love the faith you have, Not! :P
OOps my bad...sorry Mary lee, it was a5y that said the diet coke and mentos thing.
I interviewed this guy for Orato.com and he was cracking me up. His full story is here:
Read: Operation Buzzed: 171 Starbucks In One Day
Apparently there really was a method to his madness! Love it!