Last month, Starbucks voted down a request to improve the coffee chain's recycling habits but will still allow guns at selected locations.

While Starbucks did recommend the measure be voted down, eleven percent of its shareholders actually voted in favor. The initiative was penned in part by the As You Sow Foundation (AYS) who successfully altered Coca-Cola's recycling practices with a similar measure. In fact, Conrad MacKerron from AYS says he was "happily surprised" with the 11-percent outcome.

"I don't understand why they wouldn't make every effort to recycle. Why not?" investor Gail Trezise, of Seattle, said after Starbucks' annual shareholders meeting at McCaw Hall.

Starbucks was targeted by As You Sow because of their annual landfill contribution of about 3 billion coffee cups. Along with that footprint, their Ethos Water brand contains no recycled plastic unlike other big brands. And it's been reported that the only Starbucks locations that fully recycle are located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Starbucks shot back that their cups contain 10-percent post-consumer recycled fiber and are even compostable in parts of the country. They company also claims that 70-percent of its stores recycle at least one type of waste. It depends on the local waste management. While victory is further down the road, the company is sponsoring the Betacup competition to meet its goal to supply 100-percent of its coffee in reusable or recyclable cups by 2015.

Oddly, the issue of allowing guns in stores came up during a Q & A. The company said it will abide by local gun laws and not ban them from stores.

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Source: Environmental Leader