drought-hit Namibia Africa, or fill an Olympic-sized pool every 53 minutes. Every Starbucks branch has a cold tap behind the counter providing water for a sink called a "dipper well which is used for washing spoons and utensils. This practice has angered environmentalist groups, who have applauded many of Starbucks' programs to protect the environment In response to these criticisms, the Starbucks website suggests that in 2009 they began im plementing new alternatives to the dipper well system, which include water-saving technology in its equipment specifications. For example, the company states that its mechanical dishwashers in the U.S. company-owned stores use less than one gallon of water per cycle through high pressure spray ams. Starbucks' stated goal is: "We're committed to reducing our water usage by 5 percent in company-owned stores by 2012