The Coffee Cup Crisis (the importance of reusable coffee cups!)
September 25, 2017
They're small, simple thing that may not have crossed your mind, however coffee cups have been given a fair bit of media limelight recently. Having just got back from volunteering in Cyprus, the extent of waste on our beautiful planet really has hit home to me, so I'll be sharing tips on how to live more sustainably- one step at a time! Think you won't be making a difference? This article reminds us that the average American generates 4.3 pounds of waste per day, enough to cover the space of you and 5 friends on the beach!
So, where to begin?
Takeaway cups are a good place to start, because coffee is a
staple keeping students like me awake!
Estimates suggest that over 3 million coffee cups are handed out in the UK alone, and fewer than 1 in 400 are recycled. This leads to over 1 billion single use cups on landfill per year. By laminating the paper to make it watertight, it can be quite difficult to recycle, and most end up being disposed of in general waste bins anyway.
By purchasing one takeaway drink per year, you will generate 23 lbs of waste a year. But it’s not just what’s left after the drink, making the cups is also costly. According to a study conducted by Starbucks and the Alliance for the Environmental Innovation (April 2000), each paper cup manufactured is responsible for 0.24 lbs of CO2 emissions.
Since I found out these facts last year, I’ve been making effort to bring my reusable EcoffeeCup with me when I head to lectures or on a day out. It’s made from naturally organic bamboo, so that once you’ve finished using it you can crush it, soak in boiling water then bury it and it will biodegrade! The silicone lid and sleeve can also be recycled. However, I’ve been using mine for well over a year (maybe two) now and it’s been great!
Our university campus offers 10% discount when you bring your own cup, and many other coffee chains offer additional perks- in case you needed more convincing! I think that Pret a Manger, Costa and Starbucks offer 25p discount for bringing your own reusable cup and Caffe Nero give you two stamps instead of one.
I’d love to hear in the comments section if you have a reusuable coffee cup, or if you’re interested to get one! Let me know your favourite brands and coffee places :)
Emma xo
Statistics from:
The Guardian (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/mar/15/coffee-cup-britons-3-billion-so-few-recylced)
The Sun (https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/3300210/the-coffee-chains-that-give-you-a-discount-for-bringing-your-own-reusable-cup/)
Carry Your Cup (http://www.carryyourcup.org/get-the-facts)
Ecoffee cup (https://www.ecoffeecup.co.za/)
*This post is not sponsored. I got given this cup by a friend a few years ago and have enjoyed using it :)
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