Tons of garbages are being collected and thrown each day, and this is one of the major crisis the world is facing today. The outgrowing garbages are not just destroying the marine life but the entire ecosystem. And as the coffee industry is continuously booming, where more coffee shops are opening across the world, therefore, our caffeine addiction could also lead to millions of waste are produced.
We often ordered our coffee in a takeaway cup, that most of the time only 1 in 400 takeaway cups are recycled according to a report published by Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee, even though 9 in 10 customers put their coffee cups in recycling bins.
Takeaway cups are not 100% biodegradable though they are made of cupboards, it doesn’t mean they are eco-friendly because there’s a polyethylene liner in it that allows the cups to hold liquid.
One of the UK chains, Waitrose joined the reduce plastic and packaging waste bandwagon in the UK “announcing that takeaway customers will have to bring their own coffee cups. By banning single-use takeaway coffee cups, Waitrose expects to save 52 million disposable cups each year.”
Bringing your own coffee mugs every time you buy your coffee will not only save the earth, but you will also save money. Most coffee shops these days offer discounts to people who bring their own mug, and sometimes they even give coffee for free.
Coffee shops in the UK that offer the biggest discounts can be found at Pret, and Patisserie Valerie, where taking your own cup will save you £50 ($67.05). Starbucks, Costa, and Paul all offer a £25 ($33.53) discount, and you’ll get £20 ($26.82) off at Greggs. Caffe Nero has a slightly different system, where you get double loyalty points when you take a reusable cup.
According to The FT, “this is equivalent to a £47 ($63.03) discount if you buy five regular cappuccino at £2.35 ($3.15) each.”
How many coffees do I need to order to return my investment?
Well, that depends on the price of your reusable coffee cup.
“At Starbucks, you can get a reusable cup for just £1 ($1.34). You’d only need to buy two coffees at Pret or Patisserie Valerie to recover your money. A Waitrose cup will set you back £3 ($4.02)– or six coffees.”
If you are not comfortable carrying cups, you can always choose a collapsible one like the Stojo Collapsible Cup on Amazon that cost $14.99. It’s a bit expensive, but investing in a reusable cup can save you money, while also helping the environment.
We hope everyone will join this bandwagon to make the world a better place.
