It’s that time of year where our Instagram feeds are full of festive coffee cups.
Image from Starbucks
Whilst it is deemed as a way to spread Christmas cheer, it is worthwhile thinking about the impact that this has on the environment. 4 billion cups are thrown away from Starbucks alone.
It is a common mistake to assume that coffee cups are recyclable, as your favourite coffee shops would have you believe this to be the case. However, many coffee cups are lined to make them waterproof, and it is this which causes the issue, due to the difficulty for it to be separated.
Image from The Conversation
A TV documentary identified just one recycling plant in the UK that is effectively able to recycle the coffee cups. This is pretty shocking given that there is much emphasis on how we can reduce our environmental impact as a consumer. Clearly, there is little we can do to put this infrastructure in place.
However, instead of ordering your Chai Tea Latte and receiving a Christmas cup that will inevitably end up in landfill, why not bring your own reusable cup? Many chains also offer a discount when you bring your own. Although this does require a bit more organisation, if every consumer was to adopt this approach, it would make a massive difference in the long run.
Image from Foodism
Do your bit to help the planet, one cup at a time!