Author: Paul Kradin Disposable coffee cups are becoming their own epidemic around the world. In the United States alone, we throw away about 50 billion plastic cups each year – the type used to serve an iced coffee drink. Another 25 billion paper coffee cups used for hot coffee and tea drinks are thrown away annually – almost none of which can be recycled because of a thin plastic lining applied inside each one to make it waterproof.
On top of that – literally – is the problem of the lids. The flat and domed plastic lids for cold coffee drinks are frequently not recyclable because of the low-quality plastic used to make them, or because of their smaller size. The same is true for many hot cup lids. If they are any color other than white they can’t be recycled, but often won’t be anyway because of their small size or low-quality material.
Putting a stop to this needless waste is as easy as carrying your own reusable coffee cup or tumbler with you whenever you leave home. That’s what Aerrem is here to help you do – by giving you an easy way to carry all of your reusables in a fashionable and easy way. Have a look at our product configurator after you finish this article.
Here Are 7 Ways a Reusable Coffee Cup is Great for the Environment
Benefit #1: Reduce Plastic Waste
It’s so easy – too easy – to grab a coffee on the go, drink it in 10-20 minutes and toss it away without realizing that your plastic coffee cup will like to hang around the planet for another 500-1,000 years. Those paper cups will break down faster, but the plastic lining inside will keep going for centuries. Most of those plastic cups are not being recycled – either because the drinker doesn’t have access to a recycling bin when they’re finished, or because the plastic itself isn’t able to be processed. Those paper cups, despite seeming like they’re recyclable, are not. Using your reusable coffee cup to replace all those disposables will help you avoid being part of this calamity.
Benefit #2: Avoid Health Risks
It may seem like an obvious risk, and yet we all take it each time we drink hot coffee from a plastic-lined paper cup. That scalding liquid interacts with the plastic and has the potential to knock loose some of the chemical elements that comprise the resin used to make it. These are chemicals we would not want in our bodies, and certainly not with every cup of hot coffee we drink. The biggest risk is from Bisphenol A – also known as BPA, which can disrupt our endocrine systems.
Benefit #3: Keep it Hot Longer/Keep it Cold Longer
Half the time it feels like we’re racing to finish our hot coffee while it’s still warm, or our cold coffee before it gets to room temp. An insulated, reusable coffee cup or tumbler is going to keep the temperature steady for hours.
Benefit #4: Know Which One is Yours
People tend to buy coffee from the same place where they work or go to school. If you’re in a group and folks are drinking from the same style cup, there’s a decent chance they can get confused if you don’t keep an eye on it. Why worry? With your own reusable cup or tumbler, you’ll always know which one is yours.
Benefit #5: Save Money
Some coffee shops like to encourage good practices for the environment by offering discounts for people who bring their own cup or tumbler. You may find these cafes are giving you a lower price than everyone else in line.
Benefit #6: Set a Good Example
Our planet cannot go on absorbing so much single-use disposable waste year after year. If people start making the effort to carry reusable cups and tumblers, it will inspire others to make the same switch and we can make progress on one of the most problematic areas of our single-use routine.
Benefit #7: Look Good While Doing Good
What looks better in your hand? A disposable paper or plastic cup, or a well-designed, well-made coffee cup or tumbler that reflects your taste and style? People put all sorts of time and effort into their style and appearance, and then hold a disposable cup in front of them when they’re thirsty. Not a great first impression. A reusable cup or tumbler says something about your values, and it’s a part of your look. Soif you’re looking for a stylish way to carry around your reusable water bottles, now’s your chance to check out the Aerrem bag and see which combination looks best on you.
Paul ensures every aspect of the company honors Aerrem’s values, bringing a strong background in communication strategies to effectively reach consumers. He vets product innovation, web reviews, and all company activity through a sustainability lens.
