The Scourge of the Forest: Disposable Coffee Cups
Disposable coffee cups are responsible for the deaths of over 6.5 million trees each year! In 2006 it is estimated that 16 billion of these beasts found their way into the trash creating over 250 million pounds of solid waste. No need to fear, these little short lived monsters can easily be stopped by the use of a simple household item… a REUSABLE coffee mug.
I was thinking about this after I recklessly brought one of these little beasts into the world today (forgot my mug and was too lazy to go back for it). I realized that I have become desensitized to those astronomical figures… 16 billion cups, I can’t even picture that, so I scaled it down to my life. I love coffee and although I have become immune to the caffeine I still drink at least one cup a day, (sometimes more, although I could stop anytime I want, I just don’t wan to!) One cup a day…
That’s 365 cups a year… 
and 3650 cups over the 10 years that I have been going to my local coffee shop…
Or just one of these (as long as I remember it)…
Most coffee joints sell their own branded reusable mugs and most of them give you a small discount when you fill up. So aside from saving trees, it is saving you and the coffee shop money. Even if you coffee shop doesn’t sell mugs and you don’t want to buy one anywhere else you can bring your own glass/ceramic mug. So next time you are heading out to get a cup of Joe, make it a mug of Joe for a simple and easy way to save a tree.
Visit Sustainability Is Sexy for more facts about disposable coffee cups and what they are doing to combat them. Soon you’ll be able to get your own Sustainability Is Sexy mug.
Any Suggestions?
6 Comments, Comment or Ping
Julie
That little coffee monster is so cute it’s hard to be mad at him. If he had some downward pointing eyebrows I’d be less inclined to say “save the cute little disposable cup monster!”
Jun 2nd, 2008
Tim
Why are we trying to save trees? They are the best free source of carbon sequestration. Plant them, and then harvest them for whatever purposes, coffee cups, building lumber, phone books. As long as we replant (and we have been) this is a sustainable use of captured carbon. If you want to make an argument for landfill use or against bleaching the pulp, then go ahead but the time to protect this renewable resource is past. Once they’ve soaked up enough carbon, cut’em down and use ‘em.
Jun 3rd, 2008
Sara
Just think that you might also want to take a look at the cute ‘not a paper cup’ from thinkgeek: http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/accessories/a3a4/
Jun 14th, 2008
wendy
check out my little film about coffee cups
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o7ke_VlzSE
Oct 9th, 2008
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