If you haven’t yet found a reusable coffee cup you enjoy using regularly, then this may help…
Most of us love a good cup of coffee (or tea) to help get us going in the morning.
However, today’s pace of life means we rarely make time to enjoy a peaceful cuppa sitting still.
Instead, a take-out coffee has become an ‘essential accessory’ on our commute to work, school run, dog walk, travels… but this simple habit is having disastrous consequences on our environment.
Did you know that 100 billion single-use coffee cups are thrown away globally every year?
The figure is mind-boggling!
What happens to all those disposable coffee cups?
Hugh’s War on Waste recently highlighted that only a tiny fraction (less than 1%) of the 2.5 billion coffee cups thrown away in the UK each year are recycled. The almost invisible plastic lining on the inside of the cups makes them extremely difficult to recycle.
This means the vast majority at best end up in the landfill or incinerator, and at worst litter our countryside and oceans.
How has it become the norm to be so wasteful?
When we stop to think about it, using the planet’s precious resources (such as trees and petroleum) to manufacture billions of coffee cups that are used for minutes before being thrown away seems non-sensical.
It’s clear we need a massive shift in consumer behaviour – away from this throw-away society and towards a more conscious form of consumerism where the norm is thinking about the consequences of our purchasing decisions.
The government could speed up this cultural shift by instigating a tax on disposable coffee cups similar to the hugely successful 5p plastic bag charge.
Coffee shops could (and some do) offer discounts to customers who bring their own reusable coffee cups.
However, we can ALL take responsibility for the massive waste caused by single-use coffee cups by choosing to use a reusable coffee cup for our daily caffeine fix.
So, which reusable coffee cup should you choose?
Here’s our pick of 3 of the best reusable coffee cups that will help you reduce disposable coffee cup waste…
1. Bamboo Reusable Ecoffee Cup – 340ml (£8.95)
The light and bright Ecoffee Cup comes in a range of funky colours and designs, and is an affordable, stylish eco-friendly coffee cup.
Made from organic bamboo fibre, it is lightweight yet durable, easy to clean, and leaves no taste residue.
Bamboo is a rapidly renewable resource, and whilst this cup will last for years if treated well, at the end of its life you can send it back to nature by simply crunching it into your compost.
The cup and lid are BPA and phthalate free (the lid is made from food grade silicone) and therefore healthier for you than a plastic coffee cup/lid.
2. Klean Kanteen Insulated Bottle Stainless Steel – 355ml (£22.95)
Although a more expensive choice, the Klean Kanteen insulated stainless steel bottle makes a fantastic reusable coffee cup.
Sturdy and dependable, this bottle gets better with age, and its classic, rugged style will look equally at home in the office or on a camping trip.
Made from high-quality, 18/8 food-grade stainless steel, it doesn’t absorb food flavours or odours, and its double-wall vacuum insulation keeps drinks hot for up to 6 hours and iced up to 24 hours.
Its leak-proof screw top lid has a stainless steel lining that means your drinks don’t come into contact with plastic. This will be your go-to coffee cup for years!
3. Black+Blum Stainless Steel Thermos Flask – 350ml (£14.95)
This old school stainless steel thermos flask with a vegan leather strap is designed by British designers Black+Blum.
Perfect for pouring a hot drink on your morning commuter train, or at the park while you watch the kids, it will soon become one of your favourite travel companions.
Fill with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or soup from home and you’ll save money on expensive take-outs whilst helping the planet too.
Made from stainless steel, polypropylene, silicone & vegan leather. The plastic cup is BPA free and FDA food safe, and the lid has push-button easy-pour mechanism.
A reusable coffee cup also makes a great gift for any coffee lovers or eco-friendly people in your life!