Your choice of housing for that hot drink matters when it comes to sustainability. And it doesn’t always come down to just using a reusable cup. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first part of using a sustainable coffee cup is to make sure it can be put in the dishwasher. Ceramic cups at diners or other eateries and coffee shops reign supreme in that washing cups in a dishwasher is more sustainable as far as natural resource use (water and soap). If you’re handwashing a cup, it’s not as sustainable as being able to put it into a dishwasher. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next level of reusable cup sustainability is what material it’s made of. Plastic and stainless steel are the two to avoid when you’re thinking sustainably. Look for things like ceramics as an alternative. This also depends on the use of each of these–the longer a product is used, the lower the environmental impact becomes. But it’s always better, from a life-cycle perspective, to use the most sustainable item to start with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We suggest glass or ceramic reusable cups with silicone lids. At this time, we’re recommending the use of silicone for the lid. Silicone can be downcycled, not recycled. It’s also not that easy to locate a place to recycle silicone. But it breaks down better than plastics, though silicone takes much longer to break down over time. Another option is bamboo for the lid, but it also carries some issues with toxicity when it reaches certain temperatures that hot drinks can reach. Also, remember also that bamboo should not be put in the microwave for this reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A study by a German consumer group also showed that there is a danger of using bamboo due to the potential leaching of melamine, a toxic chemical. Other alternatives are on the rise, such as those cups made from sugarcane and recycled coffee grounds. More on this in a later article. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, if your cup can be put in the dishwasher, you’re already on the way to sustainability. This is regardless of whether it’s made of plastic or stainless steel. If the cup was already produced and can be washed in a sustainable manner, there is no reason to send it to a landfill. You can choose to give it away and buy a more sustainable cup if you choose. But there’s no reason to start tossing them away. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The next phase is to look for the silicone and ceramic or glass materials mentioned already. And to reiterate the point on silicone, it’s sustainable to a certain degree. Where its sustainability gets murky is at the end of its life, it must (should) be recycled, or really downcycled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To go even further, coffee drinkers can look at the sustainability of their coffee. Seek out shade-grown blends<\/a> for a more earth-friendly brew. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Enjoy!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Your choice of housing for that hot drink matters when it comes to sustainability. And it doesn’t always come down to just using a reusable cup. The first part of using a sustainable coffee cup is to make sure it can be put in the dishwasher. Ceramic cups at diners or other eateries and coffee … <\/p>\n