Lesson One: Coffee Cups
Coffee cups, and what the hell you’re supposed to do with them anyways
Let’s start with a little quiz shall we?
That’s enough to fill 1.36 Rogers Centres (or Skydomes if you roll like that 😉).
Waste is a big problem in the takeaway coffee industry. For example, did you know the Tim Hortons Roll Up The Rim Campaign last year produced almost 300 million cups in 2018?!
You might be asking, but why do they end up in a landfill? Aren’t they recyclable?!
Great question. (Give yourself a pat on the back).
Coffee cups technically are recyclable, but most jurisdictions in Canada do not accept them. Here’s why:
In case you’re curious, here’s what you can and cannot recycle in Toronto:
As you can see, the coffee cup problem is a bit of a big one. Here is what you can do:
If you get a takeaway, look on your coffee cup lid:
♷ #5 = recycle
♸ #6 = garbage
Check your local waste management system to see what they accept. For Toronto, check out the Waste Wizard on toronto.ca. And of course, try using reusable coffee mugs.
If you’re in the market for a new travel mug, I highly recommend KeepCup! Their design and durability sold me and I’ve had mine for years! Plus they have great collabs with Sea Shepherd and Star Wars.
It should also be noted there are some great movements happening:
Starbucks Canada in the last couple of years changed their coffee cup lids from a ♸ #6 plastic 🙅♀️ (aka not recyclable) to a ♷ #5 plastic ✅ (aka recyclable).
In some B.C. municipalities, single-use coffee cups are accepted in curb-side recycling programs.
Starbucks U.S. recycled 25 million disposable cups in 2018 to prove it could be done cost-effectively.
As always, if you have any comments or questions please send them my way! I always look forward to continuing the conversation and learning from others!
