A Venti With a Side of Environmentalism

October 22, 2011 0 Comments

If I have one pet peeve above all others, it is when I encounter someone who clearly doesn’t plan ahead. Being very environmentally conscious myself, this issue seems to be at its’ peak when people are at the grocery store or a home improvement store and they haven’t made any effort to carry a tote or bag from home and end up using 8 plastic bags to carry home the 10 items they purchased, including a container of orange juice that must be so bulky that it can’t possibly be carried by its’ handle. But the main location that seems to truly bring out the wasteful naivety in everyone is the coffee shop. There are endless little measures that either the patron or the worker could take in order to make the process more environmentally friendly, but no one ever wants to make the effort.

1. If you are ordering a simple cup of black coffee, bring your own mug!

Of course, there are occasional impromptu stops for an emergency coffee, but I’m sure most folks know the days when they’re heading to work and will probably stop at the coffee shop around the corner. You can keep a mug in your car and wash it out when you get home at the end of the day and then toss it back in the cup holder the following morning. Or you can make a little space in your briefcase to store your mug on the train to work and then fill up at the coffee joint nearest work so your caffeine buzz lasts a little longer through the day.

Reusable Coffee Cup

Image by philcampbell

2. When adding cream and sugar, always be conscious of what you’re actually throwing away.

The Good Old Sugar Dispenser!

Most patrons don’t use an entire packet of sweetener and end up throwing the remainder in the trash, leaving hundreds of paper packets in the garbage at the end of the day. If you manage a coffee shop or work at one, suggest using a sugar or sweetener shaker instead. A huge container of Splenda is less expensive than a huge container of Splenda packets and the conservation effort adds up in the long run. Also, if you don’t actually need a wooden stir stick to mix your coffee, don’t use it! I watch countless people walk over to the creamer counter, put a stir stick in their cup, pour a miniscule amount of skim milk, swish the stick around once and then throw it away. That can’t be necessary.

Image by peretzp

3. You only need a protective sleeve for your cup if it is scolding hot and reusable ones do exist!

I purchased a patterned fabric sleeve from a local coffee shop near my house and I use it every day since it functions better than the flimsy paper ones and saves some trees at the same time. Even some large chain stores are selling them now so I highly recommend investing in one, there’s no need to throw a paper sleeve away every time that mocha is too hot to handle.