Decline a double cup when ordering hot drinks; avoid sleeves, lids, or straws unless necessary.
Welcome to Week Two of the 50 Ways to Reduce Your Waste Line. Last week, we talked about refusing bags and any excessive packaging and condiments when purchasing food. This week, we invite you to say “No” to double cups, sleeves, lids, and straws when possible.
One Thing You Can Do:
Make/purchase your own mug cozy! If you want to reduce your “waste line” but a single cup of your morning Joe burns your hand, consider making or purchasing your own reusable fabric mug cozy. You can find adorable ones online, make one yourself, or ask a crafty friend to sew or knit you a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. You can also purchase a silicone re-usable lid or stainless steel straw if these are must-haves for you!
If you are up for the challenge of making your own cozy, the video above below provides a fun, eco-friendly, no-sew tutorial.
Related Facts:
Did you know that the disposable paper cup is embedded with plastic lining which helps insulate the cup but makes it non-recyclable at the same time? As part of Sheridan’s Zero Waste initiative, Sheridan is diverting the paper cup from landfills. At the Zero Waste station, the paper cup goes to the Green bin (“Organics” bin), the plastic lid and the cup sleeve go to the Blue bin (“Mixed Recycling” bin). However, when the lid and the sleeve are not separated from the cup, they become contaminants in each of the three bins. According to our 2016 Waste Audit, the paper cup with lid/sleeve were among the top contaminants in the Green and Blue bins. Specifically, they contributed to 2.8% (or 3,366 kg annually) of contaminants in the Green bin, and 3.1% (or 5,900 kg annually) of contaminants in the Blue bin.
You can help reduce contamination of the Zero Waste station by creating your own re-usable cup sleeve!
