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Eco Friendly Cups
Looking for reusable eco friendly cups to keep your hot drinks and cold drinks at the appropriate temperature when grabbing a drink to go?
*This article includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Reusable cups are the best option. This past year has been tricky in the United States with a global pandemic. Most businesses that allowed you to bring in your own sustainable alternatives hit pause during this hard time for the safety of their staff and customers.
Coffee shops usually have ceramic drinkware that you can use at their shop. But the majority of you are taking your coffee on the go. Many coffee shops have reusable cups you can purchase if you forget a cup to take with you.
Remember to always ask your favorite coffee shop if it is okay to bring in your own cup. Most restaurants are more than happy to pour your coffee, hot drink, or cold drink into a sustainable option you brought from home. Typically, local coffee shops support using sustainable solutions when they can.
Discount with Eco Friendly Cups
When bringing in your own reusable coffee cup some coffee shops will discount your drink. This will allow you to grab your favorite cup of joe at more affordable prices. Even if it is a very small discount, it will definitely add up over time.
Travel Tips when using Eco Friendly Cups
Try to travel with a stainless steel reusable water bottle and stainless steel reusable cup. That way you know that you will have an eco friendly option for both.
Will You Consider Opting for Eco Friendly Cups?
While I get it, a reusable cup isn’t always the most convenient. Can you imagine if we all became conscious consumers and took a reusable option half of the time?
That would cut down significantly on our waste! We don’t need everyone to be perfect. We can make a big impact if everyone was trying and imperfect.
According to the GreenBiz.Com, 600 billion disposable cups make their way each year into the landfill, litter our landscapes or seas.
Each year Americans dispose of 25 BILLION cups per year, which represents:
- 9.4 million trees were harvested just for cups;
- 363 million pounds of waste were generated; and,
- 3,125,000 tons of CO2 emissions were generated.
(Stats are from: https://blog.epa.gov/tag/disposable-coffee-cup/)
While strides have been made in developing more compostable disposable cups, they still produce a lot of waste and there is a concern with chemicals leaching into some types of cups when hot beverages are poured.
Biodegradable coffee cups are definitely a better option than regular disposable cups. The eco-friendly compostable cups can still be a concern for human health.
Plastic Lids and Straws
Also with coffee cups typically comes additional waste with plastic products. Plastic lids, plastic stirs, and plastic straws all contribute to our carbon footprint and greenhouse gases.
Look for reusable silicone straws or stainless steel straws to keep on hand that you can reuse. Skip the plastic lid and plastic straw or stir when possible.
The Best Option for Eco Friendly Cups
The best option is to aim for zero waste by using a reusable cup. Over time, if used daily for 2 – 3 months, a stainless steel reusable cup will use far less energy to create and dispose of than disposable coffee cups.
Below are some of my favorite friendly alternatives to disposable coffee cups. I listed a few from a variety of brands. Most brands listed do have different sizes and a variety of colors available.
I linked to Amazon because I know most of you enjoy fast shipping. You can also find these options listed below under my resources tab.
*This article includes affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Klean Kanteen Double Wall Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Tumbler Cup with Tumbler Lid
This tumbler features double wall vacuum insulation. It can keep drinks hot for up to 4 hrs and keeps drinks cold for up to 20 hrs. It is food-grade stainless steel.
The company is a member of the 1% for the planet, Certified B Corp, and Climate Neutral Certified. From their website, Klean Kanteens have been built with the love of adventure, the love of conserving wild places, and the love of replacing single-use plastics.
MiiR Insulated Tumbler with Press-on Lid for Coffee, Tea and Car Cup Holder Compatible
MiiR is also a member of the 1% for the planet, Certified B Corp, and Climate Neutral Certified. This tumbler has been known to hold drinks hot for 3 hours. There are a variety of sizes available.
YETI Rambler 14 oz Mug, Vacuum Insulated, Stainless Steel with MagSlider Lid
This is a great friendly travel mug. I prefer a tumbler so it can easily fit in my cup holder, but I know some prefer a mug handle.
YETI Rambler 20 oz Tumbler, Stainless Steel, Vacuum Insulated with MagSlider Lid
This is a perfect choice. It comes in different colors and is great for hot coffee or to take to outdoor events to keep your drink cold.
Corkcicle Tumbler
This triple-insulated food grade stainless can keep hot drinks for 3 hours and cold drinks for 9 hours. It has a no slip bottom and comes with a shatter proof lid. There are lots of colors. Even in direct sunlight it still keeps my drink cold for multiple hours.
JOCO Glass Reusable 16oz Coffee Cup
Glass is a great option. Although it does not keep your cold drinks cold. This would be ideal if your drink is not sitting in the direct sunlight. Also, the shape design of the glass allows you to stir in sugar cane or another sweetener easily.
Stainless Steel Cups for Kids and Adult 12 oz
While these cups are not ideal for hot drinks, I love these as reusable cups for kids. It is a great option for cold drinks. I had a hard time finding eco-friendly cups or cold drink cups that are kid-friendly.
Conclusion on Eco Friendly Cups
We can make a big impact on our carbon footprint if we can all use eco-friendly cups just half of the time we get our coffee to go. Reusable products are the best option for human health and carbon footprint. Sustainable solutions can make a difference while we can still enjoy our coffee hot and cold drinks and support our favorite coffee shops.