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Are you sure that the paper cup you are drinking out of isn't plastic lined?
Even the paper cups at McDs, BK, and Wendy's have a plastic lining in them.
If you are not looking for it, you might not realize the thin film of plastic lining the INSIDE of the cup.
After doing some digging, it appears there is no such thing as an unlined paper coffee cup, because the hot liquid goes right through them. If you've ever tried putting hot coffee in an unlined cold water cup, you know this to be true. So after generations of different lining materials such as clay and wax, which had limited success, the advent of PE (Polyethelene) coating decades ago rapidly became the standard, and the majority of paper coffee cups today are made this way.
The ecological challenge that arose is that the PE lining, which is actually both inside and outside the cup in many instances, is not a compostable substance, so it doesn't break down in landfills, and it contaminates the standard paper recyclingp process. IOW, PE lined paper cups can only be recycled by specialized equipment, which not all recyling companies have.
In an attempt to make a more eco friendly coffee cup, the PLA lining was developed, which is a polymerized starch, such as corn starch or tapioca, which holds together long enough to serve the purpose, but then is completely compostable. The catch? It renders the cup unsuitable for recycling.
So the problem, as I see it, is simply that Starbucks made an aspirational commitment to 100% recycling before such a thing was technically feasible, but now, years later, it still isn't.
They give you a discount if you bring in your own reusable cup. IMO this is a lot more important than the recyclability of the paper cups. Once the usage of reusable cups gets high enough, I would not be surprised if they did some sort of deposit program and scrapped the disposable cups altogether. Well, maybe Starbucks is too big to do that, but some of the smaller local shops are already doing this.
They give you a discount if you bring in your own reusable cup. IMO this is a lot more important than the recyclability of the paper cups. Once the usage of reusable cups gets high enough, I would not be surprised if they did some sort of deposit program and scrapped the disposable cups altogether. Well, maybe Starbucks is too big to do that, but some of the smaller local shops are already doing this.
Did you read the article? Starbucks made a major campaign for years to promote the use of reusable cups, but by 2011 only 1.9% were doing that. Clearly most American consumers can't be bothered to carry a reusable coffee cup, or a reusable water bottle for that matter.
I make my own coffee 99% of the time but I am wondering if I am the only one who hates drinking out of a paper coffee cup? I also hate drinking out of a plastic water bottle. I just have my own glass bottle that I use and I refill it. I guess only 2% of Starbucks customers feel that way but if I'm going to pay for an expensive coffee I'd like to have it in a mug.
It is really not that much effort, either. I'm not sure there is anything they can do to incentivize people to bring a cup. $.10 is not going to do it. I mean, I bring my own water bottle for free and I see people buying multiple smaller bottles of water for $3 a pop.
Who washes their cups.... just adds to the flavor...
I'm not a big coffee drinker (about 2-3 cups a year). My spouse is a huge coffee drinker and gets withdrawal headaches without it. I cleaned the coffeepot very thoroughly soon after we married and the stuff hit the fan. Apparently, the "flavor" was in the pot somehow. Oops!.
When you drop that used white paper cup into the bin next to the door at a Starbucks, have you done your part to save the planet? Starbucks has long hoped that you would think so. After all, there's no better way to attract an affluent, eco-conscious clientele than to convince customers that your disposable product is "renewable."
When you drop that used white paper cup into the bin next to the door at a Starbucks, have you done your part to save the planet? Starbucks has long hoped that you would think so. After all, there's no better way to attract an affluent, eco-conscious clientele than to convince customers that your disposable product is "renewable."
I can't read the article unless I sign up....none of that ever mattered to me. The primary reason I go to coffee houses is for the taste of the coffee & the caffeine. Everything else is secondary.
Like most articles worth reading, it is sent over via the AP. So it is available in other non-pay-to-read papers. Which is why I posted the other link...
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