1.05.2007

How Many Coffee Cups Does it Take?

One cup at a time I've clogged landfills with my coffee habit. How many disposable cups have I used in my lifetime and how many does it take to make a mountain? The simple act of making my own coffee in the morning and drinking it from a washable mug will be my first act towards reducing my impact. I'll also bring one to work and realize more garbage savings there. In some larger, more "hip" towns, people schlepp their own mugs to java joints, but I'm not sure what the protocol is here in my town. Would it be a faux pas to show up at McDonalds with a ceramic cup and ask them to "fill 'er up?" Probably. I have a lot to learn.

Along with my endless stream of paper cups with lids, plastic grocery bags line my nightmares. If I get up the courage, I'll bring the old ones along to reuse or find some cloth bags instead. It's hard to imagine how many I'll need for our family of four, but it's worth investigating. Nothing quite says "I'm an eco-hippie wannabee" like bringing your own bags to the grocer.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That's a great idea about the coffee cup. I'm doing the same thing except, because I commute long distances, I am just using one cup. I'd like to tell you that it's eco-smart, but really it's just more convient for me.

As for the cloth bags, can you get them used on the web? I think this is a great idea. When they ask "Paper or Plastic?" I would rather answer "My own."