Comments on: Commentary: Recyclable Cups & Starbucks

By: CABarista

CABarista — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 05:51:59 +0000

I don’t think I’ve ever purchased a tumbler that said it was dishwasher safe-they always say not to wash them in the dishwasher…(not talking just about starbucks tumblers, but in general)

By: eileen

eileen — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:47:19 +0000

i like where you’re going Tracy but agree with Denise about the grossness. what about a dishwasher safe reusable mug that people could share, but have plastic recyclable single-use lids? (or reusable lids that people keep and clean themselves?)

By: eileen

eileen — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:45:27 +0000

yeah, the sharing tumblers thing …. i like where you’re going Tracy but agree with Denise in that mugs can get so gross. i think the idea could totally work if Starbucks could make a dishwasher-safe mug w/o grooves. isn’t there some way to do away with all the little grooves and crevices? i hate travel mugs for this very reason (though I found that the new ceramic starbucks mug is pretty good about that) and even then i don’t even trust myself to get all the crusted coffee out of the grooves and the rubber rings.

maybe people could just share the mug bottoms (and make those dishwasher safe) and have people maintain their own lids, ‘cos that’s where all the grossness, if any, is going to sit.

ooh, or what about – share the dishwasher-safe groove-less mugs, that use recyclable single-use plastic lids? (is that green enough?)

By: denise r.

denise r. — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:27:27 +0000

ps: to the comment back in January from “tracy’, seen here about sharing tumblers: I definitely don’t want to be using anyone else’s tumbler. I realize we all share china and silverware all the time……but these tumblers are not ‘dishwasher safe’ and also, imo, much harder to really clean than a normal cup……the lids, the grooves, etc. I just don’t see that happening. hopefully. I do get where your heart was about this, tho.

By: denise r.

denise r. — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:21:38 +0000

ok wait a minute. where am I????? Is this the thread about today……it’s 4/15/10 and 8:17A (cst) now. I feel confused. ????

Anyway, what I wanted to say about today’s 4/15 free coffee in a tumbler event is: I asked yesterday at my regular store when still, I saw no signange. The manager said: yep, this is how it’s being done….an ‘online’ thing and no communication about posting it up in the stores. THAT seems crazy to me. It will be interesting today to see if there’s ANYTHING about it in the store. WHY would it not be advertised in the stores? (I have even seen it referenced on tv shows…???)

By: Event Supplies

Event Supplies — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:43:56 +0000

I think a "tax" on disposable products purchased from coffee chains would be a good idea, this would be set aside to pay for the proper sorting of the coated cups so they do not end up in the landfill. This would mean that customers are paying to recycle their own paper waste, but the cost would be very small on a per-customer basis. Robert Daniel Paper Cups

By: tracy

tracy — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:39:35 +0000

It might be a silly idea, but what about a rotating travel mug system? You buy a special mug, and when you bring it in, they will give your drink in a cleaned and sanitized travel mug/cup and then clean and sanitize the one you brought in for a future customer. This might help with health codes/sanitation, standardize the mugs for the purposes of consistent drink prep, and help the environment.

By: Chris F

Chris F — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 20:56:36 +0000

One of the things I know helps with reusable cup adoption is the availability of a wash station. One of my past consulting clients went green by eliminating the Styrofoam cups in their break-room. Where they really shone is that they refused to replace them with paper: instead, they went out and bought a complete set of custom-printed company travel mugs for guests who forgot to bring one.

They paid their cleaning staff to run the kitchen dishwasher nightly to clean the ‘guest’ set.

When I worked there I would typically bring a travel mug with me, and would wash it out in the sink before using it. One of the reasons I might not take it into a coffee shop is that I know it still has to be washed. This isn’t something I’m going to ask a barrista to help me with, since I know it’s not their job. Also, bathroom is a possibility, but I really don’t even feel safe washing my hands in most of the ones I find, let alone a cup I drink out of. (Sad but true.)

But, if Starbucks were to install a quick wash station somewhere, I think it would really promote people bringing and using their own cups and travel mugs. I doubt it’d take much engineering. Something with the footprint of a water fountain, you hold the cup upside down over it and it squirts one blast of hot soapy water, then one of clean water to rinse it. It can be something you do while waiting in line.

By: Melody

Melody — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 21:48:31 +0000

I don’t usually do this, but I found another person’s blog (this was a random google find) on the importance of using your own cup, and I love their discussion!

http://www.wellnessfromwithinblog.com/2009/08/drink-responsibly-brink-coffee-cup.html

By: Camspi

Camspi — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:08:28 +0000

Scooter, you’re not an old man!
And I can say that you are what you preach bc you bring in your reusable water bottle everyday.