A Venti Mistake

15 Aug, 2011Environmentally Friendly, Featured

If there is one pet peeve that really irks me more than anything else, it’s when I see a person who has clearly not planned ahead. Being a very environmentally conscious individual myself, this issue seems to arise most often when folks are out to the grocery store or the home improvement store and they haven’t made the tiny conscious effort to bring a tote or bag from home and end up using 10 plastic ones to carry home the 11 items they purchased, including half a gallon of milk that is apparently too bulky to simply be carried by it’s handle. Although, on a non-environmental note, I also become annoyed when it is quite clear that someone has gone to the local hardware store without even having planned ahead enough to know exactly what it is they are looking for (“I need 2 screws, I’m not sure what size or length but they are definitely silver.”). But one location that really seems to bring out the nature-killing ignorance in everyone is at the coffee shop. There are so many little things that either the patron or the worker could do to help green up the process but no one seems to want to make the effort.

1. If you’re just getting black coffee, bring your own mug! Yes, there are those spur of the moment stops for an emergency cup, but I think most of us know the days when we’re going to work and will most likely stop to get coffee at some point. Keep a mug in your car and simply wash it out when you get home at night and then throw it back in the cupholder the next morning.

2. When adding cream and sugar, be aware of how much you’re actually throwing away. Most people don’t use a full packet of sweetener and just throw the remainder in the garbage, leaving hundreds of paper packets in the waste bin at the end of the day. If you run a coffee shop or work at one, suggest that the company have a sugar or sweetener shaker instead. A giant box of Splenda costs less than a giant box of Splenda packets and the effort can really add up in the long run. Also, if you don’t really need a wooden stir stick, don’t use it! I see so many people go over to the creamer, put a stir stick in their cup, pour a miniscule amount of half and half, spin the stick around once and then throw it away. Is that really necessary?

3. You only need a sleeve for your drink if it is exceptionally hot and they make reusable ones! I bought a floral print fabric sleeve from a locally owned coffee shop and use it faithfully since it works better than the paper ones and saves some trees as well. I think even some larger chain stores are selling them now so invest in one, there’s no need to throw one away every time that mocha is too hot to handle.