New Ground: Small Steps to a Sustainable Environment

Getting More out of Your Coffee… and Your Cup

Until yesterday, I didn’t even know that foam containers were a poly (petroleum-based) product.

Did you know that foam containers aren’t really styrofoam? Styrofoam is a Dow Corporation trademark for its blue polystyrene thermal insulation. Foam containers are made out of expanded polystyrene beads. Because they are expanded by being injected with air, foam containers are almost 99% air, making them the most difficult form of plastic to recycle. According to Californians Against Waste, the California Department of Conservation reports that the costs of recycling polystyrene is over $3000 per ton—meaning that foam containers have a negative scrap value.

Does this mean you should forgo your morning Starbucks or Kwik Trip Karuba? No! But there are some things you can do to stop the waste that may even enhance the flavor of your coffee.

Many places such as Starbucks and Kwik Trip have reusable mugs for sale and some will gladly fill your mug from home for the same price as a fresh foam cup of coffee.

But what if you gather with friends for breakfast at local bistro? Here in Winona, the local Hy-Vee deli is a popular morning gathering spot. They have great cheap breakfasts and several flavors of coffee to delight your palette. They also have a huge mug tree that is filled with the mugs of their regular patrons.

If you do gather for coffee with a group of friends that solve all the world’s problems before breakfast (or after lunch), using your own cup will help to solve one of them. Encourage your favorite bistro to install a mug tree or find one that already has a place for you to keep your cup. Of course, if all else fails, you can always bring a cup from home. Besides, doesn’t coffee always taste better when it’s in your own, familiar cup or mug?