First, our state banned plastic bags, and now our city has taken another step forward by mandating that fast food restaurants ask before providing single-use items like condiments and cutlery for takeout and delivery. There’s a palpable cultural shift towards reusable bags and containers, and we’re here to amplify it! Who are we? A coalition of people and environmental groups including 350 Brooklyn, Beyond Plastics and US Reduces.
We’re on a mission to tackle cup waste in the Big Apple. It’s not just about the staggering statistics – though they’re eye-opening. Did you know that 58 billion cups end up in landfills every year? It’s also about the broader impact that these cups have on our environment and health.
Consider this: your coffee cup is lined with plastic. Yes, even those claiming to be compostable. While bioplastics might seem like a greener alternative, they still take a significant amount of time to break down. Worse yet, when you sip your hot beverage, you’re unknowingly consuming microplastics, which can have detrimental effects on your health, from hormonal disruptions to potential cancer risks.
But fear not! There are simple steps you can take to be part of the solution. Make it a habit to carry your own insulated coffee cup and lightweight water bottle wherever you go. By doing so, you’ll never find yourself needing to purchase a single-use container again.
Ready to take it a step further? You can embark on cafe crawls in your neighborhood and get other people to join you! !
We’ll equip you with window decals for the cafes to put up to show that they accept reusable cups and to remind people to bring them. We also have a punch card system that some cafes may wish to use to track how often someone brings their cup. After 10 times they get a free coffee, just like a loyalty card. There are lots of creative ideas to encourage cafes to promote reusable cups and we are happy to share them with you. Contact us by putting your information in the form.
For more tips on embracing reusables in your daily life, visit our partner US Reduces.
Join us in making New York City a greener, healthier place, one cup at a time.
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