Welcome back to the 12 Days of Sustainability – Day 2! Let’s talk about the benefits of Thermal Mugs!
Many of us believe that grabbing the odd disposable cup here and there isn’t making its mark on our planet – But think again! In actual fact, you’ll be making an incredibly positive impact by simply switching to reusable drinkware. According to a 2021 study, the daily coffee intake of the average American is around 3 cups – that comes out to a whopping 400 million cups of coffee consumed everyday by the United States alone.
Unfortunately, the sad reality is that a great majority of these drinks are served in single-use cups that ultimately wind up in the oceans, landfills, and otherwise polluting our beautiful planet. So, how can we alleviate our environmental impact without giving up our much beloved coffee? One of the most effective ways to cut down our carbon footprint while still enjoying our favorite caffeinated beverage is by replacing single-use cups with reusable ones.
plastic cup waste
For aquatic life
Plastic disposable cups and plastic lids contribute to the killing of 100,000 sea mammals, turtles and fish every year. In addition to hindering the wildlife, polluting their natural environment and disturbing their ecosystem, plastic emits all kinds of harmful chemicals like BPA.
Every time you use your reusable coffee cup, you save one plastic cup from potentially ending up in the bottom of the ocean.
For flying friends
The damage doesn’t stop at the water’s surface, however. In addition to the sea animals, plastic cups & lids wreak havoc in the skies with the devastating killing of 1 million sea birds yearly. The occasional stray plastic cup might seem relatively harmless at first, but they injure and kill flying wildlife every day in the form of digestive blockage, internal and external injuries, plumage disruption & habitat loss.
For your health
Reusable cups cut down on the overproduction of some of the different plastics used to make single-use drinkware. These include polypropylene, polystyrene (Styrofoam), polyethylene (PET), its recycled materials equivalent rPET, etc. Furthermore, these common plastics contain the hazardous chemical BPA, a chemical which has been linked to all kinds of health issues.
Studies are still underway to explore the depth of BPA’s risks, but initial findings report reproductive, immunity, and neurological problems, plus an increased risk of Alzheimer’s, asthma, metabolic disease, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
For the environment
Every year, producing paper coffee cups account for the cutting down of 6.5 million trees, as well as using 4 billion gallons of water, and enough energy to power 54,000 homes for a year. This renders a massive environmental impact in the form of deforestation.
Every time you pour yourself a steaming cup of hot coffee or tea to drink in your reusable cup, you save at least one single use cup from hitting the landfill or ocean. Furthermore, you don’t even have to give up frequenting your favorite coffee shops to use a stylish travel mug.
What are some of your favorite ways to #gogreen and
benefit our environment during the holidays?
