By Fodhla O'Connell-Grennell

In 2019, GreenMatch reported that 16 billion paper cups are wasted each year, which is the equivalent of 6.5 million trees being cut down, 4 billion gallons of water going to waste and enough energy to power 54,000 homes for a single year. Now that it is Plastic Free July, it is especially important to encourage coffee and tea consumers to make the switch to reusable coffee cups.

Some cafes across the world are being influenced by large coffee corporations to temporarily ban their use of reusable coffee cups in a bid to slow the spread of coronavirus. This backwards notion has made all coffee consumers conscious that our own cups are more susceptible to carrying Covid-19 than paper, plastic or alternative cups available in selected cafes.

To get back on track when it comes to our teas and coffees, a great idea implemented by the Conscious Cup Campaign is contactless coffee. In a world which has contactless payment, it is a wonder why contactless coffee has yet to take our cafes by storm during this pandemic.

Contactless coffee means that the barista does not have to touch the cup to make tasty coffee. The consumer brings their own clean coffee cup to any of the coffee shops found on the Conscious Cup Campaign’s list of contactless cafes. After placing their cup on a pre-marked area, the barista can begin brewing a coffee or tea of the customer’s choice, while they hold onto their own lids. Once the coffee is ready, the barista can step away while the customer grabs their coffee and continues on with their day.

If you don’t have your own cup? One of the best reusable cups you can buy comes from our client, reuzi. You can purchase many different styles of cups suitable for both hot and cold drinks; all different shapes, sizes and colours to fit anybody’s style. You also want to stop using single-use straws? They’ve got you covered with bamboo reusable straws.

If your favourite café is not on the list provided by the Conscious Cup Campaign, explain to them what contactless coffee is. Show them this post and get them on board with using your reusables again.