Living in the age of Western excess, it has become 2nd nature for us to seek out convenience and comfort.
Technological progress has brought many unforeseen challenges to our lives. These, however, are (usually) far outweighed by the benefits of technology, including an abundance of tools that help us save time, which for many of us, is the single most valuable resource.
Disposable coffee cups are a prime example of this.
Around the world, millions of people drink from tens of millions of disposable cups every day, totaling billions of cups annually.
What has long been considered one of the modern era’s ultimate inventions, is emerging as one of its most devastating threats – not only to the environment but to our own well-being.
Most disposable Styrofoam cups are coated with oil-derived plastic that is non-biodegradable, breaking in to millions of tiny particles that will never, ever disappear.
For those who believe paper cups are better, well, the truth is that paper cups aren’t entirely safe for the planet either. Not only does the production of paper cups mean cutting down millions of trees every year, but their manufacturing process requires tremendous quantities of energy.
So, there you have it – precious and scarce resources go in to making a single cup of coffee, bringing us but a few meagre minutes of gratification.
Not that smart, is it?
In addition to their negative impact on the planet, disposable paper cups are also coated with plastic materials. This plastic does, indeed, keep boiling beverages from seeping through our cups, but it may also diffuse into the drink itself, and from there straight into our bodies.
Keep in mind, that even if the amount of plastic that finds its way into our bodies from a single cup is negligible, this plastic may never leave our innards. Consequently, the large number of cups we use over the years can lead to high levels of contaminants in our bodies.
1. Increase subject awareness
In 2019, the EU announced a ban on disposable cups, with the aim of reducing the heavy health and environmental damage caused over the decades of their use.
What can you do?
Raise awareness in staff meetings, draft company policies that address the issue and hang them everywhere, join designated work groups and learn more about solutions already implemented elsewhere in the world.
2. Severely reduce disposable cup purchases
Disposables not only harm users and the environment, but also create significant (and unnecessary) office expense.
Reduce to a minimum the purchase of disposables, including cutlery, glasses and disposable plates, as well as trays and bottles.
Acquire multi-purpose utensils for public use and give employees personalized gifts, such as high-quality mugs and plates.
3. Get FreshCUP™ into your office kitchen, the sooner the better
FreshCUP™ is a purpose-built office dishwashing device engineered to provide office workers access to clean, sanitized and ready-to-use, reusable cups and utensils.
FreshCUP™ uses a patented detergent capsule made from biodegradable biomaterials, that is capable of washing 1000 cups.
With FreshCUP™ you can enjoy sparking clean cups in about 30 seconds and avoid using or buying disposable cups altogether.
With FreshCUP™, you can significantly contribute to your own health, the health of your colleagues’ and no less important, the health of the planet we live upon.
