The era of the disposable coffee cup

In the era of fast cars, fast foods, and fast coffee, everything is disposable. Disposable tumblers, plastic bags, straws, diapers, and wrappers fill our oceans, quickly. It's easy to succumb to temptation and purchase a disposable cup when buying a cup of coffee but take a moment to think before you buy. It's what we've been doing all along, so why should it bother you?

Some disturbing facts to consider

Some eight million pieces of plastic find their way to the world oceans via our rivers systems daily. Over the years, humanity has pumped over 270,000 tonnes of plastic via sewerage, dumps, and rivers into the world's water tank - the ocean. Over a million marine animals are killed by plastic every year. With over 100,000 land animals succumbing to plastic. Some 500,000,000 coffee cups are part of those tonnes of plastic

Why is plastic so bad?

1. Plastic is toxic. Both to human and animal life, these particles are deadly. Plastic particles have been found in fish and humans alike. BPAs and other harmful chemicals have been linked to cancers and other diseases that could be prevented by us reducing our plastic consumption
2. Plastic doesn't degrade, ever. Over time, the plastics in the world will not degrade back into a natural state and we could end up in a world overrun by plastic. Some argue that even though plastic does erode into smaller particles, these particles never breakdown completely and the plastic in the world today will always be here, until the end of time.
3. Spoils groundwater. Small particles into the earth as it rains and becomes trapped in the Earth's freshwater supply. These, small enough to bypass any filtration system, end up in our drinking water and can cause diseases such as cancer in the long term

Did you know?

Recycling a plastic bag saves enough energy to power 9 x 10watt bulbs for an hour

Half a trillion disposable cups are produced every year, that's 62 cups for every person on earth. Or 5 cups a month for every person on the planet.

Throw-away tumblers are made mostly of paper and lined with a thin layer of plastic, making it waterproof. It's this plastic that ends up in the oceans

Polystyrene cups are by far the worst pollutant.

Paper cups aren't fully recyclable even if the company offering them claim them to be.

Solutions

Many coffee shops allow you to use your own, reusable tumbler when purchasing your latte. These come in various shapes and sizes. Branded, collectible, and prized for their durability, you shouldn't be ashamed to hand your reusable tumbler to your Barista.

These cups keep your beverage warm while still saving the environment.

Types of tumblers

Reusing a throw-away cup. Might work once but it isn't very practical, and unhygienic...

The simplest reusable tumbler would be a glass/mug brought from home and given to your barista. These mugs are great for home use, but they aren't very convenient when you're on the move as they spill easily

Collectible tumblers are sold by most coffee brands. These tumblers are insulated to retain heat or cold. They come in various sizes and colors.

What to look for in a tumbler

Firstly, you'll need a sealable cup, there's no point to a tumbler that can't be sealed. It will only spill that hot beverage all over your car or shirt.

The cup needs to be easy to drink. Some cup lids seal very well, so well that they don't let any liquid out when you take a sip and when they do, they pour out like the Niagra falls.

You'll want a well-insulated cup. It's easy for you to burn yourself with a thin uninsulated cup. These are usually a metal cup lined with a separate plastic outer layer. Having a vacuum between the layers, a sort of flask helps to keep temperatures constant.

The rest is up to personal taste and preferences. If you are into superheroes, get a superhero-themed tumbler.

What the world needs now.

If everyone stops using disposable cups and starts taking their reusable cups to their favorite coffee shop half a trillion plastic cups a year wouldn't end in the world's oceans. Millions of animals, marine and land, will live a little longer in this overpopulated world. Turtles could start repopulating the oceans. Dolphins could swim, without swimming into plastic debris. Whales could start breathing again and the world would be a slightly better place to live in.

It all starts with you decidedly living an eco-friendlier life; making the right choices, each of us can play our small part in the fight against global warming, pollution, and the unnatural destruction of our world.