There’s a lot of plastic out there!
According to a recent article from National Geographic “Some 18 billion pounds of plastic waste flows into the oceans each year from coastal regions. That’s the equivalent of five grocery bags of plastic trash sitting on every foot of coastline around the world”. Much of the discarded plastic that pollutes our water is made of up single use plastic items like packaging material, plastic straws and water bottles. Because of this many organizations, cities and individual households are making changes to the way they approach single use plastics. On July 1st of this year, Seattle became the first US city to ban single use plastic straws and utensils in food service.
You can help reduce the amount of plastic out there. Next time you stop by your favorite coffee shop say no to a straw unless you truly need it. Ask if the cafe offers “for here” cold cups (we use pint glasses at Trove coffee) or scrounge up your trusty Hydro Flask/Yeti/Stanley tumbler. Every little bit you do while out and about to reduce your plastic consumption counts!
Looking for ways to reduce your plastic use at home this summer? Here are 5 tips to help cut plastics out of your home life.
- Pack your lunches without plastic: You can find cloth, stainless steel and other non-plastic packing options locally at The Food Co-op , Whole Foods, and Fred Meyer as well as online. There are lots of fun lunch bags out there to show off your personal style, or try making your own at home for a fun DIY project like this from DIY blogger Tanya.
- Buy in bulk: There are so many pantry items that can be purchased from the bulk foods section of your favorite grocery store, just bring your own container and fill er’ up! Great bulk buy options include granola, pastas, popcorn kernels, dried fruit, rice, and nuts.
- Say no to plastic straws: With more options becoming available in stores and online you have lots of choices for plastic alternatives…think bamboo, stainless steel, glass or paper straws (when you get a straw at Trove Coffee you can rest assured knowing it is 100% commercially compostable).
- Consider bar soaps and bar shampoos: An excellent option to cut out plastic containers that fill the bathroom counters, companies like Lush make a variety of bar based cleaning options that cut back on wasteful packaging.
- Carry a reusable water bottle, coffee cup and growler: You know you have some empty items lying around in the back of your cupboard (we sure do!). Take these reusable versions with you next time you shop for a party, hit up your favorite study spot or take a trip to the park. More places are now offering water bottle fill stations or a discount on your brew if you bring your own mug (ask your barista about our “own cup” discount). It’s not just water and caffeine that can be put into a reusable container, don’t forget growler fills of beer, cold brew and kombucha too!
Doing our own small part to help
Here at Trove Coffee we have used compostable items since the day we opened for business. Trove was founded by folks who care deeply for our planet and the health and happiness of our future generations. When you come to our cafe you can feel good knowing that all of our single use cups (both hot and cold), straws, sleeves, and utensils are all 100% compostable.
Please help us reduce the amount of plastics in our world by placing your used recyclable and compostable products in our designated receptacles located in the cafe. Together we can make a difference!
