Environmentally friendly may not be friendly...

I have recently discovered that the "Earth Choice" recyclable/compostable cups I have been using may not be as environmentally friendly as I thought. 
It seems their maker Ingeo uses a corn product to make them. The corn they source is a mix of non-GM corn and GM corn. I do not support Genetically Modified crops. Giant companies like Monsanto have been taking over smaller farms and suing farmers and organic growers who have been farming for generations, because of GM plants blowing into fields (where they were not planted) and/ or cross pollination. I do not support 'Round-Up Ready" seeds other GM manipulated seeds and crops. They are a key element in Obesity, Auto-Immune issues, and Cancer of most countries, primarily the USA.

Are there any 'one-time-use' cups that are healthier for the environment and the people using them? 

Views: 218

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Denise Smith on August 27, 2012 at 8:02pm

I recently found out there are no commercial composting places anywhere near us so the 'city' (town) I live in just put all my fancy environmental cup in with the rest of the plastic. So I've been paying over 24% more than I needed to to for cups. :-(

Permalink Reply by Brady on August 28, 2012 at 6:36am

Thanks for the info on this. Figuring out the tradeoffs of "environmentally-conscious" products can be really tough. I too have had trouble reconciling the benefits of corn-based cups with what I know are the serious environmental downsides of corn agriculture.

This isn't an easy problem, and there's really not a one-size-fits-all solution. Raw material usage? Processing byproducts? Energy requirements? Disposal considerations? Water conservation? Cost? What are the environmental priorities in your area, and how do the different options help or harm them?

Good luck figuring out a balanced solution, and please continue to share your discoveries with us. Quite a few are in the same boat and may not be considering all factors.

Permalink Reply by Tom Dove on August 28, 2012 at 7:02pm

I would love to hear more on this

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Barista Exchange Partners

Partner Discount Series Offers

Barista Exchange Friends

Keep Barista Exchange Free

Are you enjoying Barista Exchange? Is it helping you promote your business and helping you network in this great industry? Donate today to keep it free to all members. Supporters can join the "Supporters Group" with a donation. Thanks!

Clicky Web Analytics

© 2024   Created by Matt Milletto.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service