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Permalink Reply by Kevin Kerkhof on May 2, 2009 at 10:36am

The biggest role you can play is that of education. Let your customers know what is going on and what they can do to make a difference.

We use the corn based cups because they do degrade somewhere around 90 days in weathering conditions (they degrade really fast in hot water). After all, they are made of food. The one thing you don't want to do is send them in with your plastic recycles because it messes everything up for the recycling of plastic.

Yes, they are more expensive, but just make it up in your sales cost. You will need to charge more than the other places. Maybe offer a discount for bringing your own cup too.

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Permalink Reply by Dave on May 2, 2009 at 7:21pm

I've done similar research and I've come to the conclusion that the option that will work the best for me is to just go with the corn/sugar cane cups. There's a company in Portland that makes them called StalkMarket/AESAN. They use sugar cane pulp to make their products. And I wouldn't say it take MORE processing, just different. The petroleum based plastics still are refined and developed from oil (whether it crude oil or a byproduct of the refining process I don't know) versus the organic based polymers being formed from a byproduct of the sugar production process. When I do open my coffee shop, I will be charging my customers a price that allows for the increased price. If you inform your customers that the cups are compostable/easily degradable, then it makes you look good. And I would say that not a lot of people really think about what goes in to a drink. They just consider the value of the end product. That's just the way I look at it.

Kevin does have a good idea on the personal cups. I would advise you to check with you health dept because some states and counties don't allow business to take anything back across the counter that a customer brought in due to the risk of contamination. But it is a good idea if you can get away with it.

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Permalink Reply by John P on May 2, 2009 at 7:31pm

Do research. More often than not it takes more energy to produce many of the "bio-friendly" options, and as for reducing waste... doesn't happen.

I just say fill mouth with ice and pour coffee in!

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Permalink Reply by Mike McGinness on May 3, 2009 at 12:04pm

John P said:

Do research. More often than not it takes more energy to produce many of the "bio-friendly" options, and as for reducing waste... doesn't happen.

I just say fill mouth with ice and pour coffee in!

Gotta agree with the result of using bio cups not reducing waste. Problem is they're taken ToGo and people just throw them away where convenient, not into a compost bin. I mean, everywhere you go you'll find a trash can, how many offices or street corners have compost bins? While using them may make your cafe "look" more eco-friendly unless YOU provide a compost bin AND they are consumed on premises all that's really happening is marketing hype and extra cost. And if for on premises consumption I make in washable glass anyway.

Then again even if thrown in the trash they'd break down mucho faster than plastic in a landfill...

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Permalink Reply by Terika on May 3, 2009 at 11:19pm

Am I misunderstanding in thinking that the corn/sugar cups would decompose in a regular landfill?

Also, as far as the hot cups go, we use polystyrene cups. A lot of people accuse them of being Styrofoam, but supposedly the polystyrene cups decompose better than the paper ones with the plastic liner. I think that they are also recyclable, and they are much lighter than paper cups, which I would assume is nice for shipping costs.

miKe mcKoffee aka Mike McGinness said:

John P said:

Do research. More often than not it takes more energy to produce many of the "bio-friendly" options, and as for reducing waste... doesn't happen.

I just say fill mouth with ice and pour coffee in!

Gotta agree with the result of using bio cups not reducing waste. Problem is they're taken ToGo and people just throw them away where convenient, not into a compost bin. I mean, everywhere you go you'll find a trash can, how many offices or street corners have compost bins? While using them may make your cafe "look" more eco-friendly unless YOU provide a compost bin AND they are consumed on premises all that's really happening is marketing hype and extra cost. And if for on premises consumption I make in washable glass anyway.

Then again even if thrown in the trash they'd break down mucho faster than plastic in a landfill...

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Permalink Reply by Brady on May 4, 2009 at 7:24am

Terika said:

Am I misunderstanding in thinking that the corn/sugar cups would decompose in a regular landfill?

Also, as far as the hot cups go, we use polystyrene cups. A lot of people accuse them of being Styrofoam, but supposedly the polystyrene cups decompose better than the paper ones with the plastic liner. I think that they are also recyclable, and they are much lighter than paper cups, which I would assume is nice for shipping costs.

Though I suppose its possible that the compostable cup might degrade in a landfill, its not really clear to me that this is guaranteed. Anyone have more on this?

Styrofoam is just Dow's trademarked name for expanded polystyrene... so there's no difference. It is not even remotely biodegradable. What the foam cup sales guy probably said was they are no less biodegradable than a paper cup in a landfill, which is true but misleading. They may be recyclable, but usually aren't accepted... so unless you are collecting them and finding someone to take them they are just going in the landfill. The only reason I see to choose a expanded PS cup is if you like the cost or the taste.

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Permalink Reply by Jesse -D-> on May 4, 2009 at 8:26am

yum, polystyrene!

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