When it comes to drinking coffee and other hot beverages, you’ve probably got a favourite mug on your desk. Maybe it’s one of those tall Styrofoam cups from your old favourite coffee shop. Maybe it’s a fancy ceramic mug that someone gave you as a gift. Either way, what you might not know is that this seemingly innocuous object can be harmful to the environment!
Things you need to know about Sustainable Cups
What Is A Sustainable Cup?
A sustainable cup is a reusable cup which comes from renewable resources. The most common types of sustainable cups are using bamboo, corn, and sugarcane. These materials can either be biodegradable or recyclable depending on how they were manufactured.
A disposable cup may look like it comes out of paper. But it often contains plastic which isn’t recyclable in most cities. On the other hand, a reusable bamboo cup can easily be compostable at home!
They’re Compostable
If you’re already a home composting enthusiast, you’re familiar with the process of breaking down food scraps into nutrient-rich fertilizer for your garden. Compostable cups come from plant-based materials. They break down in a home composting bin and return nutrients to the soil. This makes them an environmentally friendly option when it comes to disposables.
They’re Made From Plants
When you think of sustainable cups, you probably think of corn-based plastics or biodegradable composites. But did you know that the most sustainable material for your cups come out of plants?
Plants are renewable, which means we can continue to grow them without running out any time soon. In addition to being renewable, plants are biodegradable and compostable. That makes them eco-friendly in every way!
They’re Certified Home Compostable
You can feel good about using these cups because they’re certified home compostable. This means that the cup will break down into organic matter in a home composter, but not in a commercial facility. If you have access to a backyard composter or worm bin, feel free to throw your cups away there!
You Can Put Cold Drinks In Them
While the cup you choose won’t make a huge difference in the world, it is important to understand that there are options out there. For example, you can put cold drinks in your sustainable cup. If you’re thinking about getting one for this purpose, it may be helpful to know how to do so. You might also want to know how hot drinks work with our cups. Or know what happens when we mix hot and cold together!
We’ll show you how easy it is:
- Fill up with water at room temperature (or if you don’t have access to tap water, use some bottled water).
- Put on the lid while holding both sides of the handle firmly in place with your fingers until they click into place (this will prevent leaks).
If this feels like too much work or if your lid doesn’t fit quite right, try another mug. Some mugs have lids that are not compatible with others (i.e., they aren’t universal). So make sure yours fits before buying!
They’re Better For The Ocean
These cups come from recycled paperboard and come with a bamboo lid. The lid is also compostable, so it breaks down quickly when thrown in the trash. Plus, you can use these cups to add some greenery to your day without worrying about them ending up in the ocean or polluting the land after using.
They’re 100% biodegradable and recyclable. You can return them to Mother Earth safely once they become useless (or if you just don’t want them anymore). They’re all-around better for our environment!
You Can Heat Them In The Microwave
You can heat these cups in the microwave, oven, on the stovetop, or by using a kettle. They can also heat by using a hot water bottle. And if you have one of those steam cleaners that are all the rage these days, you can use that to warm up your cup too!
They’re Great For Hot Or Cold Beverages
You can use these cups for hot or cold beverages, whether you are drinking coffee, tea, water, or smoothies. They’re also great for soups and stews. Because they consist of plant-based materials, they are compostable and you can wash them in the dishwasher. These cups are microwave safe (though some people prefer not to).
You don’t have to worry about BPA leaching into your drink when microwaving them because they’re using plant-based materials! The best part is that once you finish drinking out of this cup at home, there’s no need to throw it away! You can easily rinse out your cup clean with warm water and re-use it again later on down the road!
Sustainable Cups – Product Recommendations
Responsible Products Compostable Clear Cold Cup
The Responsible Products Compostable Clear Cold Cup comes from plant-based materials. It is certified home compostable and you can put cold drinks in them. You can even heat them in the microwave (if you want to).
The Responsible Products Compostable Clear Cold Cup is a better option for the environment because it reduces waste and helps prevent pollution. By choosing these cups over plastic, you’re helping to reduce our impact on the environment.
ECOLipak Compostable Paper Cups
ECOLipak Compostable Paper Cups are a great alternative to plastic cups. They are using recyclable paper and certified home compostable. This means they’ll break down in your backyard or at a commercial facility and leave no residue. So you can feel good about drinking out of them while knowing they’re better for the ocean.
If you want to enjoy cold drinks on the go, try ECOLipak Compostable Paper Cups! They’re leak-proof and won’t crack or shatter like glass or plastic bottles do when frozen. Getting glass shards out of your drink is never fun.
Green Solutions Eco Bamboo Coffee Cups
Bamboo is a renewable resource that has been used for centuries. The earliest known record dates back to the Tang Dynasty. This makes bamboo one of the most sustainable materials available for use in making cups, plates, and other items.
Bamboo cups come from natural bamboo fibres and are therefore reusable. They’re versatile for hot or cold drinks without any deterioration in quality over time. The light weight of these cups makes them convenient to carry around when you’re on the go. This also reduces your carbon footprint by making less waste than disposable paper cups would create.
The Green Solutions Eco Bamboo Coffee Cups come in packs of 50 pieces. If you’re looking for something larger than just an individual cup then this may be a good option for you! This product comes in two different sizes: small (6oz) and medium (9oz). Both versions hold more liquid than a regular cup made out of paper or Styrofoam. This makes them great if you like having lots of coffee throughout your day!
Lukara EcoGo Reusable Cup
Lukara EcoGo Reusable Cup is an excellent choice to help you reduce your environmental footprint. The cup uses renewable resources like cornstarch. This means it’s compostable or incinerated, unlike many plastic cups that aren’t biodegradable. It’s also 100% biodegradable, so when you’re done with the cup, it won’t sit around in landfills for hundreds of years.
The Lukara EcoGo Reusable Cup comes with a lid and handles. This makes it easy to drink while on the go and keep your drinks inside at all times. This reusable cup is dishwasher safe and can withstand temperatures up to 220 degrees Fahrenheit (104 degrees Celsius). You can even put it in the microwave! Plus there’s no need for a straw—just sip away as normal!
FEBU Plant-Based Reusable Coffee Cup
The FEBU Plant-based Reusable Coffee Cup comes from plant-based materials and is 100% biodegradable. It’s reusable, dishwasher safe, and microwavable. It’s also recyclable! The FEBU cup is one of the best sustainable coffee cups out there because it uses recyclable materials and has a small carbon footprint.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can wash your reusable cups in the dishwasher! But you shouldn’t put them in the same place as your glassware, as they may not survive an accidental impact with a ceramic plate. And while we’re on the topic of impacts: don’t use a high heat setting or any dry cycle that might cause dishes to bang around.
You should also never put them through a sanitized cycle—that’s what they’re made for. Similarly, don’t run them through a non-dairy cycle (like “China”) or a china cycle. If you have any doubts about whether something is safe for your sustainable cups, just ask us and we’ll be happy to help!
Wash your cup by hand with hot soapy water. Rinse well and dry with a towel or let it air-dry on its own if you don’t have time to wait for it to dry completely.
If you’re washing your cup in the dishwasher, always set it to the “gentle” cycle and try not to overload it with dishes–this will help reduce wear on both your other dishes as well as your Hydro Flask bottle!
It is absolutely safe to heat sustainable cups in the microwave. Many people prefer microwaving their hot drinks over using a stove or kettle because it’s easy and convenient. However, there are some things you should keep in mind when heating your cup on high for longer than 20 seconds.
First of all, remember that the lid will get very hot as well. If you’re using a paper cup with a waxed lining on top, make sure to let it cool down before removing the lid! Also, be careful not to overfill your cup—if there’s too much liquid in there when you go to heat it, then it may overflow and leave your kitchen looking like a crime scene after an episode of Murder She Wrote (don’t ask us how we know).
Conclusion
At the end of the day, we all want to be more sustainable and use less plastic. So if you’re looking for a green alternative to disposable cups, feel free to choose from any of the options above. The key is to just get started!
If you want to transform your dining table into an eco-friendlier one, consider buying these eco-friendly placemats.