One of the first things I noticed when we moved to Vancouver, were the number of people who walk/drive around town with disposable cups of coffee. Gradually, I began to see the long queues outsides restaurants like Tim Horton’s, where cars would pull up and drivers order their daily fix. The time of day, or night, doesn’t seem to affect the lines and I’ve yet to see an empty window! I pity the staff who work it. They must be exhausted at the end of their shift!
I have nothing against coffee drinkers. I myself survive on endless cups of tea, but that’s just me. I do not drink tea outside, because I do believe that making a good cuppa takes a certain skill and patience, which are obviously not Barista* requirements. But I do have to wonder what makes anyone pull out of their home and drive straight through to the nearest restaurant for their coffee? Is coffee making an art? Do you need special equipment? Can all these drinkers not have the time each morning for their necessary cuppa? Do their offices not serve coffee? I would love to know the answer, so coffee drinkers out there, please enlighten me!
It’s strange that while we’ve embraced the recycled cloth bag culture, we still don’t flinch while ordering a beverage in a disposable cup. And with 85% of Americans drinking at least one cup of coffee a day, its big numbers we’re talking about. So, let’s do the math here – 1 cup per day x 5 working days a week x 4 weeks per month = 20. Wow, that’s a lot of disposables. Now, let’s add on the little plastic caps to keep the coffee from spilling and of course the paper trays, as the cups are too hot to be held by hand. And don’t forget the paper napkins….. you get the picture.
If you are a regular coffee drinker, please think of investing in a reusable cup. Might make you feel like a school kids and keep you away from the counter. But if you must spend your money daily on a takeout coffee, then check out this site – www.wearehappytoserveyou.com make a ceramic cup which they promise ‘looks like a typical paper cup for coffee, but is actually made of ceramic’. Reusable, ironically disguised as disposable, and yours for only $12.
*Barista: The Italian term for bartender, also used, for the person who operates the espresso brewing equipment (or makes other coffee drinks) at a café or coffee house.
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