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Coffee Cups Are Next

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Re: Coffee Cups Are Next

#131

Post by antisthenes »

bArray wrote: post #110
pg_bot wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From what I've read the reusables have to be used ~70 times to be more environmentally friendly than the current disposables. I think the easiest win would be designating between sit down and take out customers. Sit down customers could be given porcelain or some other washable container. However this would increase labor costs for businesses so you don't automatically get a free win.

> From what I've read the reusables have to be used ~70 > times to be more environmentally friendly than the current > disposables. Is this assuming it goes into landfill afterwards? Does it look better if you use something more easily recyclable? I think metal is a pretty good candidate: you can get it pretty thin, it's durable, keeps the coffee hot, light and easily cleaned. You just need to ensure that customers a…

How about that corrugated cardboard heat protector for the reusable metal cup?

I think combined with reusable metal cups, it could help.

Re: Coffee Cups Are Next

#132

Post by nichos »

corodra wrote: post #21
Mediterraneo10 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In order to remain impermeable during exposure to liquid, wouldn’t a paper straw have to have some kind of coating? If that coating is plastic, then it would be no solution to the problem for which plastic straws have been criticized: microplastic pollution in the environment. If the coating is wax, the Wikipedia article for wax paper[0] suggests that there are often environmental issues. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org…

Floridan here. All coastal bars/restaurants must have paper straws. Generally, they're single drink use. You might get a second glass worth if you drink fast. I don't really notice a wax on them. If they happen to have any.... they might as well not bother. I'm a born/raised Floridian, so I grew up on all the propaganda about ocean life getting tortured by soda rings, straws and other garbage. One of my transplant fr…

Floridian here too, Jaxson to be exact. You must be in south Florida or somewhere not near North Florida. There's no ban here on straws at the beaches. Southern Florida is much more progressive than North Florida (See any election result). We're basically Southern Georgia.

Re: Coffee Cups Are Next

#133

Post by 8_hours_ago »

satori99 wrote: post #96

A former workplace of mine mandated that no-one was allowed to use re-usable coffee mugs at all. This was done because of the mass of dirty, moldy cups that seemed to fill every kitchenette in a multi-floor building. The business was a media organization and it seemed to me like reporters were the worst culprits. The company provided styrofoam cups which were consumed at a enormous rate, and this was deemed to be a b…

I feel like dirty dishes have been a problem in every place I have worked. Have any companies wised up and installed a dishwasher in each kitchen, and have someone assigned to run them every night? Or even just pay someone to wash the dishes by hand?

Re: Coffee Cups Are Next

#134

Post by gnicholas »

snowwindwaves wrote: post #81
wetpaws wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Returned cups practically scream "biohazard" in all caps.

Have you never drank from a glass or eaten off a plate or used cutlery in a restaurant? Seems like a solved problem.

Cups seem like they’d be easy enough to clean. Travel coffee cup lids are another story. I have a hard time cleaning mine, and I’m only concerned about cleaning out my own germs.

Re: Coffee Cups Are Next

#135

Post by rvp-x »

satori99 wrote: post #96

A former workplace of mine mandated that no-one was allowed to use re-usable coffee mugs at all. This was done because of the mass of dirty, moldy cups that seemed to fill every kitchenette in a multi-floor building. The business was a media organization and it seemed to me like reporters were the worst culprits. The company provided styrofoam cups which were consumed at a enormous rate, and this was deemed to be a b…

I've worked at places that had a fridge where people stored their boxed meals, and they had a rule that the fridge is emptied (to the garbage) on the weekend, to avoid accumulating people's forgotten rotting food.

Seems like it can be applied to cups as well.

Re: Coffee Cups Are Next

#136

Post by gedy »

bArray wrote: post #112
pg_bot wrote: post #55

If you don't think the people who work at these companies care about making better cups, read the following article.[0] There is a big opportunity for making a better disposable cup, but there are many engineering hurdles to jump over. - The cup has to retail for 17 cents. - It has to support a lid that is resealable. - It has to tip over and not spill. - It has to handle high temperatures. - It can't alter the taste…

> - The cup has to retail for 17 cents. Like plastic bags in supermarkets, can't one just put the onus on the customer to pay the cost of the container if they don't bring their own?

Splitting hairs, but we already are paying for the container.

Re: Coffee Cups Are Next

#137

Post by wutbrodo »

mises wrote: post #59

I'm not sure I like this trend. Who really wants to carry around an empty coffee cup wherever he goes? Or a metal straw? Or re-useable bags? Utensils will be next. There is a reason we have so much disposable stuff: unparalleled convenience.

Pretending to be ignorant of externalities doesn't mean they stop existing

Re: Coffee Cups Are Next

#138

Post by SllX »

tptacek wrote: post #119
SllX wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You shouldn’t be downvoted for this, you’re absolutely correct about bringing your own cups.

Thanks! A bit of friendly advice: voting on HN is a stochastic process, and by the time I saw this comment, it had already been upvoted many times. This is one of the reasons the guidelines ask not to comment on voting (but not the most important reason). I have trouble with this too! A sort-of-obvious trick: instead of discussing whether something should be downvoted, say you upvoted it and why. "I upvoted this, bec…

Once again, you are absolutely right. I just reviewed the guidelines again, but thank you for the reminder.

Re: Coffee Cups Are Next

#139

Post by cstrat »

8_hours_ago wrote: post #133
satori99 wrote: post #96

A former workplace of mine mandated that no-one was allowed to use re-usable coffee mugs at all. This was done because of the mass of dirty, moldy cups that seemed to fill every kitchenette in a multi-floor building. The business was a media organization and it seemed to me like reporters were the worst culprits. The company provided styrofoam cups which were consumed at a enormous rate, and this was deemed to be a b…

I feel like dirty dishes have been a problem in every place I have worked. Have any companies wised up and installed a dishwasher in each kitchen, and have someone assigned to run them every night? Or even just pay someone to wash the dishes by hand?

We've got a dishwasher in each office, and the office manager/reception tidy up. Most people put their own plates away.

However like with litter and graffiti in the streets, if people let even a small amount of cups & plates build up - then everyone seems to think it's time to dump their stuff in the sink too.

Re: Coffee Cups Are Next

#140

Post by pg_bot »

jdavis703 wrote: post #84
pg_bot wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From what I've read the reusables have to be used ~70 times to be more environmentally friendly than the current disposables. I think the easiest win would be designating between sit down and take out customers. Sit down customers could be given porcelain or some other washable container. However this would increase labor costs for businesses so you don't automatically get a free win.

I’ve been searching for this data for a while. Mind sharing your sources?

http://www.recyclingadvocates.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03...
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