When you take your own reusable cup to Starbucks you get $0.10 off your drink. It’s not much but it adds up. I also find that if you order a tall sized drink, they’ll put however much coffee necessary in your beverage to fill your cup.
In theory, taking your own cup is supposed to benefit the environment, but how many recyclable or biodegradable paper cups does it take to make more impact on the environment than one plastic or metal cup? I’m willing to bet the number is pretty high so you’d have to use your reusable cup many, many times before it actually makes a difference. I only stop by Starbucks a couple times a month so it’d take me years to get enough uses out of the reusable cup for it to be worth it, but since I already have one I take it and use it anyway.
***
It’s easy to recycle plastic, just take it to your local plastic collection point.
Related posts:
Reusable Grocery Bags
 Subscribe via RSS |  Subscribe via Email | learn more about subscribing |
{ 4 comments }
I’m glad you put in that caveat that you already have your own reusable cup. Most people own at least one travel coffee cup and wouldn’t have to buy one — we don’t even drink coffee in my house, and we have 5 lounging in the cupboard above the fridge. It doesn’t use up ANY new resources to make use of a cup you already own, and that’s much better for the environment than using a disposable cup.
omg-I didnt’ know that–thanks for the tip! I know it’s silly, but I feel self-conscious about doing that b/c I don’t know if the barista will get annoyed by it–but they must support it if they give you a little money!
My mom just gave me a plastic travel coffee mug from Starbucks for Christmas and I was surprised (and thrilled) to find a coupon for a free drink inside! I used it to take my mug for a test drive and was quite impressed. I too only drink coffee a few times a month, and even then only when I get gift cards–but I never knew I could save ten cents with my new mug! Thanks for joining us for Thrifty Green Thursday!
Most places do offer you a discount when you bring in your own cups. Cathy, I’ve never thought about baristas being annoyed . . . why would it make a difference to them? It’s no extra work on their part. It does save the company money when people bring in their own cups.
I’ve also found that most grocery stores give you a discount when you bring in your own bags–up to $.05/bag. This adds up over time, too!
Thanks for the great Thrifty Green Thursday tip!
Comments on this entry are closed.