Day 258
I don’t typically make resolutions at the New Year. Frankly, I don’t need a holiday to make promises to myself I can’t keep; I can do that year round.
Speaking of resolving to do something, I decided sometime last fall our family was going to start bringing our own mugs and cups into all food and drinking establishments that use disposables. It seems like a fairly simple way to reduce our waste with the added benefit of a small discount at some places like Starbucks where after only 37 green tea lattes you will have saved enough for a free one and after 370,000 you will have saved enough for a PT Cruiser.
But there needed to be a bit of preparation, meaning I needed to get a travel mug since all of my pre-Simple Year ones were packed away somewhere.
I did have a travel mug at one time this year, but I lost the lid rendering it merely a mug. Fine for home and other stationary pursuits, but in order to get from coffee shop to office stain free, I decided I needed a better containment system.
I kept forgetting. Finally, I had to write myself a checklist to implement the new sustainable vessel project. After I composed it, I realized it looked sort of like I was writing a list for someone who had suffered a closed head injury.
- Buy used travel mug
- Put travel mug and water bottles in car
- Take travel mug and water bottles into restaurants
Then I bought a really cool travel mug at a thrift store. After deftly crossing number one off my list, I realized it either had a former life as a joke “dribble glass” or had been cast off because the seal on the lid had worn. I had it in the cabinet a few weeks and would occasional forget its leaky ways and subsequently drip something down the front of my shirt as a reminder.
Looks like a disposable, but it’s not.
So then I had to add another bullet to the list
1.5 Fix used travel mug
I procrastinated long enough it did turn into a de facto New Year’s resolution because, yesterday, Jupiter was in the second house or something and I finally remembered to add a strip of duct tape to the rim.
Duct tape comes in all colors and patterns these days and is high fashion for the under 13 crowd.
Somehow it worked, no more drippy chin, YEAH!
Yesterday was its maiden voyage to Starbucks. Although, it was a rough start as, I actually forgot it both in the house and the car and had to run back to each of them delaying my arrival at work by about 10 minutes.
Just for grins, I always order in non-Starbucks approved language and speak at a leisurely pace.
Yeah, uhmmmmmm, I’d like a MEDIUM green tea latte made with non-fat milk and, oh yeah, only one pump of sugar.
Then they invariably, still very pleasantly but with just the slightest undercurrent of impatience, turn to the person making the drinks and hurriedly rattle off the translation.
One GRANDE non-fat-one pump-green tea latte
It doesn’t take much to amuse me, you should try it sometime. But, they were not nearly as impressed with my own container as I was. Apparently I’m not really on the leading edge and the practice is pretty commonplace to them which is a good thing, I think. Also, I’ve since found out that most Starbucks actually have real mugs under the counter available for use if you just ask for them.
Did you know this? How did I not know this? Am I always the last to know?
I did NOT know about the mugs under the counter. Consider yourself the second-to-last person to know! I saw on Diane Sawyer last night that Starbucks goes through 4 billion paper cups in a given year. So, now they’ve introduced a cup you can buy for $1 that they will steam clean when you bring it in before filling it with your beverage of choice (that you just paid for). I’d like to get my hands on one of these and see if it’s worthwhile… I wish it were collapsible, as that would seal the deal for me (NYC=no car=would have to carry my cup in my purse all the time? Or plan for days when I’d want Starbucks?)
On an unrelated note, but overall related, I’m going to attempt the compact with you for three months. Already slipped and bought a sweater shaver thing for the boyfriend, but…it was on sale? And I know it’ll bring sweaters back to life? Ah, whatevs, it was a mistake, and I’ll try harder in the future.
Thank you for producing your blog! Keep it coming!
Panera’s also has nice ceramic mugs available if one does not need a to-go cup. They, too, are tucked away under the counter. Just ask.
Rosie- One more reason to love Panera
Laura- I can’t wait to hear about your three months. I had to giggle about you stumbling for a sweater shaver. We all have our things. I love to buy gifts, so that has been one of the harder things for me. Let me know how it is going with the project as well as if you try the Starbucks cup. By the way, I got a cup once in race bag called Silipint, It is not exactly collapsible, but it is squish-able and can hold both hot and cold drinks. It might be worth looking for one at the resale shops or after you are finished with your three month project.
We have an amazing collection of travel mugs at home that never get used these days, I’ll bring one or two in next week and you can take your pick.
If I had an extra I would send you one, but I only have one. It’s plastic though… I’d love a ceramic one. *covet*
We keep trying to use travel mugs, in the car. It works well, when we remember to keep them in there, for spur-of-the moment coffees. Remembering is the trick, though…
Bethany- That about sums it up for most things for me…remembering
We almost always take our own mugs – even for the kiddos. But you know what really makes me mad? Starbucks only attemps to save the planet if you order with your own mug inside the store. If you order in the drive-through and tell them you have your own mug? Yes – they give you the discount, but when you get to the window, they pour the creation from a disposable cup into the reusable cup and toss the disposable cup! I’m not trying to save a penny (although that’s a nice benefit), I’m trying to save the planet, and they won’t let me! So now, I go to Serranos as often as possible or make sure I walk into Starbucks if I do have to visit because it just annoys me. If your cup continues to leak, lemme know. I have approximately 47 different travel mugs in my cupboard, and we only use 4 of them.
I discovered Einstein Brothers Bagels encourages people to bring their own travel mugs, only charging $1.00 to fill up any sized personal mug with coffee versus the $1.75 I just spent for a small coffee there.
i did not know we could use our own mugs anywhere thanks for letting me know! can u bring water bottles into restaurants too? let me know thanks
I’ve given up soda and some of the cups they give you water are too small. I’ve started bringing my own (3.5 cup) travel glass and fill up with their water.