Use a reusable coffee cup
Small acts are all it takes to make a big impact
Switching to reusable coffee cups and remembering to take them every time you get a takeaway coffee can:
- reduce litter and the amount of waste in landfill
- save natural resources
- protect the planet
- save you money.
It's a small act with a big impact on Victoria’s sustainable future.
Why it matters
Australians use 1.8 billion single-use, hot beverage cups every year (Source: Australian Plastics Flows and Fates Study 2019–20). This means the coffee cups and lids used annually in Victoria could fill 203 trams.
So it’s no surprise that disposable coffee cups are a major contributor to litter on our streets and in our waterways.
Disposable or single-use coffee cups have a plastic liner, so can't go in any recycling bins (at home or in public). Even those that are 'compostable' cups can't go in food and garden organics bins. Australia's composting facilities are unable to process them currently.
Single-use coffee cups are a burden on waste management services and our environment. They:
- contaminate mixed recycling bins
- create unnecessary waste in landfill.
Use a reusable cup every time you get takeaway coffee or choose to dine in if you forget your cup to fix the problem.
Tips and tricks
Keep a reusable cup handy
Make reusable cups easily accessible wherever you need them. That could mean keeping one in your office, break room, car, locker, handbag or backpack.
There are now countless types and styles of reusable cups to suit any taste. These include varieties of plastic, glass and ceramic in just about any colour combination. You can also take a cup or mug from your kitchen cupboard at home.
Choose a responsible cafe and save
Many cafes offer a discount if you take your own clean reusable coffee cup, so you can save money (sometimes up to 50 cents) while getting your coffee fix. Find a Responsible Cafe near you.
Forgot your cup? Dine in
If you get to a cafe and realise you don’t have a cup for a takeaway coffee, why not dine in instead? Sit down and spend a few minutes savouring your coffee if you can.
Take your disposable cup to a recycling point near you
Avoiding disposable cups is the most sustainable way to drink coffee. But if you get stuck without your reusable cup and don’t have time to sit down for a coffee, it is possible to recycle your disposable coffee cup.
There are hundreds of coffee cup drop-off locations in Victoria, where you can recycle your used coffee cups. Find a drop-off location near you.
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Visual summary
[The visuals during this video are illustrations of a reusable cup on a table by the front door, inside of a reusable bag, in the car and being used at a cafe.]
Text:
When on the go, remember to bring your reusable coffee cup.
Or to keep one in the car, to avoid creating unnecessary waste.[Visual of slide with text saying ‘A small act makes a big impact’]
[Visual of slide with text saying ‘Sustainability Victoria’, ‘Victoria State Government’, ‘Find out more at www.sustainability.vic.gov.au’]
Find out more at sustainability.vic.gov.au.
[Closing visual of slide with text saying ‘Victoria State Government’, ‘Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne’]
[End of Transcript]
