Sustainable and sustainability- these are buzzwords that have been saturating our society the last few years. On one hand, this is great! On the other, this desensitizes people to what the true meaning is, the power of the word on it’s most foundational level.
What do you think of when you hear that word? How would you define it?

Sustainable: able to continue over a period of time:
-environment (specialized)
causing, or made in a way that causes, little or no damage to the environment and therefore able to continue for a long time.

Synonyms: continual, viable, worthwhile.

We are at a point in time where we can no longer claim indifference, where we can no longer pass the buck to the next guy, or falsely internalize that we can’t individually make any changes.
The time is now to take responsibility for our individual choices, trusting that the impact will ripple, and strengthen our resolve to work collectively with like-minded people to shift the consequences of our actions from a negative impact to a positive, sustainable one.

And it can be so much fun!

The focus of this writing is to share information specifically about the impact of single-use disposable coffee cups, and offer a solution! We don’t want to just spew statistics, or use doom-n-gloom and shame tactics to incite change- we know that doesn’t ultimately work.
We aim to incite personal empowerment and authentic excitement; while sharing actionable steps that we can take together!

The Reality of Single-Use Coffee Cups

Here are some statistics about single-use coffee cups:

Usage: Around 250–300 billion single-use coffee cups are used globally each year. In the US, 16 billion disposable cups are thrown away each year.
Recycling: Less than 1% of single-use coffee cups are recycled globally.
Environmental impact: Single-use coffee cups contribute to soil and water pollution, and climate change.
Production: Manufacturing single-use coffee cups requires a lot of energy and water, and produces greenhouse gases.
Disposal: Most single-use coffee cups end up in landfills or oceans.
Degradation: Polyethylene-lined paper cups can take about 20 years to decompose, leaching their chemical parts all the while.

One of the main misconceptions is that because these cups are made of paper, they are environmentally friendly. This is not the case as the cups are lined with polyethylene (plastic), to hold the hot beverage in the cups.
On a personal health note- this lining is also leeching microplastics and other ions and potentially heavy metals into your hot beverage…to learn more about that, check out this article:
Is Microplastics Leaching into Your Coffee?

If you want to read more on the impact of single-use cups on the environment, this is a fantastic easy to read article:
The Environmental Consequences of Disposable Coffee Cups Explained

There is also a deeper layer that I feel needs to be addressed.
The effect of single-use items, consumer culture, and our relationship to the value of things.
We no longer think about what happens to things after they leave our “bubble of awareness”.
We no longer are curious about where things come from, how they are made, and who makes them.
We have adopted an attitude of “new is always better” rather than “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” or even truly valuing the importance of “reduce, reuse, recyle”.

Our society and culture have steered us off the path of being conscious consumers.
And it’s time we find our way back.
Creating the path back will be overgrown, confusing, hard to navigate, and potentially downright uncomfortable and infuriating at times.
(Please don’t take it out on us if you forget your cup)

But to be a part of a movement that is forging that path for a better future, and also has a positive impact on the outlook of life right now. The path where people make an effort, that recognizes worth over waste, and that sees value in something as simple and profound as a coffee cup made from coffee husks…I mean doesn’t it just excite you?!

(If not, that’s okay, we have enough excitement to share until you get there 😊)

And if you don’t like it, you don’t have to support us. That’s okay too.

Here is a concise and helpful article on What is Conscious Consumption, And Why is it Important?

MOVING ON!

At Huskee, we believe in turning waste into something extraordinary. We source coffee husks, which would otherwise end up in landfill, and transform them into a resilient material that forms the foundation of our HuskeeCups.

Our manufacturing process begins by carefully collecting discarded husk from coffee farms. By giving them a new purpose, we give the coffee farmers additional revenue, divert waste from landfill, and improve environmental impacts. It's a win-win-win situation for coffee lovers and the planet.

The Huskee Swap Program
How It Works:

You buy a 16oz HuskeeCup online, or at the café.
When you come back, you bring back the cup.
No need to wash the cup. Simply hand over the HuskeeCup at the cafe when you place your order, and receive your drink in a cleaned HuskeeCup!

There are not other coffee shops around our area doing this(yet..), however, there is a store locator on the app and website, so if you are traveling around you can make it a fun mission to stop at café’s with the Huskee Program!

The HuskeeSwap App

The HuskeeSwap app is FREE and your go-to for participating in HuskeeSwap. The app allows you to Swap, Borrow store or Withdraw all while tracking your impact.

SWAP a Cup:

To swap a HuskeeCup simply line up your phone's camera to the HuskeeSwap site's QR code and show your screen to the barista. From here, you will be able to Swap your HuskeeCup for a clean one with your favourite coffee order. This Swap feature can be used to count towards your digital HuskeeSwap loyalty card or simply to track your impact!

BORROW a Cup
If you forget your HuskeeCup (don't worry, it happens), you are still able to participate in the HuskeeSwap system. Simply scan the QR code provided by the HuskeeSwap site and provide your bank details. A deposit will be held until you return the HuskeeCup. You will have 7 days to return it before being charged.

STORE or Withdraw a Cup
To store a cup, line up your phone's camera to the HuskeeSwap site QR code to scan. Then simply hand over your cup to the barista to keep safe for you. If you're out and about all day, there's no need to carry your used cup around with you.

Your Impact
Every time that you swap a HuskeeCup, you are making a positive impact in reducing the amount of single-use coffee cups that end up in landfill. You can also track the amount of carbon eq. saved, which is the greenhouse gas emissions arising from a product's manufacture, transportation, use, and disposal.

But it takes a collective to make a true impact! With the HuskeeSwap app, you can view both your impact and the collective Huskee Community, just swipe right.

Loyalty
Collect a stamp for every Swap that you make. You can collect stamps every time you order. Once you have collected enough stamps, you can claim your free coffee and get rewarded for saving the planet, one cup at a time!

Learn more and place your order for your 16oz cup at https://us.huskee.co/
<<We are only offering 16oz cups at the cafe>>

These cups are awesome, Kate and I are absolutely loving ours- from the look, feel, drinkability, ease to clean, and durability.
These cups are rockstars.

I want to leave you with a few quotes to inspire and affirm the choice you are making to support us and the collective sustainability movement forward.
Thank you, love you, and looking forward to serving you!

“Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.”
– Fred Rogers, Television Personality

“The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.”
– Robert Swan, Author

“There is no such thing as ‘away’. When we throw anything away it must go somewhere.”
– Annie Leonard, Proponent of Sustainability

"The environment is where we all meet; it is the one thing we all share." – Lady Bird Johnson

"Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world." – Howard Zinn

Sustainability with Huskee