My weapon in the War On Waste: Reusable Coffee Cups

I have always been more or less against reusable coffee cups. I never really saw the point of them, and at the time didn’t quite understand the impact they were having on our environment. But that all changed this year when I watched the program War On Waste (ABC).

See I was always under the impression that disposable coffee cups were recycled. Little did I know, that this is rarely what happens to them. Takeaway coffee cups are lined with a plastic film that makes them notoriously difficult to recycle.

After reading this article by Justin Bonsey, founder of Responsible Cafes, one line really made an impact on me.

“So, after a many-thousand-kilometre journey from forest to refinery to distributor to mouth, they are used for a few minutes and simply thrown away to remain in landfill for a thousand years to come.”

And what does that also mean? Those coffee cups that are used for a few minutes and then discarded, would also enter our litter stream. Polluting our environment and harming our wildlife. They can end up in our oceans, where they break up into small bits that marine creatures mistake for food. It just doesn’t seem right.

So, I made a pledge to myself. It’s time to make the switch to reusable; To ditch the disposables. But as a person that’s always on the go, I hated the idea of lugging a big heavy cup with me wherever I go. I bought several, and noticed I would stop using them after a while, because it just made the whole process more difficult. My morning routine is already tight (who likes getting out of bed early anyway?) so adding an extra obstacle just seem unsurmountable some days.

That’s where Pokito stands out from all the others I tried. The simple fact that it crushes down to a third of its size when I’m done was enough to convince me to try. But when I started seeing all the other things it did, the deal was sealed.

Poktio can adjust to 3 different sizes, depending on what I’m ordering. For a collapsible cup, it was a lot sturdier than I ever imagined. And the bright colours and fun design make it a conversation piece; Every barista is noticeably impressed when I hand it over.

I was concerned that it would leak through my bag once I collapsed it, but I took a leap of faith threw it straight in my bag after my first use. I was very relieved to find not a drop spilled in my bag, even after a pretty turbulent trip to catch a train (I’ve never got enough time for a casual stroll to the station.)

I’ve now been using my Pokito for 3 months, and it has just become a part of my daily routine. A recent study of 96 people published in The European Journal of Social Psychology found it took on average of 66 days to form a habit. So, while it may seem like a reusable coffee cup will never fit into your lifestyle, after 2 months it will become as normal as grabbing your morning coffee. 

Pokito is available now on www.kitncaboodle.com.au.

Purchase 2 and get free shipping. Purchase 3 and get 15% off.