Three in four Australians have at least one cup of coffee a day. The fondness of coffee is strong for Aussies, especially for the younger generations. But you know what else is strong? The people’s growing interest in sustainability. For the coffee-loving population, it starts simply with reusable coffee cups.
A cup a day – or three
The scientific community agreed that a healthy dose of caffeine is 300mg-400mg. Caffeine is most consumed as coffee, and the said amount is equivalent to around three to four cups.
The right dose of coffee enhances our mental and cognitive functions. As habitual coffee drinkers know, it prolongs responsiveness and enhances attention. Research also associated regular coffee drinking with decreased depression. Another study found a positive correlation between chronic caffeine consumption and lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
These benefits explain why people find coffee essential to their daily routine. Some people brew from home, but many buy their coffee daily from their favorite coffee shops.
Shift to reusable cups
Habitual coffee-drinkers take it when they’re on their way to work. However, takeaway coffee causes mass paper cup usage in coffee shops and pose environmental problems. In Australia, more than 50000 cups are used every half hour. While cardboard cups are eco-friendly, a study says only 1 in 400 is actually recycled. Most still end up in the landfill.
This concept in takeaway coffee is an exchange system between the customer and the café. The customer has a cup that’s more durable and comfortable to hold. The café can save costs in procurement and reduce waste to have a more sanitary place. Three win in this system – the customer, the café, and the environment. Major coffee chains and local coffee houses have adopted this scheme.
There’s still a long way to go before nonreusable cups phase-out. But when everyone’s onboard toward a circular economy, sooner than later this concept will catch on.
Build the habit
Of course, start by getting your own cup. After that, make sure you use it every time you get coffee. One way to ensure you build the habit is with temptation bundling. A concept popularized by James Clear on his book Atomic Habits, temptation bundling works when you link an action you want to do with another action that you need to do. Especially for big goals, like a sustainable lifestyle, this method might help.
The idea is to tie up either a disliked but needed activity, to an activity that pleases you. For example, listening to your favorite podcasts to enjoy doing household chores. Another case is when you link an entirely new activity to an already solid and consistent habit. Like practicing new yoga poses to your consistent morning walks.
This method will help you be consistent and as ironic as it may sound, consistency is key for change. So whenever you go out for coffee, take your reusable cup with you. When done consistently, both you and the environment will reap the benefits.
Author bio:
Ester Adams is a farmer of words in the field of creativity. She is an experienced independent content writer with a demonstrated history of working in the writing and editing industry. She is a multi-niche content chef who loves cooking new things.
